OneStepStories-AlIThe picture of myself was disgusting. I literally turned to my wife and said I need to do something now to get some of this weight off.

I was a “meat and potatoes” kind of person.  I never watched what I ate from a nutritional standpoint.  I would eat and drink whenever, whatever I wanted with no hesitation to the quantity I was consuming.

I remember the specific date and location where I knew a change was necessary.  My wife and I were attending parents weekend at the University of Dayton with our youngest son.  We all were having a great time celebrating with our son and his friends when the decision was made that more supplies were needed for the party.  When we arrived back at my son’s apartment my wife took a picture of me walking with the supplies up to the apartment.  The picture of myself was disgusting.  It actually appeared as if I was pregnant.  I had a “beerbelly” the size of a watermelon.  I literally turned to my wife and said I need to do something now to get some of this weight off.

The changes were immediate.  My wife has always been a healthy eater so I began eating more like her.  I rarely ate fruits or vegetables and my portion sizes were out of control.  I began eating fruit and vegetables at every meal.  I also started eating much more turkey and chicken and cut back on beef.  A key moment for me was when I literally began using a measuring cup for my morning cereal.  A bowl of cereal now consists of 1/2 cup of a healthy cereal versus a serving size four times that of a cereal high in sugar content prior to the healthy change. I always exercised but I increased my workout from 45 minutes a day to 120 minutes per day.  I continue with this exercise routine even three years later.

These changes have been nothing but a positive boost for my self confidence.  I’m able to do anything physical I want.  I used to be an avid runner growing up.  After gaining so much weight it was difficult for me to run 5 miles without my knees hurting.  I have since completed two full marathons and one half marathon with another scheduled for this fall.  I have also schedule to skydive with my son this summer which has always been on my bucket list to do.

My wife Lauri has been, by far, my biggest supporter.  She coached me on what is healthy to eat as well as portion sizes.  She always said that moderation is the key to successful dieting.  Now we encourage each other along the way.  My wife lost several inches and pounds as well and we never been happier in the 33 years of marriage.  Whirlpool’s push of the wellness programs really helped as well.  There was no way I was going to be one of those people that didn’t pass the requirements for blood pressure, weight/BMI.

My best piece of advice is that moderation is the key to success.  You can have a great exercise program/routine but there still needs to be a change in the way you eat.  At least for me me, it takes both eating healthy and exercise to get results AND you must maintain that lifestyle.

I feel so much better.  I have so much more energy and my health records are in excellent condition without the help of any type of medication.  I feel better now than I did 25 years ago.

Al Inkrott, Ottawa, OH

March 28, 2016