I lost 160 pounds after seeing a photo of myself. I stopped eating processed foods and walked 20,000 steps a day to do it.
Everett Gooch weighed 325 pounds and was categorized as being obese.
He changed his diet and got fit after seeing an unflattering photo of himself.
Now he walks 20,000 steps a day and went from wearing a size XXXL shirt to a medium.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Everett Gooch. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I was on a cruise in 2016 with my family. I'm a bit of a people pleaser, and when they wanted me to enter a belly flop competition, I obliged.
"You've got the biggest belly, so go ahead and see if you can win," they said.
Everyone cheered when I launched myself into the pool. But it was humiliating. Someone filmed a video. I never want to watch it.
Still, a photograph finally motivated me to lose 160 pounds. My wife, Nancy, took a picture of me sitting on the couch. "I look so unhealthy," I thought. "I'm a heart attack waiting to happen."
I'd watch TV and eat a box of Oreos in one sitting
We'd been together since 1988. She was always there for me. I was always there for her. At that moment, at the age of 61, I vowed to get healthy. I wanted us to enjoy the rest of our lives together.
I'd always been athletic at school and in college. I swam and did recreational sports like football.
But, when I got into young adulthood, I got complacent. After we got married 33 years ago, Nancy joked that I'd got what I wanted. In truth, I had stopped working for it.
I'd park in front of the television and eat a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies or a box of Oreos in one sitting. I'd go to McDonalds and order three singles with extra pickles and onions, french fries and a large Sprite.
I'd drink venti frappuccinos from Starbucks six days a week. They're about 500 calories each. Male adults are supposed to consume about 2,500 calories a day. But, for me, every opportunity was an opportunity to eat. All I really did was sit around.
My sense of humiliation got worse as I got larger. I work in before-and-after-school childcare. The kids are kindergarten through sixth grade.
One day, a first grader pointed at my belly. "Mr. Everett," she said. "Are you having a baby? Because you look just like Mommy."
Meanwhile, I was always the Pillsbury dough boy or the Stay Puffed marshmallow man for Halloween. The kids would pretend to punch me in the stomach.
I'd eat 3 to 4 watermelons a week to stave off cravings
At one stage, I weighed around 350 pounds. I couldn't bend down to tie my shoelaces. I tried faddish diets and lost a few pounds. Then, I'd go back to my old ways.
Things finally changed after I saw the unflattering photo of myself in March 2021. I stood on the scale and weighed 325 pounds at the time. I'm 5ft 7inches tall. I was obese.
First, I cut out all added sugars. Then, I stopped eating processed food. I ate more chicken and fish. I'd go through three or four watermelons a week. It was my go-to whenever I felt hungry.
I started exercising in June 2021. I began to walk around a track. Eventually, I was walking an average of 20,000 steps a day.
I did push-ups against the wall and, after building up strength, on the floor. I'd introduce a new kind of exercise — such as planking or chin-ups — every couple of weeks. I felt better every day.
My doctor was impressed by my weight loss. So was Nancy. She encouraged me every step of the way. We work out together.
I've gone from a 52-inch waist to a 34-inch waist. I used to wear tops that were XXXL. Now I'm a size medium.
I weighed myself the other day. The scale showed 165 pounds. It's exactly where I want — and need — to be.
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