Like the Phoenix...

Salutations,

On the 17th of February I will be 35 and my body is giving out. I am currently 405lbs, and 10 years ago I was almost exactly 100lbs lighter after I was finally able to walk again. While I am a big man naturally, my medically healthy weight being 210, I have been seriously injured both on and off the field of battle in Iraq, Afghanistan and some conflicts prior.. and even after the military. Well over 40 of my bones have been broken including my skull and some, like my legs... several times. My knees are torn up, with a shrapnel tear in my right knee that goes right through for instance, and I have a lot of other injuries including having both of my arms partially ripped from my body and put back on. I have 54 pieces of titanium(or platinum? Its medical grade metal that is non-ferrous) in my chest and back, with spinal degeneration. With a brain injury, having my eye gouged, surface wounds, and even having to cut off part of my foot once in the field to prevent gangrene from spreading when I was in the jungle of Thailand/Malay during a border conflict... I have a lot of reasons to be lazy now.

Thing is, I have two children and I am newly married. My body is giving out on me slowly. I was moving stuff last October and moving like a more able man of my younger days, I fell and ripped one of my knee's tendons from my tibia... with some of the bone. It is largely healed by now, but with less than 20% cartilage in my knees and shoulders, I cannot afford to be morbidly obese, especially with the possibility of becoming diabetic. I have tried half ass to lose weight before, but I cannot afford to do that anymore... and I am too happy with life to want to allow its quality to degrade.

Also, I must admit... I want to inspire others. I quite smoking and binge drinking and now it is time to rise like the Phoenix physically. I do not expect miracles, but I know what I largely need to do. I'm 100% service connected disabled combat veteran with medals, but none of that means anything to me if I give up. I became dedicated to being a Jedi in 2008 when I came here, and I need to live beyond my limitations. I'm being a realist, but that does not mean I need to do less than I can do.

So why the post? I promise, I'm not trying to show off... I believe that in order to succeed, I need to do this while communicating with the Temple community and my friends. My inner temple needs fixing as well as my external temple, and guidance would not go amiss. I will be making my external blog that will have photo updates and such, but I know I need help to do this. I do not expect this journey to be short, but rather the rest of my life. Heh, I remember when I was told I may not live to see 30... here I am almost 35 and mostly healthy.

Do I know how to eat healthy and work out right? Yes. Does that mean it is easy or that I know everything... heck no. I love my sweets and am severely addicted to my "coffee latte" which is basically a morning quadruple expresso in 2% milk w/ 4 servings of sugar before I do anything.

So what I would like to do, is record all of my intake/workout/life, for at the very least, the first 3 months. I would like to find one or more "fitness" buddy/ies who will help keep me on track or make sure I don't "forget" to report. It is easy to make excuses, I know... I tried three times to quit smoking before I forced myself to do so for good. Quitting alcohol was easier, but I expect the headaches, migraines, body shakes and so much more as I work on my inner/outer temple.

My goal is to show that this can be done, even if you are disabled. And to be an inspiration to others to improve themselves, not with words but by showing it can be done. I do not plan on starting until the 17th, my birthday, as I do have a manic depressive cycle from my bipolar I am going through right this moment (on medicines it is mostly manageable) and I want to give some time to start off at a better place. I am told time and time again that my mental and physical well being will be better if I lose weight and get healthier, and I AM committing to this.

I welcome any discussion, ideas, thoughts, opinions, or even criticism so long as it is not abusive.

Respectfully,
Jonathan R. Clemons
aka Sulabri

damn, and i thought my body had been through the wringer with football, martial arts, military etc....i know how it is to pack on weight because of injuries...at one point i was up to 264 and lethargic...in a bit over a year i dropped it to 200, now i'm floating around 195 which is well within my healthy weight range...especially considering i'll be 40 in a month and a half....

as long as your will remains strong you will have success....and the more success you have the stronger your will becomes. best of luck brother

Hey Sulabri!

I'd like to participate in this... to be a "fitness" buddy. My motivation is to keep from sinking back into the depression that I fought for more than 17 years. The only way to keep it away is to force myself to be positive and to get outside and get moving. I just have such a hard time keeping that commitment when I'm alone, with nothing to really hold me accountable. I can be so lazy.

Maybe we could do something like the 100 days of discipline, where we check in every day. Or maybe a group would be more appropriate so people can join in whenever they want to, instead of showing up late and being discouraged? Idk.

But seriously, count me in, okay?

I only know that I lost 15kg in 2 months by just following the Path through fear and stress. So I treat weight problems as psychosomatic problems.

I welcome anyone/everyone... this is not going to be easy. My medicines help pack on weight, but without them... the nightmares prevent me from sleeping and from there I have to fight PTSD flashback/episodes where I lose all sense of where I am.

Hi Jonathan , i fully realise you cannot fight 2 battles at a time, a good nights rest is important for a steady weight i am impressed that you are doing this well !
How do you see a buddy? As someone who reminds you to work out ? Did you contact a dietitian ? Usualy they recomend low carb diets but that is just in general , i have battled weight issues for years untill i had a good diet and work out shedule , maybe at the gym they can be of help , i have a very strict instructor :laugh:

Just let me know if i can be of support !

Sulabri wrote: I welcome anyone/everyone... this is not going to be easy. My medicines help pack on weight, but without them... the nightmares prevent me from sleeping and from there I have to fight PTSD flashback/episodes where I lose all sense of where I am.

I see a buddy as someone who helps remind me to check in, not tell me what to do. So if I do not check in, then they contact me and vice versa if they wish. That way it remains relaxed and sociable, not a job. I am very well versed in nutrition guidance, being both former military and a cook for a diabetic wife. I am open to having people who wish more than to just help remind me to check in... and I am always open to helping in turn.

I understand ! Thats why i asked

Sulabri wrote: I see a buddy as someone who helps remind me to check in, not tell me what to do. So if I do not check in, then they contact me and vice versa if they wish. That way it remains relaxed and sociable, not a job. I am very well versed in nutrition guidance, being both former military and a cook for a diabetic wife. I am open to having people who wish more than to just help remind me to check in... and I am always open to helping in turn.

Do you meditate?

Just be sure that, while we here at the temple will gladly support you where we can....To also have the proper Medical / Healthcare support as well

Have you considered yoga?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448

And this is my favorite Motivational vid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLcJHC9J7l4

Keep Pushing my Friend!