This Day in Diet History: Comparing 2009 to Today

As discussed on Episode 11 of the Wise Eats Podcast

The History Behind TDDH

This Day in Diet History is a segment I created to illuminate my transformation from a former fat guy to fitness fantatic and health coach. I have journal my meals and workouts since March of 2009 and want to bring that history to life by sharing habits of the past with strategies of the present. This will provide some nutrition tips, entertainment, and hopefully some inspiration for anyone looking to improve their health and fitness.

I have lived on both ends of the health spectrum. I was 270lbs with some of the worst lifestyle habits imaginable. Today, I want to be an example of health and fitness and inspire others to transform their lives, as well. I’m by no means perfect, but have reached a place where healthy diet and exercise are non-negotiable aspects of my life, and want everyone around me to have that same gift.

Fat Guy turned Fitness Fantatic

The Idea Behind Sharing My Diet Journal Entries

Some people may find diet talk boring, but personally, I find it fascinating. I’ve heard a lot of experts talk about the things people should do, but not exactly what they do personally, so I wanted to create something unique that dives into my exact routine. Sharing this info will hopefully give someone at least a tip or two to take away from it.

I want to tell you exactly what I’m doing to stay in shape so it’s all out in the open for you. I’m far from perfect. I’m not an athlete or even the buffest dude ever. I’m a normal guy who has been at the bottom of the health mountain and wants you to know that fitness is attainable for anyone.

It’s important for me to put this out there because 11 years ago I was that guy coming into work hungover, feeling terrible every day, and even sleeping in the bathroom because I was so exhausted I couldn’t keep awake long enough to do my job. I used to not care whether I lived or died. I drank, smoked, and partied every day with no thought toward my future. Now, I wanna live forever and feel amazing because every day is precious. I’ve lost a lot of loved ones over the years that didn’t get to live their full life. My brother Jason passed when he was 18, Mom died in her early 30’s, my girlfriend Julie at age 26, and my other brother John at 43. For all those I’ve loved and lost, I owe them to live the best life I can because they didn’t get to. Exercise has changed my life and today it’s something I can’t live without. There’s a lot of people who don’t have that same mindset and that’s what I want to change.

Fat Guy Files: July 4, 2009

In today’s edition of TDDH, we look back at 4th of July 2009. This was 3 months into my 90lb weight loss. I was already down 33lbs, but this was a rough week for my fitness journey. I celebrated the holiday in style by drinking alcohol 5 out of the 7 days and binging on all of my favorite fast foods.

  • Breakfast: PB Crunch Cereal w/ Apple
  • Lunch: Mac & Cheese
  • Dinner: Pizza, Burger, 4th of July Snacks, 2,000 calories worth of drinks
  • Highlights of the Week: Pizza, Beer, Tubby’s Sub, McDonald’s Breakfast Sandwiches, Little Caesar’s, Taco Bell, Checkers

Here are the details from my diet journal on July 4, 2009 (affectionately referred to as the “Fat Guy Files”:

  • This was typical of my lifestyle back then and initial strategy for weight loss: Start the week off low calorie then go crazy for the entire weekend. As long as I averaged a calorie deficit for the week, I lost weight! But my health paid the price in the long run.
  • It’s amazing that I lost 90lbs while continuously binging and cheating like this. This is not how I would recommend anyone else lose weight!
  • This week, I averaged 3,454 cals/day for the week, which is actually similar to my calorie count these days, but for much different goals! Today, I consume that many calories in healthy, nutritious foods in order to build my body up and make it stronger, not to tear it down with processed food and calorie restriction.
My physical handwritten journal entry from July of 2009
As discussed on Episode 11

Today’s Diet:  July 4, 2019

In 2019, my diet is a whole different ballgame. I’m eating whole, nutritious foods in wide variety, buying organic wherever possible, and avoiding processed foods as often as I can.

  • Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, Broccoli, Wise Eats Power Oatmeal
  • Snack: Almonds & Raisins
  • Lunch: Turkey Chili w/ Brown Rice Pasta and Leftover Scrambled Eggs
  • Snack: Strawberry-Banana Muscle Milk w/ Peanut Butter
  • Dinner: Cast Iron Chicken Breast w/ Skinny Popcorn and Frozen Cherries
  • Snack: Chocolate-Banana Protein Shake (Fully Charged Protein Smoothie)

Diet Journal Entry: July 7, 2019

As you can see, even though it was a holiday, it was still a very normal diet day for me. These meals are not far off from my diet on any other normal day (with the exception of the popcorn). I simply enjoyed more food and more total calories than I usually would. Popcorn is a food I would normally stay away from, but it’s a 4th of July celebration ya’ll!!

I hope that by sharing my past mistakes and the tactics I use to stay fit today can inspire you to make a positive change to your own health. Thanks for reading this article. If you’d like to ask a question or send a comment, my contact info is below. Thanks for reading, have a great day, and make wise choices!

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