How my story would look in Mens Health

I read those little dealies in Mens Health and other fitness magazines about people that used to be fat and now aren't. And part of me has often wondered how mine would look. So I wrote it. It's longer than what would be in Mens Health, but what the hell, right?

The Gain
Brandon Geist stayed thin in high school by doing all the right things, and got fat in college by doing all the wrong things. “I was an athlete in high school; played football and hockey and lifted multiple times a day. I could eat whatever I wanted and still looked good. In college, I wasn’t nearly as active, but still ate poorly.” Pizza and Chinese buffets became staples, as did booze. He lost his good looking frame and healthy lifestyle, going from 170 lbs and 11% body fat to 208 and 23% body fat. “I was dating a girl who only ate fried food and desserts and got caught up in her mentality. was making her happy or a few hours a week on the ice was enough. In reality, that small amount of exercise probably kept me from gaining 90 lbs.”

The Loss
About a year after that relationship ended, Brandon had his moment. “I literally looked in the mirror one morning and hated what I saw. I wanted the old me back. The fit me, the healthy me.” Walking into a gym took courage, but Brandon signed up for 12 sessions with a personal trainer. He quickly saw results. “I was getting my ass kicked by my personal trainer and it felt great. I was re-discovering something I hadn’t seen in years.” Armed with a new girlfriend, a new mentality, and a new challenge, Brandon stepped it up more. “Her family offered to let me tag along on their Hawaii trip. Knowing we wanted to be that cute couple, we challenged each other to get in beach shape. I hit the weights even harder. I knew I was getting results when my personal trainer told me I was looking ripped.”

The Result
It hasn’t been easy, but Brandon has sculpted himself quite nicely. He’s whittled over 20 lbs from his body and dropped his body fat nearly 10%. He is running 10 miles a week and is training for his first triathlon. “If you would have asked me 4 years ago if this was possible, I’d laugh at you.” Having a girlfriend who cares about fitness helps. “She motivates me and cares about my success. She and I push each other”

Brandon’s Tips

Set a realistic goal – If you try to achieve something that isn’t realistic, you’ll get frustrated and give up. Keep it simple.
Have fun – Remember that things like throwing a softball around or hiking burn calories as well
Think long term – You’re shouldn’t go for the quick fix. Remember that you’re working towards a lifetime goal.