Robert Valencia, 38, of Brooklyn, tells men’s health how he lost over 150 pounds by transforming his diet and developing a passion for exercise.
I was a runner for almost 20 years, but then I stopped working out and lost my love for it. I tried to stay active, but bad eating habits started to take over and then I gained weight. I joined a gym when I was in my thirties, but I had no clear idea of what routines I should follow. I was randomly exercising while maintaining an unhealthy diet full of carbs and sugar. The turning point was the pandemic: When people in New York were told to stay in lockdown, I was just steps away from a fridge full of sugary treats. Studies have shown that people gained or lost weight exponentially during the first year of the stay-at-home phase of COVID, and I was certainly part of the first one.
I’ve always been comfortable in my own skin, but I have to admit I wasn’t happy with the person I was seeing in the mirror. It was becoming more and more difficult to find clothes in my size and my weight gain was also beginning to affect my health negatively: the soles of my feet hurt every time I woke up and I noticed thick skin on the soles of my feet and acanthosis nigricans around the neck. and armpits. I was 37 years old when I started noticing these changes; I knew it was time to make a change in my health, but somehow I was in a state of denial and just went on with my life.
It wasn’t until a Christmas visit to see my family in Miami that I realized I had to do something. My 79-year-old mother put her hand on my belly and said, “Promise me you’re going to lose weight. I need you to be healthy.” It was at that moment that I had to make it my mission to see a specialist. Two weeks later, a weight loss doctor informed me that she weighed 330 pounds. He was completely dumbfounded. His diagnosis also showed that my weight put me in stage 1 hypertension, with almost half of my body covered in visceral and subcutaneous fat, high cholesterol and triglycerides. When he offered me the opportunity to embark on a weight loss journey, my answer was a resounding yes.
The first thing I had to do was adjust my nutrition to help my body shed excess fat. I stopped eating carbs and focused on a ketogenic diet and turned that fat into my source of energy. I ate mainly protein, psyllium husk as a source of fiber, vitamin and omega-3 supplements. I embarked on 2-hour workout routines that involved mostly low-impact exercises like spinning and yoga (I avoided running at first because it might have compromised my knees and ankles). I shed almost 40 pounds in the first month, then 20 in the second month, then 27 in June, and so on. Over the months, I incorporated other forms of training such as strength training, CrossFit, pilates, and HIIT. But of all these routines, running is my absolute favorite.
I lost over 150 pounds in eight months, reaching my lowest weight of 169 pounds. I also reduced my body fat from 50 percent to just 13 percent. I feel amazing, because I feel like I’m extending my life expectancy. On my next visit to Miami, my mother couldn’t believe what she was seeing and neither could my sister.
A hugely positive part of this experience has been being part of a community in New York that enjoys running and staying healthy. I think many of us in this city decided not to take health for granted, much less when New York became the epicenter of COVID-19 in the United States. My girlfriend has applauded my effort; she’s the one who reintroduced me to running, and we’re both running NYRR United Airlines NYC Half Marathon and Brooklyn Half together!
My next goal is to run the full marathon when I turn 40. I want to be stronger, faster, healthier and live longer, and inspire those who want to make a change in their health. Staying healthy, regardless of weight, should be the main goal.
A weight loss initiative is never just about you; it also creates an impact on those who love you. It is not an easy task to undertake, and there will be many times when you feel that you are not making progress, but the most important thing is to reach the goal no matter how long it takes. I remember seeing a dietitian say that to get to a certain destination, you can walk, take the train, a plane, or a car. No matter how you get there, the most important thing is to reach that goal. Stay on course!
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