After losing his grandfather to diabetes and realizing the direction his lifestyle was taking him, Adam made some serious changes.
Adam Wedekind’s story: from depressed gamer to triathlete!
“You have to sacrifice who you are for who you will become, every single day.”
-Eric Thomas, the Hip Hop Preacher
Weight Gain Background and Contributing Factors
Adam was an active child through his middle-school years, but when he entered high school he faced discouragement about his athleticism and ability to perform in team sports. As a result of this blow to his self-esteem, his lifestyle changed to a sedentary one of playing video games for upwards of twelve hours a day.
Adam describes himself as a loner who experienced depression, and wanted to “live online [where] people accepted me because they had no idea who I was, or they were in the same situation.”
Adam describes not ever thinking about calories when he ate things. He took the standard health class in high school and heard the common “2,000 calories a day” recommendation, but never considered the possibility that one McDonald’s meal could be 1,500 calories all at once.
Adam avoided scales for years, but when he finally weighed himself (after several weeks of trying and losing some water weight), he had reached a peak weight of approximately 380 pounds. (172.7 kg)
How Being Overweight Impacted Adam’s Life
Heavy breathing while going up stairs, discomfort and pain sitting in movie theater seats – Adam experienced them all.
Flying was also a nightmare for Adam. He recalls a trip from the U.S. to Germany where he felt “crushed” in his airplane seat. It was “one of [his] most painful memories.”
Adam had tried various diets and systems, but describes being way too hungry on them and eventually cheating.
“In my mind, I didn’t really want to change.”
The Turning Point
Adam’s grandfather passed away due to complications from diabetes. Adam had watched his condition deteriorate over the years, and realized that 1) he didn’t want to end up that way, and 2) he might not even make it to that age if he continued with his lifestyle.
Starting The Weight Loss Journey
Adam started by immediately cutting out the things he knew were not good for his health or waistline. This meant all soda, pizza, and fast food. Quitting soda was a difficult one for Adam, as he often ended his evenings with two liters of soda. When he stopped drinking it, he experienced headaches that he suspects were from the caffeine withdrawal.
He began taking his own lunch to school, consisting of chicken salad or grilled chicken on most days. Adam says that being the type of person who could eat the same meal every day really helped, because he was able to establish a routine that he didn’t have to think about.
Adam shared his decision to lose weight with his mother and some trusted acquaintances he knew online. Some individuals online chose to make discouraging remarks, but they were easily out-voiced by the amount of supportive comments and advice he received.
I have to point out that when Adam asked for help and advice, he got it. He asked his mother, his online friends, his coach – and they overwhelmingly gave him the help he asked for. It was several online acquaintances who suggested he visit the gym and start working with a personal trainer.
This was critical help, because When Adam started, he didn’t know what “reps” were, how to structure sets of exercises, or “what a good workout was.”
If you think you need help, you probably do.
Adam started by walking on a treadmill. He alternated walking with jogging for about half a mile (0.8 km) and then moved to light weights before finishing on the bike. This was the very beginning.
Staying Motivated
Adam set a goal early on. Before he even started training, he shared with his mother that he wanted to play football for his college the following year. While it was ambitious at the time, this desire lit a fire within Adam that quickly got him into the gym and working with a trainer.
Adam admits that he still fights temptation to slip back into “a lifestyle that did not work for [him].” He reflects on Eric Thomas’ quote (above) and focuses on who he wants to be and what he’s willing to do for it.
Adam credits his mother with being a consistent supporter and source of encouragement as well. Having her in his corner and helping him make the lifestyle changes was a big part of what helped him succeed.
What Adam Discovered
Adam discovered that he could actually eat more than he was eating before by choosing healthier foods. He ate more frequently – every few hours – so that he would not get hungry and binge.
Adam knew that to be consistent with his physical activity, he had to find something he enjoyed. He was enjoying the running and lifting weights, but didn’t expect what happened next:
After losing the first 50 pounds (22.7 kg), Adam discovered that he loved running. So much, in fact, that he joined the university running club. He filmed a short video at the time wondering out loud how incredible it would be to run a marathon someday.
Little did he know that he’d be training for one just a short year later. Adam has completed the Ironman Arizona.
Adam’s Advice For Your Journey
- Be patient. Understand that weight loss takes time.
- Find an activity you enjoy doing, and that gets you moving. This helps ensure you will stick with it.
- Eat every few hours if possible. This helps you eat less at meals, because it hasn’t been as long since your last meal. Adam ate six meals a day during his weight loss.
- Try to think of food as fuel. Control it’s use, and how it recharges your body; don’t let food control you.
- Drink lots of water! Adam carries a large container of water around with him.
- If you’re someone who struggles to give up certain foods, use a “cheat day” with a few less-healthy foods to give you a mental reset that helps you be disciplined during the other six days.
- There isn’t going to be a perfect moment or time to start living healthier; you have to make a conscious decision to start now – not tomorrow, not Monday, not “some day.”
- Don’t be afraid to ask those you care about to help you change.
Resources Discussed In This Podcast
- MyFitnessPal – online food tracking and support community
- “My 120 Pound Journey” – Ben Davis‘ inspirational video story
- Do Life by Ben Davis – the book about Ben’s journey [ Amazon / iTunes / iTunes Audiobook ]
- /LoseIt – weight loss support community on Reddit.com
- Arthur Boorman – [ YouTube ] disabled Gulf War veteran of 15 years who doctors said would never walk again, but has recovered to walk and much more.
On Adam’s Workout Playlist
- Infinity by Guru Josh Project [ Amazon / iTunes ]
- Say Something by Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera [ Amazon / iTunes ]
- How Bad Do You Want It by Eric Thomas [ YouTube ]
Contacting Adam
- Adam is participating in a charity bike ride called the 4kForCancer. Learn more and support his ride here!
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