I have been working on getting fit and healthy since the end of May 2004. I am getting close to my 2 year anniversary of changing my lifestyle. I started out wanting to lose weight, but I found out along the way that I wanted not just to lose weight, but to be physically fit. As happy as I am to not have to carry around the extra almost 300 pounds, I think I am more excited about the changes that adding exercise and weight training have made in my life.

Throwing the switch

My 7-year-old daughter, Katy, is what motivated me to change. I had always thought I would work on losing weight so that the other kids would not make fun of Katy because her dad was fat. I had the best intentions to do that. I tried several times.

In May of 2004, Katy was about to be in the 1st grade in a few months. I was topping out the scales at 562.3 pounds. I never knew how much you could love someone until my daughter was born. Katy's mom is in very poor health. My parents are in their early 80's. At almost 600 pounds, I could not get any life insurance. My own health was going down fast. It hit me like a bolt of lighting that I was about to fail in the most important thing I would ever be tasked to do in this world: take care of my daughter. If I did not do something, I was going to eat myself into an early grave and leave my baby girl when she would need me the most. At that moment in time, it became unacceptable to me to continue to be morbidly obese.

Losing this much weight is a lifestyle change and a journey. You tend to discover many things along the path to your goals. Katy is, and will always be, a huge motivation for me. Initially, I was motivated to get healthy just to be alive to help her grow up. As I lost weight and could become more physically active, an entire vista of possibilities opened up. I could not only be alive – but as a healthy, active dad, Katy and I could go to amusement parks, play soccer, bike together, hike, run and play – a million and one things. I could give her not only a secure childhood, but one filled with fun memories.

I realized that I still had a few items on my life's "to do" list as well. I feel motivated to be a better, more complete person. I just signed up for beginning acting classes. It was something I always wanted to try but, you know, when you are morbidly obese, you tend to suppress most of the dreams you have.

Lastly, I am motivated by a burning desire to help others escape the clutches of morbid obesity. I don't live in the past and I know I can't go back and change the fact that I let a large part of my life go by while being morbidly obese. What I can do is dedicate myself to doing all that I can to help fight obesity in children and young adults. I can't change my own past, but maybe I can help some people have a present and future free from the heartbreak of morbid obesity.

Here I am at 562.3



Here I am last week, I realized another goal to coach Katy in her soccer league.




... and one shot of Katy



I still have some pounds to lose and they are coming off about 1 to 2 pounds per week. The journey has been fantastic. If I can help anyone, please let me know. We are all in this fight together. If a former couch potato like me can improve their fitness, I know you can!

I wish you the very best. This site 3FC is just fantastic - so many great people willing to help and give support.

Charles, I think I speak for everyone when I say that you are truely an inspiration to us all. I have tears in my eyes just reading your post. You are a truely amazing man.

Charles, you'll never know how many lives, besides your own, you save by sharing your story, as well as protecting Katy's future. You're a classic example of mind over matter--YOU matter. Bless you, BJF

Your story was so touching! I am so impressed with what you have accomplished!!!!
Thank you for posting it on this site, it gave me just the motavation I needed to keep going!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
You are truly inspirational to so many. After reading your post I found myself sitting here with a tear in my eye and a warm feeling in my heart.
Thank you so much for sharing your success. It's funny because the last week has been really tough on me and I even had thoughts of giving up, but I didn't and I'm glad I came here today to read what you had to say. You have motivated me to continue on.
What you said about your daughter really hits home with me. My daughter was my biggest motivator for wanting to get healthy. I too want to be able to jump up and play with her and enjoy every minute of her life. I also don't want her to have to grow up like me and deal with weight issues all of her life.
You are truly amazing.
God Bless

Leec

Charles - you really are an inspiration and I find your whole journey so motivational. My favorite thing is that you have gotten your daughter active and involved in sports so she won't have to suffer like you and so many of us. Way to go!!!!!!

..I'm absolutely speechless

Thanks everyone. You are all super kind. We can all be healthy and fit. I know we can! If I can ever help in anyway - let me know.

Yes... she just said exactly what I was thinking and feeling...

Much love...

-Lala

I can't really add much to what everyone else has already said. I have seen some of your posts in the past and you've really been a source of inspiration. By the way, your daughter is absolutely adorable. She looks so confident too, which is great and I'm sure she's gotten a lot of that from you.

Charles, you are amazing, and an inspiration to us all! Katy is very lucky to have a dad like you!

That was VERY inspiring. It gives my weight loss journey a whole new meaning. I don't want to lose weight to look good, but I want to do it for myself...to be healthy! You have certainly achieved that. And your daughter is beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

YOU are doing so good Charles....You are my new hero.....lol

Thanks for sharing that story Charles. Wow. Nearly 300 pounds! That is extremely impressive! For those of us with as much as 100 pounds to lose it seems overwhelming at times, but YOU! Wow! You've shown us that it can be done and then some. Thank you for that. I sometimes wonder if I'll ever get as low as I want to be, but you've proven that it can be done by someone with the right motivation and determination. I'm impressed.

CHarles, after reading your post, I don't think Jared Fogel (subway) is worthy of being compared to you. I was really on the verge of tears (I think one did manage to slip out). I think that changing your lifstyle for your loved one was the most unselfish thing one could ever do, and I hope that we all will follow after you.