Before: 332 pounds
After: 204 pounds
Height: 6’1”
Age: 30
In high school, Garrett Miller, 30, played football, hockey, and baseball. After he graduated, he stopped exercising and his fast food and candy diet caught up with him. “I would have gummy bears and soda for breakfast, fried fast foods for lunch, pizza for dinner, and Oreos before bed,” says Garrett, a Linden, VA resident. (Search: Worst fast food) After 10 years of his sedentary lifestyle and poor eating, he weighed 332 pounds and had no energy to play with his two young children.
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The Turning Point
Garret’s weight started to affect his family life. “I couldn’t keep up with my kids,” says Garrett, who has a 10-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. “I found myself trying to convince my kids to sit on the couch and watch TV rather than go out and play because I didn’t have the energy,” he explains. He felt intense guilt and decided he needed to change. “I finally admitted to myself that it was unfair to them,” he says.
The Eating Habits
To improve his diet, Garrett cut out sugar and started counting calories, aiming for 1,600 to 1,800 per day. He also swapped out red meat for chicken and pork, and started eating fruits and vegetables. “I spent 10 years avoiding vegetables. I rarely ate anything green,” says Garrett. “Today, green veggies are some of my favorite foods.” (Video: How to pick the best produce)
The 9 Essentials of a Diet Detox
The Exercise
In June 2011, Garrett bought a new pair of shoes and started running outside six days a week. “The first day that I ran, I did maybe 100 yards and that’s all I could do,” Garrett remembers. He would run as much as he could and then walk. After four months, he was running 27 to 33 miles a week. Once he lost 60 pounds, he started playing hockey again. Now, he exercises six days a week, including playing hockey three times a week and cardio and strength training the other three days.
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The Reward
In October 2012, Garrett ran the Army Ten-Miler race with his father. “I was so proud of myself when I crossed that finish line,” says Garrett. “What would have been impossible a short time ago was a reality and it felt really good,” he says.
He also has a renewed sense of energy and newfound love for athletics and exercise. “Being able to play with my kids makes me feel alive again, it’s all the motivation I need,” Garrett says.
Advice
Don’t give up. “Even if I only walked 10 feet more than I did the day before, I did,” says Garrett. “Keep pushing yourself.”
Find support. “My family was so helpful and constantly told me how proud they were of me,” says Garret. “Their support helps me stay motivated.”
