Another eMail… I NEVER get tired of getting emails like these:

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From: Doug Murray
Date: June 10, 2011 2:23:37 PM CDT
To: wsellers
Subject: Greetings!

Hi Will:

I’ve been following you on Twitter for a while — after Tim Ferriss re-tweeted you a while back.  Today I took a look at your blog:  Bravo!

I too have struggled with girthiness.  The short story:  I went from 365 to about 200 when I was in my early 20s.  But college and beer did me in, and before I knew it, I was north of 300 pounds again.  Then I moved to Canada’s east coast and fell in with a bunch of mountain bikers.  Without dieting at all, I dropped to 180 pounds and rode across Spain and Portugal.  Who woulda thought — the fat kid could ride like that?

Over time, my lifestyle changed significantly.  I moved to Vancouver and slowed down.  I blame age.  The pounds started to creep back, but I was able to slow the process.

In 2007 I moved to Ghana, West Africa for a year (to work as a journalism trainer).  Did I ever pork up!  Blame super fattening (palm nut oil) and super carby (pasta, cassava, potatoes) food.  Worse, it was hot — so I didn’t really exercise much.  And beer was the most refreshing thing you could drink.  Not surprisingly, I packed it on.

Between 2008 and now, I’ve traveled a lot.  I moved to Guatemala for a year, then back to Canada, then back to Guatemala, and back to Canada — where I am now.

I’ve rented a house in Nova Scotia through November.  I work from home, so I can be anywhere.  Since leaving Guatemala (late April) I’ve been trying to follow the 4-Hour diet.  When I finally moved into the house, I was able to weigh myself:  272.  Crap.  So I’ve adopted a much stricter 4-Hour diet, bought a bike (although I have hip pain) and started using the treadmill here (cause it rains A LOT here).  In three weeks I’m down about 5 pounds… and at the head end of big weight loss #3.  Hopefully it’s the last time.

The best thing about all the yo-yoing I’ve done is that my personality didn’t switch back to the old me.  Before I lost the weight the first time, I was shy and I’m sure I was agoraphobic.  After I lost the weight, I was a whole new person.  Outgoing, approachable, etc.  At least that hasn’t changed — it was the best part.

Well, that and suddenly being interesting to girls!
Anyway, love the before/after pix.  Love the stories.  Keep ’em coming.  And maybe, if I can stick to it, I’ll have some of my own to share.

Cheers,

Doug
Pugwash, NS Canada


Doug Murray
sounds+images+words

WEB – Borderfilms.com
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Books (Photography): Weird Washington, Media Discourse and the Yugoslav Conflicts
Author: Tropical Depression – Doomsday in Paradise (due 2012)
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