Name: Donald Kearns
Age: 32
Occupation: Dr. Rhonda Patrick
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, Florida
Start Weight: 225 pounds
End Weight: 178 pounds
Time Running: 6 months
Health - Injuries pandemic began. I am responsible for the well-being and financial performance of the hotels—and business disappeared overnight.
Each day at work, I questioned whether I’d finish the day employed. This led to a lot of introspection. I’m the sole provider for my wife and two daughters, 7 and 5—what will happen if I lose my job? What will I do next?
At that time, I weighed around 225 pounds. Each time I read the news about COVID-19, I was scared. I was reading that you’re more at-risk for severe cases of COVID-19 if you have certain pre-existing conditions. I was overweight (check) with high blood pressure (check), pre-diabetes (check), and high cholesterol (check). It truly felt like a do-or-die moment for me. On May 11, I went to refill my prescriptions for these conditions, and I decided this was not the person I will be.
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and increasing my energy though the day are the best feelings Dr. Rhonda Patrick of the We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back Running From Substance Abuse Toward Recovery. She said that it took a sustained six months for a dietary change to show lasting effects on the body. So rather than try to make drastic fixes quickly, I made conscious lifestyle changes.
Before May 11, I ate a lot of sugar and carbs with zero portion control. The first step was cutting refined carbs and sugars, and I also increased my protein intake.
These days, my diet consists primarily of natural foods: fruits, vegetables, eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, and nuts. As I’ve gone along I find things that work and build them into my routine. For example, I love peanut butter, so I add powdered peanut butter to my meals for an extra source of a plant-based protein with fewer calories than spreadable peanut butter.
Some of the changes were easier than others. As for many things in life, it can be hard to give up things we’ve grown accustomed to, especially in times of high stress. I found self accountability through food-tracking apps and setting weekly, rather than daily, goals.
How This New Yorker Lost 60 lbs Amid the Pandemic. Courtesy of Donald Kearns high-intensity interval training (HIIT) circuits of bodyweight squats, burpees, jumping jacks, and mountain climbers. There were also lunges through the house with my girls on my back.
At-Home Workout Essentials
Yoga Mat
Foam Roller
Courtesy of Donald Kearns
By October, I had dropped 25 pounds, but I plateaued. I couldn’t get over that 200 barrier for some reason. Through research, I learned that weight loss happens when calories burned exceed calories consumed. I needed something to help me do this, so I decided to try running.
I live across the street from a county park with a two-mile path. The first time I tried, I made it about a mile on the path. I was gassed, but it felt like a massive accomplishment. The mile markers on the path provided easy goals to target. The first month was the toughest, but one mile ultimately became two.
With consistency, I’ve gotten stronger and stronger. I compete with myself on a daily basis—Could I go two times around the track instead of one?—and hitting milestones became addicting. I had never in my life run three miles, and here I was doing just that. Every time I accomplished these things, it would break down a mental barrier. The next time I expected myself to be able to do it again and again.
Ten months after I began this journey, I’m down to 178 pounds. I feel confident. Looking better is a benefit, but kicking the butt of my pre-existing conditions, drastically improving my digestive health, and increasing my energy though the day are the best feelings.
I’m lucky to have have the biggest cheerleaders in my two daughters. As a father, I feel like it is so important to show them that if you set your mind to something, it can be accomplished with discipline and hard work. They cheer me on when I work out at home, and they love to ride their bikes next to me when I run on the weekends.
My next goal is a 10K. It’s amazing to see where I’ve gone in the last year. May 11 seems so long ago. Those medicine bottles are still in my cabinet and serve as motivation every single day.
To anyone who wants to make a similar change in their life, my advice is to think long-term. Nothing great happens in a day, but something will with an accumulation of great days.
And The Best Songs to Add to Your Playlist this Month! For the first month, I ran in some old trainers, and my knees paid for it. Investing in new running shoes was life-changing! Also, embrace the suck. The motivation won’t be the same everyday, but hold yourself accountable and be disciplined. Those non-motivated days quickly become your biggest successes and future motivators.
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