Downward angle icon Downward angle icon. Mark Slaughter before and after losing 85 pounds. Courtesy of Mark Slaughter Mark Slaughter described himself as a “slim, strong machine” until he was in his 30s. At 55, he overate, didn't exercise, and eventually weighed about 310 pounds. He slowly but surely lost the 85 pounds over a two-year period, at about three pounds a month.
This essay is based on a conversation with Mark Slaughter. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I lost 85 pounds and I don't think I'll ever gain it back.
I have a lot to do with this permanently changing my approach to diet and exercise. I've slowly but surely lost weight, usually about 3 pounds a month, and I feel so great.
I was always pretty slim throughout my teenage and young adult years. Basketball was my favorite sport and I played it every day. I am 6'3″. I would call myself a “slim and strong machine”.
Then, as I got older and married, I became complacent. In my early 40s, I stopped working out and got a job as a night server at a fine dining restaurant. My shifts usually ran from 4pm to midnight. I'd have a big lunch before work and snack on tortilla chips and salsa when I got home.
I ate a lot of good quality food like steak, and I also ate a lot of cheeseburgers and pizza, I didn't discriminate.
I took a photo and angled it so it didn't look bigger than it actually was.
Meanwhile, my wife cooked amazing meals for me and our three sons, including pasta with stir-fried vegetables, and I kept eating a second and a third plate.
I ate every day like it was Thanksgiving, and I ate so much that I felt sick afterwards.
The turning point came about two years ago, when I saw a photo of me with Jeff Ross, the stand-up comedian known as “Roastmaster General,” after we went to see him perform at a comedy club in my hometown of Dallas.
He was not a small man, but I was a giant, taller than him. I usually take pictures so that my size is not obvious, but this time I could not hide my size.
I weighed myself and I was 307 pounds. I needed a change. Within days, I joined Life Time Gym and started doing cardio and weight training. These days, I go three or four times a week.
For my diet, I made sure I didn't eat until I was full and when I did eat, I tried to eat slowly. When I eat slowly, I start to realize, “Okay, I've had enough.”
Forgive yourself if your weight fluctuates a little.
I don't hold back on myself, but I do eat less. I don't think it's good to diet all week and then have a big meal on the weekend. Moderation and consistency are key.
Intermittent fasting has worked for me too. I'm currently a high school teacher and I eat my lunch early at 11am. I rarely eat before that or after 7pm.
I lost more weight at first, but gradually lost about 3 pounds a month. I'm more like the tortoise than the hare, so there was no yo-yoing as a result. By eating less and exercising, I was down to just over 220 pounds.
It's been a slow change, but my waist size has gone from a 46 to a 34 and I no longer wear 3X t-shirts. I'm able to move around more easily throughout the day. I can now cross my legs like never before. I can sit comfortably in an airplane seat. I can skip stairs when walking. I'm sleeping much better too. I can now sleep 7.5 hours a night.
But honestly, I wouldn't worry too much if I gained a few pounds here and there. I just need to be lenient with myself.
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