PSA Before My Birthday
Today, I had the pleasure of using an InBody 520 Analyzer for the very first time.
Why did I do it? Well, it’s my birthday next month…I’m going to be 46. And, to be candid, there’s just something about that number that makes me start to think about where I am and where I’m going…probably because it’s the start of the down-side of the “40′s” mountain…meaning that the “Big Five-Oh” is as close as it’s ever been for me…
So, I was curious as to what my body fat percentage was now. And, since the InBody 520 is the latest thing (or, so I was told)…why not?
Here’s the good news: My body fat percentage is now 12.9%.
For me, this is pretty big news. For the first 30 years of my life, I was in good shape. But, “the 30′s” were a different story for me. Bad eating habits and being less active caught up to me – in a bad way. In fact, by April of 2003, I was in terrble shape. My weight, at that time, was 147% of what it is now. (Or, on the flip side, my weight now is 68% of what it was back then.)
Bascially, hitting rock-bottom, in June of 2006, I decided to change my bad habits. I started making better food choices and exercising portion control. (Bad food choices and no portion control were my two biggest sins.) I’m also more active now – but that’s more a product of being able to be more active now because I dropped all the weight.
Once I made that bad habit change, it’s been pretty easy to maintain where I am now. Actually, it was about 18 months ago that I hit my current weight – and it’s never moved since then…again, thanks to making better food choices and exercising portion control.
I’m not sharing this to blow my own horn. And, I’m not sharing this to get all-preachy. Actually, I’m only sharing this for one reason – to let someone know, if they’re out there and feeling the way that I did back in June of 2006, that it can be done…if you really want to do it. And, it’s not that hard – it’s just a matter of using your head and thinking about what you’re doing.
Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can…
Steve, that’s ridiculously good. A body fat percentage under 15% is terrific for our age, especially if you are not in training for a race/competition or otherwise exercising regularly. I’ve taken 22 pounds off this year, but my body fat percentage is still nowhere near yours. I’ll check back in with you in another 12 months!
Thanks yankees76.
Yes, the guy running the InBody 520 kept telling me, over and over, how good my score was…
I guess that don’t see that from an old-timer too often!
Congrats on the 22. Great job! Keep at it and good luck!
Steve,
When I’ve seen the photos you’ve posted, I’ve thought there’s a super-fit guy who should eat a sundae occasionally. Not that I need the motivation but I’m at my worst spot yet, and am just a year younger than you were when you hit bottom. I don’t know if you’ve motivated me but its good to see someone make such a transformation at a similar stage in life.
Thanks OnceIWasAYankeeFan.
It’s always possible to make a change. Best thing I can recommend:
Forget the past. Don’t lament about what you did to get where you are…it’s a waste. What’s done is done and it cannot be changed.
Don’t worry about the future. Don’t look, plan, or fret about some goal that’s way out there. It’s hard to score from your own one-yard line in one play. Think about small steps…first downs are more important than touchdowns.
Focus on today. The “now” is the only thing that you truly own and control. Eat well, this day…this meal…one meal at a time.
It’s just like anything else…don’t took back, don’t get too far ahead of yourself, and take it one day at a time…
Good luck!
[...] October 2008, I shared the story about how I elected to change some of my bad habits (in June 2006) and what the results were at that junction. In that report, I disclosed that, [...]