My name is Alex Plaxen. I’m a 25 year old Production Designer who has been living at home in Maryland since October 2009. On May 1, 2010 I made the monumental decision to begin my weight loss efforts as well as the effort to turn my life around.
I had just recently moved back home from California where I had spent the last 5 1/2 years of my life studying Production Design for Film and TV. Being back in Maryland and living at home were pretty depressing. I needed something to focus on. Work as a file clerk for my Dad’s law office was boring and my social life was somewhat non-existent. I had begun the tradition of going over to my Aunt Nancy’s home every Tuesday to eat dinner and watch “The Biggest Loser”. I saw that they were casting for the next season and I thought that maybe this was the divine reason I was meant to move home. To get my life together and become the person I’ve always wanted to be.
The following weeks were spent filming my audition tape. I had to put my weight on the application so I hopped on my parents scale which maxed out at 330 lbs. When I got on it said “Error 2”. So I pulled out the owner’s manual to see what that meant. Here’s what error 2 means: “The amount of weight on the scale exceeds the maximum capacity. Please remove the weight immediately or risk permanent damage to the scale.” Well, if that wasn’t a wakeup call I don’t know what is. Both my twin brother and 17 yo brother could stand on the scale at the same time and were able to get weighed. My twin brother weighed in at 165. Considering he’s 5” taller than I am, that was an unfortunate slap in the face, but it’s also motivated me in becoming my goal. I am going to lose the weight of my twin brother.
For the next 3 months all I could talk about was “The Biggest Loser” and how excited I was to lose the weight. Despite the positive feedback from everybody who watched my audition video and the two open casting calls I went to, I never got a callback. Needless to say it was a bit of a blow to my ego, but during the process of making the tape and auditioning I realized for the first time in my life how much I really wanted to lose the weight.
I’ve always had a lot of friends, my family is amazing and I’ve always been told I was good looking, for a fat guy. So I never felt I was missing out on anything. The sad truth though was that at 24 years old I had never been on a date, never been kissed, and I was lonely. Despite the happy persona I presented to everybody, inside I was hurting.
Two weeks after my 24th birthday I decided that “Biggest Loser” or not I was going to do something about my weight. On May 1st, 2010 I walked back into a weight watchers center for the first time since 2007 and rejoined. I’ve never looked back. At that first meeting I weighed in at 354.6 lbs. The fact that I had gained back the original 39 lbs I lost plus another 30 depressed the hell out of me. However, I was determined and the first week was easy. I had already developed some healthy eating habits that stuck from the first time I did WW. I only drank water, although admittedly not enough. So, that first week when I was expecting a big loss (The first time I did WW I lost 10 lbs the first week) I only lost a respectable 2.4 lbs. I didn’t let it stop me though.
Check out my weight loss stats to date here. For a while I had a serious weight loss streak going. 19 weeks I went with straight losses. Since May 1st, 2010 I’ve only had 7 gains. Like I said I’m determined. My achilles heel though has been developing a good fitness regimen.
On 12/18/10 I began my journey from Couch to 5k. A fitness program that trains you to jog a 5k in 9 weeks. You can find out more information here. On March 13th I ran my first 5K. Then, on April 17th, the day before my 25th birthday, I ran my first 10K. I signed up for my first half-marathon to take place on October 15th!
On July 16th, 2011 I passed the 100 lbs lost milestone!
Follow me as I prove that you don’t have to be an athlete to be active.
