Nov 2017 Member of the Month – Jacob L.

It brings us such JOY to announce our Member of the Month for November is Jacob! Jacob has shared his journey and how motivation and determination can lead to life changing experiences.

I have ALWAYS been a big guy. From the days in elementary school where I had trouble fitting into the desks, to my high school graduation in 2012 where I had to sit out some of the festivities because my feet just couldn’t hold my 430 lbs. of weight any longer. I used to eat food for every reason you could think of. Happy? Eat. Sad? Eat. Bored? Eat. You get the idea. I didn’t do nearly enough to fight the food addiction that began in my childhood. I didn’t know how to even begin to fight that kind of monster. It didn’t take long for it to balloon completely out of control.

Things got pretty bad for a while after graduation, and I peaked somewhere north of 600 pounds around the end of 2013. I was told by my doctor at the time that I might have as little as six months to live. Six months! At the time, I couldn’t have cared less. I felt like I was too far gone, like there was no saving myself from the proverbial ledge I had edged myself out onto over several years, and I just didn’t see the point in fighting it. Looking back, I think this is when things did start to change for the better, but it certainly wasn’t urgent in my mind at the time.

Over the next few years, slowly but surely, I started to make changes. I started to eat better quality food and focused on the amount of food I would consume. I was always afraid of exercising or joining a gym, because I knew how quickly I would get tired out or had to stop because I was in too much pain. Over time, and many attempts at losing the weight, I managed to get myself down to 450 pounds. Losing 150 pounds is no small task, and I was very proud of my efforts. I didn’t just lose 150+ pounds straight off, of course, I had many ups and downs along the way. Life would get tougher than I liked, I would lapse back into unhealthy choices, and gain back 10-20 pounds at a time. I managed to lose it again time and time again, but that constant yoyo effect made things very frustrating.

In June 2017, I decided I finally wanted to try getting moving. I googled around for obesity-friendly gyms, and LIVE WELL Exercise Clinic came up in the search results. I booked a consultation on their website, and on June 12th, I had my first meeting with Julie Elliot at the Abbotsford location. I was more nervous than anything walking into that consultation, but by the time we finished our conversation I knew this was going to be the start of a new chapter in my life. At the end of the appointment, I committed to two days per week for three months. I was still apprehensive, but I wanted this to be my turning point – my new leaf.

I am currently four months into my LIVE WELL journey, (yes, I re-committed, this time for six months!) and I couldn’t be happier with where I am mentally, emotionally, and physically. In these four months I have dropped 40 pounds, my cardiovascular health has improved drastically, and for the first time in years I can actually see myself being a healthy weight in the not-too-distant future. The staff and members alike at LIVE WELL are so positive, and they make it a place that breeds nothing but happiness and success. Thank you to everyone involved for making this journey an overwhelmingly positive experience so far.

My biggest success – I am under 400lbs for the first time in five years. There was a time when I thought I would never be at this point again.

The best advice I have for someone just beginning their journey is to keep moving forward. Even on the bad days, even on the days where your body doesn’t want to listen to you, keep pushing for success. You will overcome the hurdles you face, and you will succeed. It just takes a little time and patience. I know that’s all a bit cliché, but it really is the truth. You CAN do it. 🙂

My first long-term goal is to be under 250 lbs. That will be a milestone I haven’t seen since 2010, but I know if I continue with the path I’m on, I will hit it one day. That will be a beautiful day.

That’s all from me! Thank you for reading about me and my story, and remember that no matter what, you are worth it. Best of luck in your journey, everyone.

We are so excited to be on this journey with you Jacob and cannot wait to see your next milestones! Thank you for sharing your experiences with the LIVE WELL family, you are an inspiration to us all. You heard it from Jacob: You will overcome the hurdles you face and you will succeed!