I know I know, It has to be strange that a 370 lb man is writing about being a healthier fat dude. I'm 6 feet tall and 372 pounds this morning- pre dump so if things work well I could be three sixty something. Well anywho if that didn't scare you away- check this out.
All though I am a 370 lb, I feel confident saying I'm a not like most guys that are 350 pounds plus, I can "run" -jump - and destroy a set of push ups. I'd like to see guys in my weight range bang out an easy set of 60 push ups or 40 clapping push ups. I can hike miles upon miles- doing pull ups- prowler sprints, and hustling up steps are just some things I can execute with out much of a struggle, if at all.
This is the part where I post about not bragging and what not, but I am, so I won't take the pseudo humble route most of you like to do. I'm cocky, I'm an asshole, but more importantly, I'm real- now that all that is out of the way, let's get to the meat (fat boy pun no doubt).
Ok, so on the "article" for the fat boys part one, I addressed the question- why would I want to lose weight?
As a strength athlete- especially being a SHW, I guess that can get confusing, for some. I went on to explain how it affected my day to day functions as well as how the drop in body weight affected my strength training. I touched on how a "healthier lifestyle" can bring you closer to your family, community, etc. All of these being significant motivating factors, but today I want to touch a different angle.
Sleep Apnea
Let's be honest here, you snore- and if you don't why are you reading an "article" labeled for the fat boys- people these days lol. Sleep apnea has two types- OSA ( obstructive sleep apnea) the more common of the two, and central sleep apnea- where your brain just says don't breathe. Luck of the Irish- I have been diagnosed with both before I get into that, here are a few things that would put you at risk for OSA;
- Being male
- Being overweight
- Being over age 40
- Having a large neck size (17 inches or greater in men and 16 inches or greater in women) yes it affects woman as well.
- Having large tonsils, a large tongue with a smaller jaw structure.
- Having a family history of sleep apnea
- Nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies or sinus problems
I'm no doctor, and I'm sure many other contributing factors come into play but to me- those would be the basics.
Some Effects Of Sleep Apnea
If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause health problems, including:
- High Blood pressure
- Irregular heart beat, heart failure, heart attack
- diabetes, depression, and headaches
- Stroke
- Worsening of ADHD symptoms
Also, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for poor performance in your daily routine, just imagine how this could wreak havoc on your strength training regimen!
Diagnosed
After my sleep study, I got diagnosed with OSA and Central sleep apnea; this was no surprise. I would fall asleep as soon as I would sit down, I'd fall asleep while stopped at red lights- just so many examples I can recall. I trained my ass off, and sure I got stronger, but recovery was shit - and I couldn't grow (in a good way) to save my life.
Even when eating clean I'd have a hard time losing weight; I'd notice when I did, I would have a boost in energy but was always short lived. I'd always need something to "wake me up" aka a snickers or a monster - and for a fat boy that's a slippery slope. OSA was creating a vicious cycle for me- and taking years off my life.
The Fix
The Dr. issued me a Bi-pap machine, which is just an advanced C-pap and without getting into all the technical shit, I'll say this changed my life- instantly. Now I've heard a lot of people say they hated the mask- I have a nasal model which only covers my nose, yay for not being a mouth breather. I have to be honest; it was a weird feeling- imagine getting pressurized air forced down your airway while trying to fall asleep-strange. Lucky for me it wasn't hard to get acclimated to- I slept like a boss that night. A week passed, a month passed- I started reaping the benefits of sleep, how did I do this for so long was a question I'd ask myself regularly.
Outcome
In a day and age where a "magic pill" and or supplements are so heavily sought out, it surprises me so many men/women are skeptical of a getting a sleep study done. The C-pap, to me, was the "magic pill." Weight loss, strength gain, muscle growth, sexual performance, memory, are a short list of things I believe most people would consider important, and these things improved greatly-FAST.
All the above I listed changed drastically, and in a short period. My total went from 2143 to 2281, my weight which is up right now, went from 417 to 372 by choice. I feel at 372 as I use to at 330, now I don't have low body fat by any means, but I have a decent amount of vascularity, even so to the point people make comments about it. If you are serious about your training or even just wanting to live a longer healthier a life, stop wasting time and get the study done- trust me you'll look back at this and thank me. You WILL lose weight, you WILL grow, and you WILL get stronger- this is a guarantee, I'm rarely a serious guy- so take my seriousness for what it is, and make the change now.