Philip Diaz ✅

I was always overweight in high school and some years after. My confidence was low, I didn't have the desire or drive to become better than I was. Also what comes with being overweight is depression which leads to more eating and sitting on the couch watching TV all day. So it was a real bad time in my life where I was going nowhere.

I think it was about 3 to 4 years ago that I finally made a decision that would change my life forever. It was a funny story how this one event changed my way of thinking and how I needed to change the way I lived. I was walking on patrol doing security work when I saw a piece of paper on the floor. When I went to pick it up I swear it hit me like ton of bricks on my lower back. I had a painful back spasm that hit me out of nowhere from just bending over to pick a piece of paper off the floor. It was at that moment I needed to change, I was tired of the pains and aches that I was feeling everyday. Sick of feeling depressed and not having no confidence in myself to reach new heights in my life. So I had a revelation that if I did not change I would end up in a worse situation in my health and in my upcoming future. So I decided then and there if I'm going to lose the weight It was going to stay off for good.

So for 3 to 4 years I researched a lot about nutrition, watching and learning from other fitness enthusiast on instagram, and watching different workouts to break down each movement to learn the proper technique to lift the weight correctly. I didn't have a coach or a trainer to help me through it, I pretty much self taught myself to get it done. I did this from 2016 to 2019, I went from 230 to 195 and I lost about 45lbs. It was a big achievement in my life. I never thought I would get this far by myself but I was determined to see it through.

At that time I was still not satisfied with just that goal I was still motivated to see if I could reach my original weight of 180. So through that year I was in a stand still, not losing the weight. Just going up and down at around that exact weight of 195. Then in December of 2019 I got a DM from a fellow fitness enthusiast Angelique who I met and became good friends with at 24 hour. She saw how hard I was working out and wanted to know if I was interested to be her transformation client. She would train me for 3 months and she would setup my diet plan. Through a fitness journey you learn a lot of new ways to get healthy and stay in shape. You learn a great deal about nutrition, that you have to change your routine in your workouts to break out of your plateau, to even finding out that your daily water intake and that at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep are important factors to weight loss. But on that day I learned a new lesson, that in life sometimes you need someone's help to reach your goals. So I agreed to do her transformation program.

The program started around March and lasted through May of 2020 and at that time a new challenge presented itself in front of me. That was when corved-19 changed the world and I learned that gyms were going to be closing in the beginning of March. But I was not going to let all that stop me from reaching my goal. When things change in our lives we have to change with it. So I had to change the way I workout and learn how to adapt to my new surroundings. If anyone seen my post during that time I was mostly working outside using booty bands, resistance bands, dumbbells, bodyweight workouts, and using anything around me that can be used as a weight or help me with my workouts. I worked out in my backyard and at the park, so pretty much the outdoors was my gym. So I worked out like that for three months following my trainer's diet and workout plans to the letter. At the end of that program I reached my ultimate goal. I was 180, lost 15lbs at the end of the challenge. Added to the total weight loss from what I lost back then, an overall total weight loss of 60lbs. I was so proud of myself that day. I think back on those days before my fitness journey began of what I didn't have to everything I gained from all those years of not giving up, staying committed, and staying motivated through it all to reach my goal.

These days now I'm more confident, more outgoing, motivated, very active now, stronger than I ever was in high school inside and out, and I have more energy than I can spare. I'm continuing my journey. There is still more I want to learn and do in the fitness world so I have no desire of stopping. Hopefully by the new year of 2021, if things get better from covid I would like to test my strength in the Spartan Races. I would like to see where this journey takes me and if my story that I'm telling you all is the first step to a new adventure then buckle up is going to be fun. Also if my story gives others motivation to start their fitness journey then I feel happy and honored that I was part of something that was helping others to start their own stories and get healthier through it.

My advice to those that want to change their lives and lose weight is this. Don't give up! The old saying "That Rome was not built in a day" well that also applies to a fitness journey. It will take time but if you are committed and willing to do the work. Then nothing will stand in your way to achieve your goals!