Ive always been a big guy --- I joined the Army after high school at 5'8 and 203 lbs --- instead of losing weight in basic and job specific training like most do, i gained 15 more pounds of lean muscle , at roughly 10-12% bodyfat -- (just guessing because that's typically the threshold where most can see their "6 pack" but aren't necessarily "ripped" ) ---- most people assumed i spent all my time in the gym but in reality i rarely worked out then outside of military mandated physical training
After the Army, came college then my first real job ---- due to my military background it was easy to maintain in those years and the job was a swing shift job ---- i had set break and lunch times and i had a love of riding by then ---- after work i typically spent an hour at the gym 3-4x a week to kill the boredom before going home and going to bed late , then would wake at 10 or so and get in a road ride of anywhere from 20-50 miles depending on what other tasks i had to do that day --- get home, prepare my food for the day at work --------then repeat that cycle 5x a week with an occasional race or long group ride or charity ride on the weekened
Life was good in those days , but heck i was training roughly 18 hours a week without actually realizing i was "training" --- just a youngish single guy obsessed with his bikes and barbells
After a few years of that, i kind of fell into my next career, --- one that requires extensive travel, being away from home for months at a time on occasion, irregular hours, and massive customer service obligations.
I all but quit riding for a while
It literally took me a mere 2 years to blow out from 215 pounds to 290. Then ultimately reached my pinnacle of 335 before having my "moment of clarity" . Funny thing is i have never been one for the usual suspects -- fast food, sweets, etc. --- but i maintained the same healthy beer appetite that i had when i was training for hours and hours a week
A few beers here and there wont kill the deal for most people , ----- but when you get a proper buzz and have a hankering for pizza at 10pm , ----- it doesn't matter if said pizza dough was completely organic and hand stretched by Tony Soprano's cousin, with grass fed toppings, fresh veggies and a spritz of olive oil from the Pope's own stash , ---- its still a pizza and its still time for bed, not eating a heavy meal
That's just an example ---- heavy travel also usually involves lots of late night eating at places like Outback and Applebees ---- (You can eat a solid meal at these places, but i would guess that few people just go in and order a 7 oz fillet with a side of broccoli and seasonal fruit )
Hey, --- its 2018 now and I'm on the mend, -- still way too close to 3- bills , but i feel good about my lower carb and sugar approach ! I don't physically have time for 20 hours of training per week now, -- and that wont change, so i have to keep eating to compensate