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Name: Trevor Holland
Age: 28
Height: 6'3"
Before Weight: 370 pounds
How I Gained It: I've always been an active person and although my weight has fluctuated in the past, I've generally been in good shape. However, in my late teens I developed bipolar disorder (which was only diagnosed in the last six months). Then, at the age of 24, my hero, my father, died from aggressive cancer. It tore me apart, and my symptoms worsened as a result. I would use food as a response to the entire spectrum of emotion: happiness, sadness, depression, solitude, celebration, anger, etc. My eating habits spiraled out of control until I was putting myself under a great deal of financial stress. I would also eat in secret, out of shame for my behavior.
Breaking Point: One day, it finally dawned on me that I had hit rock bottom. I weighed 370 pounds and was so grossly unfit that I struggled to perform basic tasks. Walking up the stairs would make me out of breath, putting my shoes on would make me struggle to breathe, a five-minute walk would cause me to sweat profusely. My legs hurt, my feet hurt. I constantly had heat rash on my legs. I had destroyed my body and the implications this had on my mental well-being were vast. I was miserable, sluggish and lacked the inclination to do anything.
I realized enough was enough. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I decided to change my life -- not in the short term, but forever. I decided I was going to lose weight, fix my body and fix my mind. That was August 13, 2011.
How I Lost It: I joined my local gym and started exercising four to five times a week, slowly building up the intensity. I also rewired my thought process around food by finding other things to fill the void in my life. I started painting and writing. I was determined. I changed my eating habits to three square meals a day, with plenty of fruit, vegetables, lean chicken and fish. I started writing a blog to chronicle my journey and keep myself on track called Belly and Brain. The hard work has continued and I'm feeling like a brand new man. I'm proactive, productive, full of energy, happy and confident. As of today, I've lost 95 pounds and plan to lose another 45. I feel great and am so proud that I've managed to change my life without gimmicks, tricks or quick fixes.
After Weight: 275 pounds
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