Andrew Hooker

Lost 61 Pounds, 19.5% Body Fat

Things were getting way out of hand. While never being consistently athletic, I treated nearly every day like a Thanksgiving binge. I’d start my mornings either with nothing to eat or feasting on whatever pastry laden goody I could find or drive 10 miles out of my way to work to buy donuts, for the office, of course. Then I’d sloth my way to lunch at whichever fast food place I craved, never avoiding the large sizes and/or multiple entrees. By the mid afternoon crash it was time for coffee and more sweets for a pick me up. Dinner time was either more fast food or a hearty home made hefty portion of whatever calorie loaded feast I’d create. Being tired and having no energy, by late evening it was time for one more junk food emotional boost, usually ice cream or popcorn and soda.

Any wonder I weighed 267 lbs at 5’9″ in my 30s? Any wonder I hated to even look in the mirror? Any wonder I was shopping for clothes in “that section.” I also managed to develop obstructive sleep apnea and borderline to just over border line high blood pressure while having heart disease in my family history. I didn’t even care if I lived or died, as long as I could eat what I wanted and be as lethargic as I felt. Crazy thing is none of that slowed my bad lifestyle down much. Hope for a better life was gone.

I had heard about Rob from a good friend several years ago, but kept putting it off out of fear and shame that I needed help. The breaking point? Getting sick of watching my three sons playing with their grandparents outside without me and the day I absolutely couldn’t take my wedding ring off. I was looking over Rob’s website yet again, When my wife, Yana, saw me, we decided to take the plunge and see Rob. We both did fitness assessments and pretty much were as low as you could go and still have a pulse. We started training with Rob, Taylor, and Sam the next week and began eating better.

I don’t even remember how much we started loosing right away, but were excited by the change as hope began to displace despair. Within about two or three months, I permanently retired “those jeans” and was back to ones I could wear over a year ago, but not long after that, I had buy another size lower and just a few weeks ago I was back into the 30s! People at work were noticing, saying my clothes were too baggy, though griping about the absence of confections and that I was not as much fun to go to lunch with anymore. I also stopped having those afternoon crashes. Next month I see my sleep doctor and I hope to be able to pack up my CPAP for good, as my numbers 4 months ago were already improving. My blood pressure is down to perfectly normal. In July, I was using the stairs to race my kids using the elevator and winning! I’m developing a confidence I don’t think I’ve ever had. Today I just did a walk/run for six miles, without stopping. To date I have lost 61 pounds of body fat, 19.5% body fat change, increased 2 lbs of lean weight, and have improved my overall health rating for my age from 2% – 73%.

Was it easy? No, but it is doable with commitment to follow the plan and to be willing to give it all you have. The team wants to help you achieve if not exceed your fitness goals and will push you hard, but are supportive at the same time. I still want to loose more extra pounds and for the first time develop some muscle tone. I am grateful to God, Rob Z, his team, my wife, and my mother. I feel like I am well on my to getting back a life I never had and becoming the man I want to be.

Andrew Hooker