Kevin is the picture of a series of small steps that leads to a big distance. He has taken his journey one day at a time and eventually has completely transformed his life and is helping others in his transform as well just because they've seen his change and wanted to be a part of it. That's the ultimate success story: living your life with so much purpose that others want in on it too! Check out his story below:
How did you feel before DBC?
Prior to Destination Boot Camp I was overweight and felt out of control; nothing that I was doing seemed to work, and my weight just keep climbing. All of my clothes were either getting tight and uncomfortable to wear, or they simply did not fit any more. For instance, the jeans that I wore on the plane to DBC were getting quite snug, and I had reached the point where I just did not want to keep buying larger clothes. That would have been the easy, quick, short-term solution, but it ultimately would not have accomplished anything. It would have been a “Band-Aid” fix. Before DBC, there were definitely times when I felt as though life was passing me by and I was standing on the sidelines as a spectator. To be honest, I was choosing the sidelines especially when any kind of moderate physical activity was involved, because I knew I was out of shape and I did not want to put that reality on display for everyone to see. In short, I felt stuck. As much as I didn’t want to put my out-of-shape self on display doing something physical, I knew that was the only way that I could get back into shape.
What was the moment when you realized you were transforming?
I don’t know if there was a single moment when or where I realized that I was actually transforming. For me, it was more a series of smaller moments (mini-milestones) and little victories or realizations that just began to add up. It started with my jeans fitting better when I left Colorado than when arrived. In February, I had to wear a suit to my Goddaughter’s baptism, and one of my suits that would not fit me before DBC was actually really big on me. Another moment when it really sank in for me was on New Year’s Eve when I went to my friends’ house for a party and people were starting to notice that I had lost weight. It has been kind of interesting to watch how people notice that I’ve lost weight, but are almost scared to say anything or are afraid that if they do say something I will be embarrassed. Toward the end of the party, I was visiting with friends who hosted the party and they mentioned that they were doing a family weight loss challenge, so that was my opening to tell them about State of Slim. For me it was really neat to be able to tell them that I had lost 40 pounds from October to December 31st. Their reaction was a mixture of shock and amazement, and then they actually ordered the book right then and there.
How do you feel since DBC?
Since DBC in October, I have now lost over 70 pounds and I am wearing jeans that are actually smaller than what I wore all through high school and college. I feel like I am living my life again on my terms. I am jumping in and engaging in physical activities, and I am looking for ways to challenge myself physically throughout my everyday life. I feel empowered to be and do whatever I choose. I am planning a hunting trip with one of my really close friends and his family in November, I have completed a 10k race in April, and I signed up for a half marathon in November. I feel as though the world is once again full of possibilities and opportunities for me.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the impact that my actions and example have had on those around me. I am beginning to realize the impact my weight loss journey is having on other members or my DBC team. My mom has embraced State of Slim, and has already lost several pounds. My friends who I told about SOS on New Year’s Eve actually started doing SOS along with one other friend; all three have lost over 15 pounds already, and one has lost over 40 pounds since early January. What makes this especially meaningful is that I can remember siting in one of the classes or meetings at DBC and thinking about how beneficial this program could be for my friend who has now lost over 40 pounds doing SOS. At the time, I didn’t know how I could bring up the program in such a way that he would embrace it. Timing turned out to be everything, because sharing my story on New Year’s Eve proved to be the perfect time for my friends to jump onboard.
What is the biggest thing you've learned along the journey?
The biggest lesson or takeaway that I’ve had through DBC is how important the mental piece is to be successful at both losing and maintaining weight loss. For me, one of the biggest keys to my success has been engaging my brain to plan and prepare for overcoming and removing potential obstacles to reaching my goals. I have been extremely busy working very long days 6 days a week for the last four months, so every Sunday my priority has been to plan and prepare as many meals as possible for the coming week. I make sure that the right good meal choices are my default choices now, so that it would actually be harder for me to make a bad food choice than it would be to make a good, healthy, on plan food choice. Weight loss is challenging and can be very hard, but this program has helped me develop a lot of tools that have made it much easier.
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