So am I the only one who thinks writing or reading a blog is kinda strange? Then why am I writing one? That’s a valid question. When It came down to it, I wanted to share my story hoping it inspires even one person to take control of their life the same way I’m attempting too. My name is Devin Auspland, and this is my story.
So where to begin? Well. When a man loves a woman, they have a child and… Ok, that’s starting a little too far back so I’ll fast forward a bit. I’ve always been a larger person. As a kid they knew me as the “fat kid” or the “funny fat guy.” I remember when I entered High School I was 300lbs. In fact, when I graduated High School I was over 330. I continued my lifestyle through College and beyond. I would try fad diets or a week at the gym and quit but the first time I really tried to change myself for good was in 2018.
I was working as a Contract’s Specialist and sat on my ass all day reviewing and writing contracts. I had almost no activity in my life other than walking to my car or going to get food. One night I accidentally pissed myself while sleeping. I thought nothing of it but my wife told me I should go to the doctor. I hate the doctor, us fat people know they just judge us and tell us to lose weight, but I went to make her happy. A quick blood sugar test revealed an A1C of 13.7! I had more than double the average sugar levels of a healthy person and not only did my doctor tell me I had diabetes but she told me I was probably going to die soon as my weight had climbed to 425 lbs!
I was in shock. Had I really let myself go that bad? Had I really become one of those people you see on reality TV who can barely leave their beds? I had found the love of my life, worked hard to get a good job, bought a house and was planning on children soon. I worked so hard to get the life I always wanted as a child but was eating myself into the grave. Pissing away the life that was given to me. I had to change.
After the doctor put me on some pills, she told me I would need to shoot insulin once my body adjusted to the pills because my sugar was so high. I asked her if I could prevent that by losing some weight because I don’t want to inject myself with insulin. Having to do that, in my mind, meant I would be giving up on myself. She said I could lose some weight during the first few months of the pills and then we would reevaluate where I was.
Fast-forward six months and I was down to 350! Not only that, my A1C was down around 9. The doctor called me a dream patient and wished all her diabetic patients could follow in my footsteps. So that’s the end of the story, right? Of course not. Otherwise this would be a short blog. Anyone who’s struggled with an addition, and yes food is an addition, knows that it’s never that simple.
Good news though. I continued my journey, but I stopped walking and exercising. I thought I could do it all with controlling my food. I was taking pills and my sugar was dropping so slowly I started increasing my food bit by bit while reducing my sugar intake. On paper I looked like a great patient. My A1C, last time they tested me in 2022, is only 6 and my weight has hovered around 350. It’s moved up and down 10 lbs every few weeks but I haven’t exercised and I certainly haven’t eaten right. I’ve just had some more medication and eaten a little better.
Then comes 2022 and two major life events that turn me around, bend me over, spit and prison f…. I’ll do my best to keep it PG.
January 14, 2022, my older brother, my Irish twin (a term used when children look alike and are born 12-15 months apart) dies. Because of some complications with COVID, one of my closest friends is no longer with me. It devastated me. I became depressed and gave up on doing much of anything that I loved to do. My wife and I who had been trying to conceive our first child for nearly 10 years, stopped trying. I didn’t have it in me to bring new life into a cruel and unforgiving existence. At least that’s what my depression told me.
It took me several months before I was “ok.” And by “ok” I mean, no longer having daily panic attacks and fits of tear soaked sadness. I told my wife I wanted to try again for a child. You see. It was my dream since I was a little to have a child. In first grade when they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always responded with “a father.” It’s always been my dream to be a dad.
After ten years of trying, seeing specialists, being on medication to aid in conception, losing my brother, my wife got pregnant. And it was without the medication or the doctor’s help. I’m convinced my brother got to the afterlife and demanded something in exchange for being taken so soon (age 35)and it was for his little brother to have his dream come true.
It took a little getting used to my new life now. One without my best friend but one where I have a new best friend. My little girl. Last month, on her 7 month birthday, I looked at her and knew I had to change. No more half-steps. No more “I’ll start tomorrow”. No more “I’m not that big.” It was time to change. I had a dream where my weight caused me to pass away and I didn’t get the chance to see my little girl grow up. I missed her wedding, spending time with my grandkids, her graduation, everything. And it made me sick.
August 2023. It was time. I immediately started eating better and doing research into exercise equipment and different plans I could do from home. I signed up for a gym but then my daughter got COVID and, of course, gave it to me. I didn’t have a ton of symptoms but couldn’t leave the house for 10 days (baby’s quarantine period) which got me thinking. Why don’t I just build a gym? Yeah It would be more expensive in the short run but in the long run I would not only save money but the convenience of having the gym nearby would get me to use it more.
So that’s what I did. I picked a corner of my basement and started putting up walls. All the research I put into exercise machines and routines paid off when ordering my equipment too. It’s not done or perfect but it’s amazing and I love it.
I ended up starting StrongLifts 5×5 with cardio on my off-days. I also gave up all my sugary drinks and only drink water now. Besides that, I’ve been tracking every that I eat. Doesn’t matter if it’s the oil I cooked with or the seasoning I put on my food. I track it all and monitor my daily caloric intake and output. When I started this major shift, I was 335 lbs. As of writing this post I’m 293 and working hard to get that number down while also building up strength.
I hope you will follow me in my journey as I do everything I can to be a better man for my daughter. I know this was a long post, and the only was I can think of ending it is by encouraging you to do your best. Let’s do this together!
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