It all started in the parking lot of Wendy’s.  Well, it started a lot earlier than that, probably when my mother gave me every piece of cake or fried food that I requested.  My mother loved me and always wanted to please me--even to this day.  She just wasn't educated on food health when I was young.  When I got older she learned quickly and attempted to change my food habits--but it was a bit too late as I was already set in my ways of choosing highly processed foods. I had no intention of changing as food comforted me.

Let’s fast forward to Wendy’s in December, 2007.  I was sitting in the parking lot eating my usual triple baconator that dripped enough grease to lube a 8 cylinders and let’s not forget about the fries and nuggets on the side.  My healthy choice for that meal was a diet soda I think.  This was a typical lunch for me.  I probably went to McDonalds that morning as well and had a steak, bagel, egg and cheese and maybe a Subway Melt for lunch.  That Wendy’s meal could have been my second lunch...6,000 calories?  Why not?

To this point, I have been relying on the benefit of youth, being 29 I felt there was very little chance I could have a heart attack as the statistics were against it, no matter what my weight.  So there I was, sitting in the parking lot and I noticed that it was a little hard to breathe--at least to get a full breath of air.  I inhaled deeply  but that didn’t seem to give the desired effect of enough oxygen.  This was the dawning moment in my mind that I’m really going to die if I keep this up.

My weight, being a few pounds over 300, probably wouldn’t have phased me much had I not noticed the trouble breathing that day.  I even had blown up feet with blotches on them for the past few months, the kind that diabetics get.  I never got checked for diabetes (I was probably too scared).  The fact that I couldn’t get enough oxygen though scared me though.  I have a wife and kids.  I don’t have time to die...I have plans and promises to keep to my family.

I left the parking lot of Wendy’s and have never been back.  In fact, I haven’t been to any of the fast food joints I frequented, most especially McDonalds.  What’s funny is I remember people saying once they stopped eating this stuff, just the thought of it disgusted them.  To them, I say I am jealous.  I would be lying if I didn’t think about going back there for a baconator.  Maybe once a month I get that urge.  Perhaps it’s from a coworker or someone else that I noticed eating a burger.  The only thing that stops me is knowing the extreme amount of calories in the food coupled with the processed lack of nutrients.  I would rather eat the same high calories in a giant bowl of fresh pasta or homemade pizza--which I now frequently pig out on!  There is something to be said about your body functioning better with quality food.  Calories do not necessarily equal calories, I can explain more with the 2nd law of thermodynamics but that would be silly in this post.  I know that doesn’t make sense but I’ve tried working out the next day after 3,000 calories of ice cream and also with 3,000 calories worth of a quality balanced meal.  One of those meals leaves me with a food hangover and a lazy mind and body.

Next: How I got on this path.