Steve Cullen

Not sure how many regular visitors I get since there are very few comments from people I don’t know. But Google says I get at least a few everyday, so I figured I’d throw a quick update out there.

My spare time has been all but disappeared since March. I had what I consider to be a serious health scare at that time (completely unrelated to my Pilonidal procedure) and decided a lifestyle change was needed immediately. My weight had reached a point that was beyond being simply overweight and it was beginning to impact my health, so action was required and not simply desired. Desire was (and has always been) there, but desire alone had never been enough to get me moving. Unfortunately, the extra nudge (more like kick in the face) arrived and prompted me to take swift action.

I asked my fiancee, Jamie – a personal trainer coincidentally, to take the lead and design a plan for me to follow. This plan was to be all-inclusive: diet, workout type/frequency/intensity. She grabbed the horse by the reigns and got me on track right away. Since then I have spent 6-days a week in the gym, only missing time when sick. Not even vacation gets in the way. I eat 6 small meals a day giving my body the metabolic kick in the pants it needs. The rest of my time is spent with my family and resting.

The rest is worth mentioning considering that since my lifestyle has changed, so have my daily habits. Gone are the days of staying up until 1am and waking up at 8 or 9. Now I usually end up asleep in the 10-11pm range and wake up before or around 7am.

Since making these changes, I’m down at least 80 pounds. I say at least because I have no idea what my starting weight was. I only bought a scale about 3 weeks to a month into the process. I’ve gone from what I estimate as being in the 310lb range, to now weighing 223lbs as of this morning. To some 223lbs probably still seems heavy, and I think it is somewhat (Jamie would disagree), but I’m in the best shape of my adult life and feel like I’m a changed man. At 6-foot 3-inches tall, and an avid “weight lifter” (cheesy name, but it’s what I do I guess), 223lbs isn’t all that heavy. For comparison’s sake, my best friend Phil has lifted weights, (with time off only for injury) continually for probably 13 years or so. He is 6’1″, same frame as I have, and weighs 195lbs. Having a little over 2-inches on him, and at 17% body fat, I’m not too far off.

For a little more perspective, my clothing has changed drastically. I’ve gone from a 42″ waist and XXL shirt, to a 35″ waist and M shirt. THAT is where the change is noticeable. I can’t recall ever wearing a shirt that said “Medium” on the tag. I still wear L shirts occasionally and to the gym (XL for lifting because it’s just more comfortable), but medium is the size that fits. And it’s not a hunt around until I find a big M either, I’ve only had one shirt in M fit too tightly since I’ve started wearing them, and it was around the chest area.

I plan on getting back to posting soon. I have a lot of catching up to do on product reviews, opinions, rants, etc. But it will likely have to take place on the weekends. Otherwise you can find me at work, at the gym, or in bed.

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