September 28, 2025

At 40-plus years old, I’ve reached a point in life where I’m trying to get my health back on track. We recently moved to the DMV area—specifically Maryland—and over the past five or six years, my health has taken a hit. I’ve gained more weight than ever, mostly because I became way more sedentary.

Before this move, we were in Texas. And before that, I worked jobs where I was on my feet all day—doing culinary work, constantly moving, walking, lifting, sweating. But when COVID hit in 2019, I lost my job. That’s when everything slowed down. We moved to Texas, and I found myself sitting more than ever.

Instead of going back into the kitchen, I decided to go back to school. I earned my associate degree at Palo Alto College, then transferred to UTSA where I finished my bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. Around that same time, my wife and I started our family—our first son was born in 2022 and our second in 2024. My wife is in the Air Force, and that’s what brought us to Maryland.

Right now, I’m a stay-at-home dad. Since graduating in December 2024, I haven’t found a job yet, so I’m home full-time with the kids. They keep me moving, but I started noticing some health issues—chest pain, heart palpitations, fatigue. I went through the whole cardiac workup, and thankfully, everything looked good. The doctor suggested it could be stress—and honestly, that made sense. Parenting is rewarding, but it’s also exhausting.

The Wake-Up Call

Recently, I started having strange reactions when I get hungry—shaking, hot flashes, and just feeling “off.” After some lab work, I found out I had high cholesterol and was pre-diabetic. That was my wake-up call.

My dietician helped me set a new plan:

• Keep calories under 2,100 a day (ideally around 1,800)
• Focus on low-carb, high-fiber foods
• Avoid added sugars
• Exercise at least 5–6 days a week (two strength days, three walking or running days, and one active rest day like yoga)

So, today—September 28, 2025—I officially began my health journey. I started tracking my calories and eating cleaner with what we had at home. Breakfast was oatmeal, lunch was white kidney beans and leftover chicken breast, and a protein bar for a snack. I’ve also been drinking more water.

Later, we went on a long jog—about an hour—which burned around 400 calories. So far, so good. I’m hopeful I can keep this momentum going.

Testing My Blood Sugar

Before meeting with the dietician, I spent a week tracking my glucose levels because of those hunger symptoms. A quick Google search made me think it might be hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which is related to diabetes. Thankfully, after reviewing everything with my doctor, I learned I’m not diabetic—just in the pre-diabetic range. It’s manageable, but it means I need to take my health seriously.

Fixing My Sleep Habits

I’ve been a terrible sleeper my entire life. I’m a night owl—grew up in the ’90s, played tons of video games, and never shook that habit. But staying up late and waking up early with the kids finally caught up with me.

Now, I’m aiming for at least seven hours of sleep a night—ideally eight. My new routine is bed at 11 PM, up by 7 AM. It’s only been a short while, but I already feel more energized. I still get groggy around lunchtime, but a quick 20–30 minute nap helps a lot.

One Week Later

October 5, 2025

It’s been a week since I started my new routine, and here’s what I’ve learned so far:

The calorie deficit wasn’t as hard as I expected. I averaged about a 300–400 calorie deficit per day and lost around five pounds in the first week. That’s wild! My body definitely feels the change—I’m hungry more often—but I realized that before, I used to eat just because I felt hungry, not because I needed food.

Now, if I get that urge, I take a short walk or get up and move instead of snacking mindlessly. It actually helps.

I’ve also learned what foods I can enjoy and still stay healthy. I’m not trying to go vegetarian or do “meatless Mondays” anytime soon—I need hearty, filling meals that fuel me. I like eggs for breakfast, beans, chicken, and other high-protein options.

Experimenting has been key:

• Cucumber and hummus? Not for me.
• Celery and peanut butter? Perfect.
• Plain yogurt? Gross. But with mixed berries—it’s great.
• Cottage cheese? Probably skipping that next time.

It’s all trial and error. The most important thing is finding healthy foods I actually enjoy, so I don’t burn out or relapse into old habits.

So far, things are working out. My energy is better, I’m sleeping more, and I feel like I’m finally heading in the right direction.