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Posted on Oct 5th 2009 11:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Be inspired by our That's Fit Success Stories. Then motivate others by submitting your own. Share how you've transformed your body through diet and exercise by sending us an e-mail at successstories [AT] thatsfit [DOT] com.
Name: Keith Ahrens
Age: 47
Height: 5 feet 10 inches
Before weight: 414
How I gained it: I had followed a no-exercise, sedentary lifestyle for many years. I was troubled with weight as an adolescent but became more fit in my college years. After graduating college, I began to put on the pounds. I ate whatever I wanted, in whatever quantities I wanted. Most of the time, the food choices were high in fat, sugar and carbs. The food choices I made were of little regard or complete disregard to their nutritional content. I had dieted on and off for 23 years, only to relapse and put on more weight each time.
Breaking point: At the age of 45, I weighed more than 414 pounds and suffered a remote silent heart attack that resulted in open-heart coronary artery bypass surgery. After surviving this critical surgery, I invested all of my efforts into getting healthy and losing weight without surgery. It took a life-or-death crisis for me to realize how important it is to make healthy choices.
How I lost it: I had to admit to myself that I had a problem with food and was a compulsive overeater. I had to rid myself of the old emotions that caused me to overeat. Stress and anxiety were the typical triggers.
Losing weight for me has been a by-product of a healthy eating lifestyle combined with a good and active physical fitness program. Remember, there are 1,440 minutes in each day, and that would ultimately mean I work on a healthy lifestyle for 1,440 minutes each day.
I started to lose weight by making several immediate changes. First, I stopped drinking sodas, and I started drinking water, which, in my opinion, assists tremendously in losing weight. Second, I cut out fast food. I have not been to a drive-through in 2 and a half years. I have had people tell me it is extreme for them to give up their fried chicken, cheeseburgers, French fries and other fast foods that are high in fat, calories and sodium. I tell them that extreme to me is the 10-inch scar on my chest from my heart surgery, and each person somehow finds a way to relate to that.
I mostly eat lean meats (primarily chicken) and foods that have a good nutritional content. Most, if not all, of my entire sugar intake is from fresh fruit, and I am a big vegetable eater -- I love vegetables, especially grilled or baked veggies lightly seasoned with olive oil and kosher salt and pepper. I also try to stay away from bad carbohydrates and focus on high-fiber food products. For me, they just taste better.
I believe balance is the key. I used to eat 95 percent garbage and 5 percent good-for-you food. Now, I eat 95 percent good and 5 percent savory foods that I love. I find myself eating so much better, and when I do eat something in that 5 percent category, I enjoy it so much more. I can finally taste the foods now instead of the constant binge.
Physical fitness and activity is a very important aspect of any weight-loss program. I have become a certified fitness trainer, and I have studied the effects of exercise on the body. It is critical that the body assume some sort of activity to promote weight loss. It is just healthy to exercise routinely.
I do both cardio and weight resistance training. I normally work my cardio on a treadmill and bicycle. During the summer, I would tread water for an hour and play basketball, and I have just started to walk and jog slowly, keeping my knees in mind. The point is that I try to mix up my exercise program as not to get bored. But exercise has been critical to my success.
When I speak to companies or groups, I tell them to set small goals because if they fall off track for some reason, which happens to all of us, they can get back on track and still be close to the original goal. Keep moving the bar. Make small changes. Small changes practiced routinely in your lifestyle add up to huge successes over time.
Stay focused. It's worth it. It is amazing what we can accomplish as individuals. We must believe in ourselves. We must also realize that no one can do it for us. I tell people that the spirit of my message is: "No matter how bad things seem to be, there is always hope and anything is possible."
After weight: 214
Keith has been working on his weight loss since April 2007. He is still getting more fit each day. He's chronicled his inspiring journey in his book "Outrunning My Shadow." You can learn more about him on his Web site.
Want to slim down like Keith? Start with soda, it's really just like liquid candy.
 |
| Keith Ahrens, Before Photo: Keith Ahrens |
Age: 47
Height: 5 feet 10 inches
Before weight: 414
How I gained it: I had followed a no-exercise, sedentary lifestyle for many years. I was troubled with weight as an adolescent but became more fit in my college years. After graduating college, I began to put on the pounds. I ate whatever I wanted, in whatever quantities I wanted. Most of the time, the food choices were high in fat, sugar and carbs. The food choices I made were of little regard or complete disregard to their nutritional content. I had dieted on and off for 23 years, only to relapse and put on more weight each time.
Breaking point: At the age of 45, I weighed more than 414 pounds and suffered a remote silent heart attack that resulted in open-heart coronary artery bypass surgery. After surviving this critical surgery, I invested all of my efforts into getting healthy and losing weight without surgery. It took a life-or-death crisis for me to realize how important it is to make healthy choices.
 |
| Keith Ahrens, After Photo: Keith Ahrens |
Losing weight for me has been a by-product of a healthy eating lifestyle combined with a good and active physical fitness program. Remember, there are 1,440 minutes in each day, and that would ultimately mean I work on a healthy lifestyle for 1,440 minutes each day.
I started to lose weight by making several immediate changes. First, I stopped drinking sodas, and I started drinking water, which, in my opinion, assists tremendously in losing weight. Second, I cut out fast food. I have not been to a drive-through in 2 and a half years. I have had people tell me it is extreme for them to give up their fried chicken, cheeseburgers, French fries and other fast foods that are high in fat, calories and sodium. I tell them that extreme to me is the 10-inch scar on my chest from my heart surgery, and each person somehow finds a way to relate to that.
I mostly eat lean meats (primarily chicken) and foods that have a good nutritional content. Most, if not all, of my entire sugar intake is from fresh fruit, and I am a big vegetable eater -- I love vegetables, especially grilled or baked veggies lightly seasoned with olive oil and kosher salt and pepper. I also try to stay away from bad carbohydrates and focus on high-fiber food products. For me, they just taste better.
I believe balance is the key. I used to eat 95 percent garbage and 5 percent good-for-you food. Now, I eat 95 percent good and 5 percent savory foods that I love. I find myself eating so much better, and when I do eat something in that 5 percent category, I enjoy it so much more. I can finally taste the foods now instead of the constant binge.
Physical fitness and activity is a very important aspect of any weight-loss program. I have become a certified fitness trainer, and I have studied the effects of exercise on the body. It is critical that the body assume some sort of activity to promote weight loss. It is just healthy to exercise routinely.
 |
| Photo: amazon.com |
When I speak to companies or groups, I tell them to set small goals because if they fall off track for some reason, which happens to all of us, they can get back on track and still be close to the original goal. Keep moving the bar. Make small changes. Small changes practiced routinely in your lifestyle add up to huge successes over time.
Stay focused. It's worth it. It is amazing what we can accomplish as individuals. We must believe in ourselves. We must also realize that no one can do it for us. I tell people that the spirit of my message is: "No matter how bad things seem to be, there is always hope and anything is possible."
After weight: 214
Keith has been working on his weight loss since April 2007. He is still getting more fit each day. He's chronicled his inspiring journey in his book "Outrunning My Shadow." You can learn more about him on his Web site.
Want to slim down like Keith? Start with soda, it's really just like liquid candy.
