Ricardo

The purpose of this text is to share my experience about the challenge of achieving an effective loss of weight and muscle mass, which is reflected in my physical health as well as my self-esteem, and level of social connection.

Since I was a child I have always had problems with being overweight, largely due to a “hereditary and cultural” issue, since my family has always been prone to obesity.

Mainly, this has been the result of an unbalanced diet, rich in carbohydrates and fats, which denotes a lack of knowledge in food combinations. A misconception of the concept of nutrition, and of course, a social environment that promotes overeating.

Of course, this condition was aggravated to the extent that I have had a sedentary lifestyle, low physical activity and abuse of certain types of foods and drinks.

The result was an overweight that, over the years, exponentially increased my vulnerability to diabetes or stroke. This, without taking into account the negative social effects that obesity has, especially on self-esteem, personal acceptance, and at the level of social relationships, both professionally and personally.

Although I am a contemporary adult who, despite being relatively young and having been fortunate in terms of not suffering from any pathology that affects my physical integrity, it is clear to me that I can no longer continue defying luck and saying: “Nothing happens.”

Now I have a beautiful daughter who is my priority, my main reason for life. It is because of her that I finally decided to radically change my lifestyle by committing to the challenges that the Cambridge Weight Plan implies, since the point is not to isolate myself socially and resist, on the contrary, it has meant learning to discipline myself, be constant and responsible with my health.

Understanding that in one way or another and in the long term, this lifestyle was going to bring serious complications to my health, both physical and mental.

I learned to practice “no thanks” or “not for now” instead of saying yes and letting my stomach and gluttony get the best of me.

Since I lost my excess weight, my physical performance has significantly improved, and therefore I feel more useful, more alive.

Now I regularly go to the gym and practice cardiovascular routines that years ago it was unthinkable for me to do, not only because my physical resistance was lower, but because I didn’t allow myself to do it.

I constantly sabotaged myself and that held me back in various aspects that affected my physical performance, and even in the work and social sphere, because I limited myself to interacting with other people, I did not believe I was capable.

Now it is very pleasant for me to hear the comments of people who say: “How did you manage to lose weight?”, “which saint did you take pity on?”

And, unlike a few months ago, my way of approaching people took an impressive, and obviously positive, turn.

Categorically, I can affirm that the reduction of overweight has benefited me the most, in terms of my health and quality of life, by significantly reducing my blood glucose values, reducing blood pressure, as well as reducing cholesterol and triglyceride values ​​in the blood.

The reduction in size now translates into better self-esteem and personal security, which is reflected in the improvement of my character, confidence in myself, and concern for developing new challenges. Now I look in the mirror and I feel confident, I feel capable.