4 years and 70 pounds ago, my transformation is finally complete. Thursday morning when I stepped on my bathroom scale, it was the first time in 17 years that it didn’t reach 200.

Much of the weight I lost was all in my first year of running. That long year saw 65 pounds disappear in the thousands of footfalls I logged training for my first marathon. In the years that followed, I saw my weight fluctuate between 220 and 230 pounds. I was running more than ever but I wasn’t eating right. I justified fast food and late night snacks with early mornings and long runs. That was until my doctor looked at me cross-eyed when she saw my cholesterol levels.

Since then I’ve become a vegetarian (like my wife) and saw those extra 25 pounds fly off me while still keeping up my regular regimen of running. I sort of plateaued after that until I stepped up my training for the Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas Marathon. With the extra long runs now in the mix, I’ve watched a couple of pounds erased every week. When I stepped up to the plate Thursday morning, I could barely believe my eyes. Between my battle driven toes were the numbers 199.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t obsess about my weight. To be honest, I think I look a little gangly (except for the small tire around my waist line). If I could just get myself to do sit-ups and work on my core, I think I might be able to shave off another 15 pounds and reach my high school weight of 185. Stay tuned because I feel great!!!

RMFR

OK, I’m a month into my vegetarian life change. While there are many people that think a vegetarian diet and running don’t make great stable mates – let me personally say they’re wrong. I’ve haven’t felt this good or had this much energy in a long, long time. On top of that, I dropped 15 pounds in the same amount of time and it just keeps falling off.

There is a really informational article dispelling the myths of a vegetarian diet and running (in this case triathletes). I’ve tried to cover my bases by taking vitamin supplements and making sure I get enough iron but I have nothing but rave reviews so far.

I always thought I was a very informed and conscious eater – until I actually started looking at nutrition labels. You’d think being a son of a dietician that I would have learned this lesson years ago or inherited some sort of nutrition gene but unfortunately no. It took a doctor slapping me around while looking at my blood tests before the alarm bells went off. The craziest thing I discovered was that my whey protein drink was a cholesterol nightmare wrapped in a time bomb covered with barbed wire. I’ve now switched to a soy based protein drink and I’m back into the good graces of my blood vessels.

Being a vegetarian isn’t easy. The looks I get from my meat loving friends and strangers eyeing my salads aren’t easy to deflect. With a little stubbornness and support from my wife, the transition is complete – and I’m loving every salad loving moment of it.

So, I did it.

Scared stiff by my latest physical, I took a leap of faith and joined my wife down the Vegetarian Road. To be honest, it hasn’t been a huge lifestyle change. I wasn’t eating mass quantities of meat in the first place – unless you count fast food burgers and pizza by the box!!!

The biggest change has come in the grocery aisles. I no longer grab food that just looks good or fills and urge I might have at that moment. No, now every shelf item is scrutinized by it’s nutrition facts label. Low fat, low sodium and low cholesterol. I’m starting to grow fond of tofu and rice cakes and have a LONG way from the first time I tried them.

I think it’s going to stick. If my energy levels stay high, the scale keeps getting lower and I can assist my chances of spoiling my grand children in the future – it shouldn’t be an issue. Thank goodness Bonnie’s Country Classic Barbecue Sauce is on the “approved” list.