Transformation Tuesday | Empowering Myself Through Fitness
My name is Shane Reardon. I am 21 years old and live in St. John’s, Newfoundland. As someone who struggled with my weight most of my life, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share my weight loss story with you.
My family has always been important in my life. Whenever we are all together you can count on a huge meal, sweet and salty snacks, and comfort food. In my family, eating often became a fun activity, something to bond over. Sometimes this meant treating food like a reward rather than a source of energy.
As a child I was overweight. I wasn’t obese, but I was bigger than other kids and I was never really healthy. Not realizing the effects, I quickly started to gain weight. When I was about 10 years old, I was introduced to video games and I instantly became obsessed. Going outside and staying active quickly turned into staying in my room, playing video games for hours on end. As the years went by, I really began to notice how unhealthy I was becoming. By high school I was obese. Diets were an annual thing, but my food addiction has always gotten the better of me. By grade 12, I was 280lbs and had very low self esteem. I didn’t want to be that size for my graduation so I began eating healthy and doing cardio at the gym. I ended up losing 30lbs for graduation and I felt great.
After graduation, I moved away from home to study engineering. Being away from home, being stressed for time, and not knowing how to cook healthy, I quickly went back to my old habits of eating junk but hadn’t noticed how much weight I had gained. When I turned 19, alcohol became a huge part of my life as well. I started partying at least 3 times a week. Social drinking as well as my addiction to video games got in the way of my studies and I ended up failing out of school.
University didn’t work out, I eventually moved back home with my parents, and got a job at a hardware store. When I wasn’t working, all I would do was eat, drink and play video games. Next thing I knew I was 315lbs. I was depressed, tired, and alone. I had no idea what to do, where my life was going, or how to change. The only thing I knew was that I had to get my life in order, find a way to afford to get back into school and to take charge of my body.
One day, my manager at the hardware store approached me and asked me to join a team of people who renovate and set up new stores. The first renovation I did were 16 hour long night shifts, 7 days a week. I was new to manual labor, but I needed the money. Determined and eager to learn, I instantly agreed. They set me up in a hotel with the rest of the crew and we worked from 4 in the day until 10 the following morning.
Moving racking, building displays, and moving product kept me busy but my body had a hard time keeping up with the job. My feet would blister in my shoes and I would sweat profusely through my clothing. I learned very quickly that to get through these long shifts I was going to have to start fueling my body with proper nutrition. Rice, chicken, vegetables, and sub-sandwiches were the only thing I ate for 2 months. I got home and jumped on the scale, it read 275lbs. I had lost 40lbs in 2 short months simply by changing my diet and having an active work life. I was instantly hooked on losing weight. I had a goal, and nothing was going to get in my way.
That spring I started my second renovation with that company. This time I had 12 hour days, 7 days a week. They had eased on the work, and I mainly painted for the store so after my shift I would go for runs to burn off my extra energy. Every day I ran a little further. I maintained my diet and in a month and a half I lost another 20lbs. After this renovation, I went back home for a month and a half. I kept with my strict diet and went to the gym everyday and lost another 20lbs. My final renovation job was a month long, 12 hour days, 7 days a week. I ran everyday, resisted the temptation of junk food, and lost another 15 lbs.
In total, I lost 95 pounds in 6 months without any help from supplements or any kind of drugs, just sheer determination. I weighed 220lbs and didn’t have much muscle on me. I was lanky so I knew I wanted to start lifting weights. I researched how to track macronutrients and how to properly perform each exercise. It took me about 5 months to reach 199lbs, with a total loss of 115lbs. After reaching this goal I felt like a whole new person!
I plan to enter an all natural physique competition once I tighten the loose skin that I have. I still have a long way to go before I reach my goal but I believe in myself and know that there is nothing that can stop me.
Now, motivating people is my passion. Through social media, I have met many people who have inspired me to not only keep going, but to influence others as well! I’ve realized that I have a lot of insight to share. Not only the physical transformation of weight loss, but the mental side as well. I know what it’s like to be uncomfortable in my own skin, and now I finally know what it’s like to feel empowered in my body. I want to help others to achieve this kind of success and I’m excited for what the future holds.
Tips to help those trying to make a change like I did:
1. Control your environment, don’t let your environment control you.
2. When you feel unmotivated, think about why you started.
3. Is this decision going to help you reach your goals?
4. Stay humble and remember where you started.
5. Don’t depend on others. In the end, YOU have to make the change.
Follow Shane on Instagram and YouTube!
Team Quest – We are here for you! Share your transformations and triumphs with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or email them to us at [email protected]. Remember that these transformations took hard work, discipline and a plan. Quest products are a delicious component of, and not a substitute for, an exercise regimen and effective diet. The Quest Community is always there for you if you need help, inspiration or motivation!
