Muneer A. Lenexa, Kansas
Occupation:
Attorney
Height:
5 ft. 11 in.
Starting weight:
290 lbs.
Lowest weight:
205 lbs.
Current weight:
208 lbs.
Began weight-loss program:
May 2004
Length at current weight:
4 months

Weight and Me
I began to gain weight on a family trip to the U.S. in 1988 when I was first introduced to junk food. When we moved here permanently in 1990, I gained weight slowly but steadily. My weight really increased in my sophomore year of high school, when I made a point to eat a large afternoon snack after coming back from school, and decreased my level of physical activity. When I went to college, I was eating bad food all the time since there was no one there to tell me what or when to eat. I used to order pizzas with others even after I had eaten at the dining hall. At that point in my life, I stopped exercising and doing physical activity in general, save for the summer after my freshman year, when I would go to the gym each day after eating four or five helpings at lunch and dinner in the dining hall.
The Last Straw
I got back from a trip to Philadelphia in March 2004 and noticed that I was tired and sluggish all the time. I had trouble walking up a flight of stairs without getting severely winded. I began to think that I might have some sort of illness. The more I looked at it though, I realized it was likely my weight. At that point, I looked at weight loss as being a life or death situation.
How I Did It
First, I ordered a book by a man named Larry 'Fats' Goldberg. He dropped from 325 lbs. to 150 lbs. and maintained the weight loss until his death. The book helped give me the motivation to lose weight and convinced me I could do it. Next, I decided to drastically change my diet. I cut out all fried foods and meat. I began to eat only vegetables, fruit and bread. For six days of the week, I stuck to this regimen. On the seventh day, I allowed myself to eat all my favorite foods. I also began to count calories on my "diet days" and decided to set 1700 as my daily target. I also exercised six days a week. In the beginning, I walked in my neighborhood, but then I incorporated running later on in the summer of 2004. I've recently joined a gym class at the local community college, so I'm now incorporating weights into my exercise regimen as well.
The Key To Success
The key has been exercise and just pure determination. Once I convinced myself that I could do it, there was no going back. Seeing the weight drop on the scale was also a huge motivator.
Derailers and Strategies
I don't really think there's anything that constantly derails me. The new eating habits have become so ingrained that even on my free days, I tend to eat on the healthy side. The main thing that keeps me motivated is the desire to never be unhealthy and out of shape again. I was on the road to serious illness, and I'm glad I was able to reverse the tide in time.
When I Slip...
I take it in stride. We are all humans, and we will make mistakes. If I eat unhealthy food on a diet day, I just vow to get back on track the next day. I also think about how far I've come up to this point, and it reminds me that I've achieved quite a lot. That keeps my outlook fairly positive.
When I Soar...
It's a tie between being able to shop for clothes at any store and find something in my size, and the looks and remarks I get from people who haven't seen me in a while. It's truly rewarding when people tell me how good I look.