Caleb Podcast
Welcome to Caleb Podcast, where we dive deep into the stories and perspectives that challenge conventional religious thought. Join me, Caleb Parker, your host and fellow seeker, as we embark on a journey to explore spirituality, faith, and humanity from a refreshingly open-minded perspective.
In each episode, I sit down with guests from diverse backgrounds and walks of life. From artists to activists, scientists to philosophers, we engage in candid conversations that transcend the boundaries of traditional Christian discourse. Together, we unravel the complexities of belief, doubt, and the human experience in the context of modern society.
Whether you identify as a devout believer, a skeptic, or something in between, Unhinged Christian offers a space for exploration and discovery. No topic is off-limits as we challenge assumptions, confront taboos, and embrace the richness of our shared humanity.
Join us as we navigate the intersections of faith, doubt, and everything in between. Tune in to Unhinged Christian and open your mind to a new dimension of spiritual inquiry.
Caleb Podcast
038: Beyond the Scale: When Physical Discipline Transforms Your Life. With Stefan Hansen
Stefan shares his remarkable journey of losing 70 pounds, transforming from approaching 300 pounds to his current weight of 230 pounds. His story reveals how physical discipline in fitness has translated to greater confidence, improved social skills, and better overall health.
• Starting with small changes like cutting back on sugary drinks and fast food
• Using Ring Fit Adventure on Nintendo Switch for 4 hours daily as initial exercise
• Implementing intermittent fasting from 8pm to 8am
• Gradually building gym consistency from 2-3 days monthly to 5-6 days weekly
• Developing strategies to handle food cravings and temptations
• Experiencing unexpected benefits like improved breathing, less joint pain, and better mobility
• Finding the gym helps relieve stress rather than being a chore
• Noticing increased confidence in social situations and dating
• Facing weight loss plateaus and maintaining motivation
• Recognizing that visible changes might slow while internal improvements continue
• Retraining walking posture and breathing patterns as weight decreased
Try to find something that motivates you to start your fitness journey - whether it's looking good for an event or simply feeling better. The hardest part is getting started, but once you build momentum, the physical and mental benefits extend far beyond what you might expect.
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Stuffin, this is a little story, a true story based on true events based on true events, but they're not actually real, just kidding. They're real Years ago. This was pre-COVID, when I would bring my TV over Yup and we would play Fortnite and then we would obviously go to sleep at some point. But then you would wake up around noon-ish and I would always hear and you would just guzzle the two liter oh yeah, and now you've lost. What is it? 70?
Speaker 2:pounds 70 pounds.
Speaker 1:So to start us off, what changed?
Speaker 2:Well, I was fat, now I'm skinny.
Speaker 1:Right no.
Speaker 2:So what ended up happening was is back then I definitely wasn't like. So, just as an example to give like everybody like kind of a thing here is like it was back then in 2019. I probably was approaching 300 pounds, but I wasn't exactly 300 pounds Like. I was probably like sitting around 270.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Maybe I would say maybe 275, 80, something like that. But then, as the years went on and a lot of stuff happened, like I engaged, um, you know, back in 2020, and then I was losing weight. Then I got down to 230, which is where I'm at right now. Um, because I was more motivated to like work out and look good in a suit, I was actually shrinking, like my, my, what I call my fupa, my little gut. It was uh, shrinking significantly, like it was tightening up and everything.
Speaker 2:But it also helped too that my dad had like a gym that, um, it was it's gonna sound weird, but like. So the house that they bought had gym equipment down there from laura, my stepmom's ex-husband, that he left behind. So I used that, um, uh, on top of a game for the nintendo switch called ring fit adventure, and that helped, because I played that game for about four hours a day and, um, I would just not do it all in one session, but I would do like, maybe like an hour or two or like an hour, take a break, do another hour and then before bed, and I did that for at least six to seven days a week and that's what actually helped. I didn't do the gym or anything like that, but I did cut back on, like fast food, pop and everything, and even like I used to come by here and like you remember the starbucks vanilla drinks I used to bring too like yeah yeah, I used to buy those a lot and they have like a lot of sugar and everything and calories and calories.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I mean this tea doesn't exactly help because it's got like, but this is like a dessert for me because I don't like this is actually like my second Arizona tea this month. Put it down.
Speaker 2:It's got 90 calories, but it's 160 calories per serving or per can, which this is 160. Yeah, I think it's 90 per serving, and then the other one is probably the full can, yeah, and so, like I cut back on arizona teas drastically too, because I used to buy like a 12 pack of like the small cans, and I would sometimes buy two or three of them. Just that way I didn't have to go out and buy more and they I mean, it adds up with all like the fatty foods I was buying, right, um, but what ended up happening was is, after the engagement fell apart, I just kind of let myself go and I didn't care, so I wasn't gonna. I told myself, though, like I'm not gonna care, but I'm not gonna get up to like anything past like 300, if I can help it. You know what I mean? Uh-huh, because I was like I don't want to be like on 600 pound life, so, and uh, you could have been famous.
Speaker 2:I could have been, but in all the wrong reasons, all the wrong reasons.
Speaker 1:You're right.
Speaker 2:So I kind of let myself go to approaching 300 pounds and then I got to a point where I was sitting at a little over 300 pounds. I think I was like 305 was the highest weight I've ever gotten in my life. Actually it was 305, somewhere around there it was bad I had like. Right now I still have like a double chin kind of thing, but that's from all the weight loss with all the loose skin, and I'm trying to tighten it up by doing a little bit more of hydration with water more yeah like.
Speaker 2:So what I do is after eight o'clock is, except for now, obviously but after 8 o'clock I drink nothing but water and I do like intermediate fasting from like 8 pm all the way till 8 am the next day.
Speaker 1:Is that?
Speaker 2:difficult it is on a work week, but like if it's like the days that I have off, or like on a Saturday going on to Sunday when I sleep, like I could even go past 10 am if I wanted to.
Speaker 1:And you do that every day though, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I do it every day and again, like cutting off fast food, like I haven't even been to McDonald's in like a minute, like it's been a while that I've been to like Burger King or McDonald's or anything like that, and I don't even consider like, like I mean, I'll mean, you just got back from like Texas Roadhouse a little bit ago but like we're eating chicken, steak and whatever like things with high protein, and I'm doing the gym too regularly. High protein, good fats yes, exactly Like, and so I go to.
Speaker 1:Planet Fitness, except for them, rolls. Yeah, the rolls are the only thing.
Speaker 2:So yeah, planet fitness, except for them rolls. Yeah, the rolls are the only job. So, yeah, we have like water and stuff like that. Like, even even if pop is available, like at work, if they have like a party, I'm like sure I'll have like a slice of pizza or two, but then after that like I cut it off completely because I'm like I know like I can handle at least maybe two more slices or three more if I really wanted to, but I'm I think two slices is good enough.
Speaker 1:So you got me there, because when I work at jets and they bring back mess ups, there's almost no self control for me. If it's free pizza, I'm just going to keep eating it. So I have to. It's hard, it is, I would. It's something that I have to work on, like you say you can stop at one to two slices.
Speaker 2:Me it's like, like even with the arizona tea right now, like again I I don't even keep my mini fridge downstairs like stockpiled with them anymore like I'll go to the liquor store where they sell the black tea because that's the one I like the most and has the least amount of calories in it. Yeah, um, but like I'll buy like maybe three at most, that's it, and then that's lasting me the entire month, so I don't go out and buy more or anything.
Speaker 1:Three tall ones.
Speaker 2:Yeah, three tall ones, that's it.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, yeah, If that's three a month, I don't think is no, that's not.
Speaker 2:And that's like my dessert pretty much. So if I'm like after dinner, instead of like going for like a chocolate or something like that Even if again that's available Like I'm okay with like a cheat day, like every now and again.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But I really do when it comes to certain things, like my goals are set, I have self-control and self-discipline for it. Where, again, excuse me, if, like my brother goes out for Popeye's chicken sandwiches and stuff, and yeah, the chicken, the deep fried chicken, smells amazing, yes, it does.
Speaker 2:And it gets to that point where I'm like, oh, my gosh, like my mouth is watering and all I have downstairs is like bananas, apples, and I just have like maybe a bowl of cereal or something like that available and I'm like man and he's, he's like, yeah, you want to come upstairs and have like half the sandwich and I'm like, you know it's chicken, sure, but it's like it's deep fried chicken and then the buttery buns and like everything else they they throw on there and the in the fries, and the drink too, like a dr pepper they usually get. I'm like, no, I'm good, I'll just stick to like a banana. Otherwise too, what I've you're saying no to popeyes I I've had to because it's again.
Speaker 2:It's that self-discipline yeah, that's a strong mind yeah, and the other thing is too, is, um, what I have also done is if I do have a craving and if I can't help myself like and I know like I have, let's say, chocolate milk or something like that available as an example, and I'm like I know that's a lot of sugar and whatnot and I'm like really tempted to drink it, but I'm like also, I know I'm bored or even if I, if I do have like a fatty food down there, like let's just say it's like oreos or something stupid, you know, yeah, like it would be at that point where I've gotten, uh, peanut butter, because I know if I like that's still like pretty, I would say decent on the sodium and all that other crap on there, but I only do like maybe one to two spoonfuls and then that's it, because I know I'm bored and that peanut butter is going to fill and make me feel full.
Speaker 2:So that way I don't have that craving anymore. You know what I mean? Yeah, so that's what I've done also, for self-discipline is so, that way I don't have that temptation to. If they got chocolate cake upstairs or I feel like going and getting a chocolate shake, I'm like, nope, I'll just get two scoops of peanut butter. I'll have that real quick and then just down it with water.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I can't keep any of that stuff stocked here like oreos, because otherwise it's just yeah, like, and that's it is.
Speaker 2:It's hard, and especially like too, for just anybody for like to lose weight and have that self-discipline, especially when, like, that's been your lifestyle. Like I remember at my old apartment the one that you saw before I moved out that one I kept Chef Boyardee cans, I kept ordering Little Caesars almost weekly and then I had two, two liters of pop. I had one of Coke and one of Mountain Dew or whatever, and Oreos, all these fatty foods that I mean I know I'm going to eat it and and it's cheap, but at the same time like it's not healthy and all I'm doing is really I come home and I work and I just that's it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's all I do. But obviously now it's different, because now I'm going to the gym five to six days a week and I think I found out too that it's not. It sounds weird but like it's not too bad to go five, six days a week, but like people are saying you should go at least four to five because there's those days in between for muscle build, because you don't want to go to the gym seven days a week because you're not giving your muscles time to like.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you definitely want a rest day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I usually I'll do Sundays and do uh, thursdays is my day of rest if I'm doing five days a week.
Speaker 1:Otherwise, like, I'll just pick a random day in between, like for a third day, if I just feel like going four days a week yeah but I've been trying to stick to at least five days a week I would say I'm not a health expert, Obviously I don't have a degree in anything, but I would say like four to six days a week is prime. Yeah, because sometimes it feels really good to go six times a week.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, no, I've had moments where it's like a weird high that you get.
Speaker 2:It's like you're feeling really good, like I've gotten that high. I and I, honestly, if I'm bored at home you know me, I'm a gamer like I love playing video games and stuff. But when it comes down to it, at the end of the day, if I feel like I just like I don't want to play games, but I'm like bored at home, I'm just like okay, gym, you're going to the gym and so I just put on my stuff and I just go right there and I at least go for an hour.
Speaker 1:So you can put the video games down and then go to the gym.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you would think it's been weird of the drastic change that I've done, because you know me, I'm a video game nerd an addict in a way.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I play video games a lot. But as I've gone on this weight loss journey, it's been drastically different where I'm not playing video games as much and I'm like doing other things, like I'm working, I'm focusing on my artwork and I'm focusing on, like just again, my I guess you would say not really, but really like mental health, like focusing on that, so like I'm not in induced in video games, like where I'm just staring at a screen 24, seven kind of right.
Speaker 1:Would you say that amping up your physical discipline like the gym has translated to other disciplines in your life?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So because again before, when I was like 300 pounds, like I was literally just wind and dined on video games and junk food and just I didn't want to go out. I was fine with sleeping in till like 11 or 12 o'clock in the afternoon because I would just stay up late because all that junk food just stays in your system yeah, and it makes you a little fargic right.
Speaker 2:And now the only way that I stay up late, like past midnight, is if I'm like really into a drawing that I'm doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like there's been times where I've like I've sat there and I've just lost track of time because I'm really into a piece of artwork like you seem some of my artwork that I do and I'm really into it.
Speaker 2:I'm like, okay, I don't want to go to bed on and finish on this note, because I feel like I'm going to forget it and not have that same, you know, inspiration, you know to do it. And again, ever since losing the weight, I found like I'm more focused on things. I'm more, um, disciplined in other areas, like again, like not gaming as much or not like again going out for fast food and falling for that kind of thing, even with just being around the family. More like I'm still like kind there at my brother's place, but I'm there more than what I was, where I was just downstairs being isolated, that's. The other thing, too is, since losing 70 pounds, I've noticed that I'm a little bit more sociable at work, and even outside of work too. I find it more like I'm more comfortable with the way that I am right now and I still am trying to lose the weight. I'm still trying to get down to at least maybe 220 or 210 yeah if I can.
Speaker 2:It's just really difficult because everything happens on the inside first before the outside. Right, because the one drastic thing people do when they lose weight is you lose the water weight first yep so that could be 50 pounds, 40 pounds, whatever, and then from there it's everything else on the inside.
Speaker 2:So you may still have like for me I still have a gut. It's not as big as what it used to be, but it's still like noticeable. It doesn't hang over my belt like it used to. I, I'll say that much, but it's you know. Again, it's a little deceiving still at times, like that's.
Speaker 2:One thing I have trouble is like looking in the mirror and seeing like yeah, there's still that loose skin there, but at the end of the day I know that on the inside it's shrinking. It's just going to take time. And I've only been going to the gym too since, like I would say, when I really started going and disciplining myself was like late November, early December last year. That's when I really started getting disciplined into like actually going, and then it's just been continuous of me going. So I would it's going to take, obviously I would think like maybe, like I'm not saying three months, but you never know but like I would say like probably another half year or something like that, to really notice if as long as I keep being on the dedication, you know, rails or whatever to that weight loss goal and then just tone everything up from there. So but I've also noticed too at work I'm able to do a lot more things and I don't like, like you know, like I'm not panting or running out of breath or anything like that and also too like it's also easier with breathing too yeah
Speaker 2:because I used to have where I'd have to breathe out of my mouth because I wasn't getting enough oxygen through my nose, but now it's like I can comfortably just like. So it was weird because you have to almost retrain yourself for this stuff. It's like if you, if you were big like I was, and you have a waddle when you walk, or like if your feet hurt or they were like stepping to the side like I did, like my foot my left foot would just be like at an angle because it was trying to support all that weight when I was walking but I've retrained my feet feet now to walk straight and my legs to be straight and it works.
Speaker 2:I mean I feel less pain, I'm not limping anymore. I mean, yeah, my feet still hurt, but it's like a different kind of hurt, Like, yeah, I'm walking on concrete. It's not like I'm walking on concrete and carrying 300 pounds of weight.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Why do you think that it has made you more social?
Speaker 2:It's more of like at that point, I think confidence, because most people, even if you're skinny and you're a 10 out of 10 Chad, some people will think like they're not good looking or they just aren't that kind of like. Maybe somebody will judge them. And for me it was like I knew people liked me, regardless of how big I was. But it was just more of like why are you talking to me like I'm 300 pounds, like I'm not attractive? I'm not, you know, I'm not like the most, like hey, let's go outside and like go on a hiking thing. I still don't want to do that right now, but I mean like you know, yeah, I will, and it's just like, at that point it's like I just it.
Speaker 1:I didn't feel confident in myself with, like, carrying a conversation, and now it's oh, because the thoughts in your head were like why are you talking to me?
Speaker 2:yeah, like okay yeah, like I'm not like one of the popular kids or anything like that kind of motivation or whatever you call it.
Speaker 2:So then, after losing the 70 pounds, it's like a drastic change, like people are noticing. They're like hey, you want to hang out and stuff. Like people look at you different too, which is great, like they could still look at you as you're big because you've got a good personality. But then it's like, if you lost that weight too like people do, they're just like dang, you look like you lose weight. Like my hoodie and uh shirt that I wear for work now looks like a dress on me because I was a 2xl. Now I'm back at like an xl okay which is good.
Speaker 2:So, um, there's still certain things I can't wear, and the jeans right now it's it's kind of a weird in between because, like I know, my waist is shrinking but I still can't like go a size down, as weird as like it's like a weird in between. So like I'm a 36 right now, I was a 40, so it has shrunk.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's good yeah, it's just right now I'm kind of stuck at that 36 and that's where I'm like. Also, too, at the weight, I'm stuck at 230. But again, people have to realize, like you may be stuck at that certain weight for a minute, but like, if you keep going and you keep with that determination of like dieting, cutting back and whatnot, whether you do like a carnivore diet or something like that, like some people do, or if they go vegan or whatever, like you just keep that.
Speaker 1:it's all in here, is what it is, it's all in your head yeah, I would just say eat good, healthy food and obviously watch the calories, because if you're eating too many calories, even if it's good, healthy food, food you can overdo it, you can still gain weight. Um, where was like, where were we? You're talking about the dieting. Yeah, the dieting with like being all up in the head is where yeah, up in the head, Um cause you'd say you reached a plateau right now where it's kind of like that flat line so you're not really going up, but you're not really going down exactly like, if anything, I go up one pound and I go down one pound, kind of thing like it's
Speaker 2:a weird in between. So it's just like, yeah, I'll be sitting there sweating bullets at like planet fitness, like I'm when I'm on the treadmill, the stair master, you know, doing like the leg press and everything like that. But yeah, and then I go home and I wait like maybe a week or two to see like the weight progress.
Speaker 2:And it's still at 230 and I'm like the heck happened you know, yeah, but again it's the body trying to get rid of that fat and try to move stuff around because you're tightening your muscles and it's like stretching them out. So that way you stretch out, and that's the part. That's the hard part. I would say the hard part is getting started.
Speaker 2:If you want to lose weight, I'll say yeah, well, yeah I was going to the gym at first with elizabeth and brian for maybe two to three days a month because I was just like I don't want to. It really was. It was that mentality. And then I was like you know what, all right, I'll. They're asking me a couple more days. So I was like, all right, I'll go with them. Whatever, it's fine. And then it just got to the point where I was like you know what? Hey, you guys want to go, and then we go. And so right now, like what I was telling you is I go. Right now, brian got a different, different gym membership somewhere else.
Speaker 1:So he don't dare he.
Speaker 2:I know he goes to crunch but he also doesn't really hang out with us as much anymore. But then I mean at work I still talk to him and stuff like that. But otherwise me and Elizabeth, we go, we go to the, we go. I'm not going to say what planet fitness, but we go to Planet Fitness.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And we have a lot of good times Like we use the what is it called the poles with the feet thing.
Speaker 1:The elliptical, yeah, the elliptical.
Speaker 2:I had it earlier. Yeah, we use that and it's easier on the joints too, since we both walk on concrete like all day for like 10 hours plus, and then otherwise I'll use the treadmill if, like, she shows up later or something like that, and then we go to like hey, so do you want to do core? Do you want to do arm, do you want to do leg today? And we'll be like all right, well, I did arm yesterday. Oh, I did arm yesterday. All right, we'll do leg or we'll do core and we'll just be there like helping motivate each other and whatnot. And it's really nice and she's been doing pretty good too.
Speaker 2:She, she, uh, she had a lot of weight on her too at one point and she slimmed down a bit, like it. It's a drastic difference of how much better she looks too. And I can tell, uh, mentality wise too. Like I mean, I've known her for like years. Like we were managers together where, um, where we work now, and then obviously I just was like yeah, no, this ain't me. So now I'm back at like something I, I like, and it's a lot less stressful. So we both like have just like we, we know what's happening in each other's lives, kind of thing. So it's like she right now is going through a tough time but she's still going forward. Yeah, it's a motivation, and even to the gym is a great stress reliever too.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:I've noticed too. If I had a really stressful day at work or just like at my brother's house where I live, like if I, if it's stressful over there, or I'm just like, okay, john's starting stuff today, or the kids are being loud or the baby's crying, or whatever, I'm like I'm just gonna go to the gym early and I'm just gonna stay there a little bit longer. You know what I mean? Yeah, so because I'll, I'll usually try to go like around like maybe late, like not late late night, but like around like maybe six, seven o'clock and then at least stay for an hour. But if I get out of work early enough, like four o'clock or 4 35, then I'll just go right then and there you go with the five o'clock crowd yeah, it's.
Speaker 2:It's not that bad at um the one I go to if I'm by myself yeah but if I go to the one that me and elizabeth go to, it's still crowded but it's a lot more spacious and they have a lot more machines there, yeah, to like use. So really, even if you went at 4, 35 o'clock, like right there where everybody's getting out of work and going straight to the gym, it's really not that big of a deal because you have a bunch of machines and people actually like to work out at that one, compared to the one that I go to by myself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's people just take selfies and they're. They don't care, they they don't even look like they know how to use the gym equipment. Like granted, I'm a newbie. Well also it's planet fitness. Yeah, I like it though, though, because of the Black Card membership Just because you get the hydro chair and everything else.
Speaker 1:It is nice because there's so many of them around and it's cheap, but it also is like not a real gym, right? I use it too, just because I don't need to get like huge right.
Speaker 2:You don't need to look like terry crews, right?
Speaker 1:I'm not yeah, I'm not trying to get that big like I just don't care. I'd rather just be healthy and fit right, so I think it does good for that yeah, and for me it's.
Speaker 2:I don't have anything at home, obviously. Yeah to do.
Speaker 1:it's also more social to go to a gym and work out. Even if you're not talking to people, you're still around them, and so it gives me a little bit more motivation because I'm out and about instead of just in my garage or in a room.
Speaker 2:Right. Well even too, at that point now that you mention it, like when I was going to the gym the first time by myself at planet fitness, it was honestly like terrifying yeah because beforehand, again, I was like not social at all.
Speaker 2:Like I was, I wasn't anti-social, but I was like not social at the same time. It's like again a weird in between where it's like, yeah, if somebody strikes a conversation with me, I'll talk to them, but I'm not going to go out of my way to talk to people. Right, and at the gym everybody's there to work out. So unless I'm like, hey, can I borrow that machine, like that's what I'll do. But again, outside of work, like I could talk to somebody waiting in line at the grocery store or something like that, I could be like, hey, how's it going, you know? Like I like your coat or something stupid like that, you know.
Speaker 2:And so the first time I went by myself I was terrified because I'm a I wasn't as big as I was before I started going, but I was still big and I thought I was going to get judged. And I know they have that thing where it's like it's a no judgment zone and stuff like that. But it was just more of the social anxiety on top of they're going to see a fat guy on a treadmill trying to run. But again, and this is going to sound bad too but that same day that I went there was an even bigger guy, like he was probably four, four stuff and look at you judging no, I'm just saying as an example.
Speaker 2:It's like you never know who's going to be in there and even if you are like, you know you're toned and you got a six pack and everything else like that doesn't necessarily mean that you're healthy either, right? So because I know a guy named ben that I used to work with at walgreens who was just like that and he was like dude, I hate running, like I can't run for like two seconds, like, and he would and sometimes he would have to to like get from one side of the store to the other. He'd be out of breath and I'm just like dude, what? And he and he ate healthy and everything like that. He's like yeah, I'm still out of shape.
Speaker 2:Just because I'm skinny doesn't mean like I'm out of shape or I'm in shape or whatever so and I mean I'm still not in shape, but I know that I've been able to do a lot of things better, like lifting and bending over, like I used to fear for like my legs popping, because I used to every time, like you, could hear my kneecaps pop when I bent over. It was bad, and then nowadays it's like not even that bad. I still have like some back things going on, but it's, that's just getting old. Yeah, that's I'm 32. That's just gonna happen. Yeah, that's I'm 32.
Speaker 1:That's just going to happen with me, so there's nothing you can do about that, because I have the back thing too sometimes. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I try to like not overdo it on the back lifting if I can help it. But I know again, with working out it has strengthened it a lot compared to what it used to be. So beforehand it was really hard to bend down and bend over and whatnot for like picking up a box off the floor or something like that.
Speaker 1:So and then after that it was you know again, after losing 70 pounds it's been significantly easier to like handle things at work, like when I'm lifting rack and pinions because you're getting getting stronger and then you're also getting more fit, so it doesn't take as much energy to lift things.
Speaker 2:And the other. The other thing is, too, is that I noticed, like at the gym, like so there's certain weights that, like you know, I would set my goal for, like let's just in a hypothetical situation, let's just say, like I, I could lift 10 pounds, that was it. You know I could lift 10 pounds, that was it. You know I could lift heavier than that. But I'm just saying like, if I could only lift 10 pounds. I noticed then, like I'm like I push myself to like lift a little bit more each time to to gain that, because I know if I just stick to the same way every time, I'm just gonna get used to it and it's not gonna do anything. But if I at least try to push it a little bit, even if by's, by five pounds, then it's going to do something. I'm five pounds stronger compared to like the same, you know, yeah, and I've.
Speaker 2:The one thing I've noticed too is like, so, on the treadmill, for example, when I'm on there, I right now, I used to do it for an entire hour. I used to be on the treadmill for an entire hour and I realized, like what I found out through different trainers and stuff is like that's something you don't want to do, you want at least. Yeah, you actually want to do it for, like, maybe at the top is 45 minutes and then otherwise I do it for a half hour so is there a reason why you don't want to do it for a full hour?
Speaker 1:I?
Speaker 2:think it's just too much strain, okay, and for your heart rate, and everything like that. So what I do is because I used to do it and I did.
Speaker 1:Were they specifically talking about walking or running?
Speaker 2:It was like well, because I walk on an incline, and that's what it really was.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 2:Because I do a 13 incline and now I do 13.2 miles an hour, kind of thing so because I 13.3, 3.2 miles, oh yeah, I ain't, no, like cheetah or anything like that, but, um, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, because that's the one thing that you can do to lose like body fat is if you do the incline, like, yeah, the walking part is good. If you just do a flat surface, yeah, but it's better and you're going to see better and faster results, which I've been seeing, if you do an incline because you're pushing yourself and you're gripping like your, your feet are gripping and your legs are tightening up too when you're walking. And my calves are really good, my legs are fine. It's just I gotta work on my gut and then my upper torso here which is flattening out. I don't really have man titties anymore. I mean, they're still there, but like they're not as bad as what they used to be. We're like the nipples would align with the belly button, kind of bad. So, yeah, and then I'm working on other things, like my forearms are getting better. My, what do you call them? The chicken wings are getting better, you know they're tightening up a little bit by bit, but again, it's going to take time.
Speaker 2:It's not going to happen overnight. Like what people I think that try to lose weight expect, you know?
Speaker 1:they have. Yeah, it can take years sometimes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, and then obviously, the older you get it I wouldn't call it midlife crisis, but you're kind of getting close to that point of midlife crisis. So I mean I feel like I've already reached that point because I have a motorcycle.
Speaker 2:But that's the other thing too is like my other motivation for it was to look better on the motorcycle, because I did pictures with my buddy Brian, where he took pictures of me and my bike and I noticed like before it was really hard to like even sit down because my vest is a 3x but it has the, the braids to like tighten it if you like, lose weight or whatever, and even then I couldn't even sit down without my belly like popping the button or anything like that. So this year it's like gonna be a lot better to do that. Uh, I think for more motorcycle pictures, and it also my bike, I think is over 550 pounds, if I'm correct, and so you had 300 pounds sitting on the bike before. Now you're at 230 sitting on the bike.
Speaker 2:So again, 70 pound difference, that's and you'll feel cooler when you're riding it right, I won't like have my gut hanging over or like there's one picture that I have where my jeans are screaming for dear life like they're gonna break and it looked really bad too, and so I was like crap man, I'm glad.
Speaker 2:and then the only reason, too, I had a full beard is to hide my double chin, because I could even move slightly to the left and right and you could see it start to form. Already is how bad it got. So that's the only reason I had a really full beard. But now I kind of keep it trimmed and thin and I think I look better. And a lot of people have said like, yeah, you look better with, like a thinner beard. So I'm probably going to keep it until I get older maybe.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when we get old, then we can have the big wizard beards Exactly, and go on mystical, magical journeys.
Speaker 2:So yeah, and then too, it's just again, it's a huge confidence booster. Like I'll say this I won't say who, but like there is somebody that like I'm kind of interested in, and so when you lose the weight, you also? Notice like, yeah, like I got this like a little bit of a confidence boost, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so because before, if you're bigger, like maybe you, maybe you do have confidence. If you're bigger like you know some people do they don't care, um. But then there's other people where they're like if they're bigger, like I used to be, I was like yeah, no, I don't have any confidence to ask a girl out or anything like that. Like I'm, I'm gonna be surprised. They even look at me and whatnot. But it's still in that mentality, like even though I've lost 70 pounds. There's moments where I have that thought, where I'm like I don't know if they're gonna look at me or whatever, because I think I'm big, but it's like, dude, I've lost 70 pounds.
Speaker 2:Like what are you talking about? Yeah, like they may not personally know me, like they may see me now and just be like wow, that guy's big, but it's like you should have seen me 70 pounds ago, no idea you have no idea, sweetheart.
Speaker 2:And even to, just getting in and out of my car is like really nice, it's easier yeah so imagine, because then the seat also isn't having too much strain trying to support a 300 pound fat guy and then just even to. Here's the other funny part too. So me and my buddy rayden will go to. I've told you this story too um, just like how we basically once or twice a year we go to chicago to see the deloreans yeah and they have a whole dealership.
Speaker 2:for those of you who don't know, it's called delorean midwest or um, yeah, I think they're called delorean midwest now, but they used to be called uh, oh gosh, what was their other name? It was delorean something. And um, they have deloreans that they sell and refurbish and repair. So people will bring in and they said sometimes it gets up to six figures is how much it'll cost to repair it. Jeez, yeah, it's crazy expensive to own a DeLorean, but I still want one. So at some point that's my goal too is to get one. So I want one.
Speaker 2:That's my dream car. It's cool, and not just from Back to the Future, but like I've sat in one and and like got to test drive one um from a guy that actually I used to. Um, he, he worked at a shop back when I was a store manager and he had one in and he goes yeah, this is, this is my delorean. And so he goes you want, you want to do and it was an automatic, which I want and it's fun. But when I was like close to 300 pounds getting in that thing and the car is, really, it's weird because you think it looks huge, but it's not, it is and it isn't and it's really low to the ground. So when the gullwing doors open and you get 300 pounds in that thing, the car already weighs over 3,000 pounds.
Speaker 2:It's stainless steel. But yeah, it's ridiculous trying to get in and out of that thing because obviously you have to be careful because it's a vintage. You can't just be sitting there shaking everything around and whatever you can't in my 09 Accord. So I've noticed even well, no, last I I didn't weigh 300 pounds like before we went, but it was around there I was getting I think I was at probably like the 272 80, so I was approaching it. Um, it was still hard, but I know like this year when I go like it's going to be easier to sit in the delorean and just chill and take pictures and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:So it'll be nice. That will be nice. Yes, it will All right. I think that's a. I think that's a good story that you gave us today. Thank, you 36 minutes and counting. Yes, um, anyway, thanks for coming on and sharing that with us. Stefan, you're very welcome. Um, anyway, thanks for coming on and sharing that with us.
Speaker 2:Stefan, you're very welcome anytime. I got a great narrator voice, yeah, we'll have you we'll have to have you read stories on here sometime. This is the story about an apple and a bee? I don't know. I just came up with something apple and a bee apple and the bee.
Speaker 1:Anyway, just continue down this journey of yours, and I think you're going to be headed to the I will try my best. Good, all right, thanks everybody. Have a blessed week. Bye see ya Love you.