36 years old retired, disabled, and trying to get back on track

[LEOBulletSponge]

I guess the title says a lot. Please forgive any typing errors or omitted words, I’m doing this from my phone.

So, as I said I’m 36 years old soon to be 37. I was injured at work in December 2016 and that’s lead me to where I am now. Prior to being injured (and we will get into that soon) I was always overweight, however, just before I was injured I lost 100 pounds and was feeling great. Heck I was about to test for my black belt in star Keon Do. In high school I was a big guy, but regardless of that I ran cross country (imagine a 6”3’ 250 pound guy doing that) and the ability to run long distance has always stuck with me. I never won races, but I always finished. That’s one thing that helped me lose the weight I did in 2015-2016. Running and eating right. I was never much for lifting weights, when I was 21 I went to the gym daily for about 7 months straight, but didn’t know what I was really doing beyond the basics so the result never really showed.

Ok, so that’s my background. Always pretty much been the fat guy. I was trying to get control when the worst happened. Since I’ve graduated high school I’ve always been into public safety. That was my job. I was a firefighter, paramedic, and my full time job was as a police officer (I know that’s a hot topic, but it’s who I am and I’m proud of it). In December 2016 I was called for a drunk driver in a neighborhood where nothing ever happens. Heck, half the residents there are cops from a bunch of different agencies. I get to the area, find the vehicle and make the stop. As I’m approaching the car, the driver gets out gun in hand and a gunfight follows. I was hit 8 times total. Luckily 2 of them were stopped by my vest, unluckily the other 6 found my legs. 1 in my left thigh no permanent damage. My right leg is what suffered. 1 grazed my ankle cracking my tibia, 2 hit my thigh resulting in a ruptured femoral artery (thank god for tourniquets), and one went through my knee shattering the medial condyle of my femur. Between the arterial damage and the knee damage, the doctors considered taking my leg. This is why I’m retired at 36 years old and in my current situation.

Two weeks in the hospital (got to celebrate Christmas there) numerous surgeries, and months of physical therapy. I kept a good mindset throughout, I truly believed I would return to work. Sadly one doctor after another told me the damage is permanent. I can not straighten my leg past about 20-25 degrees on a good day, resulting in me having a one inch lift on my right shoe just so I don’t limp as much when I try to walk. I also can’t bend my leg past about 90 degrees.

I was in a wheelchair for several months and slowly progressed to using a cane to walk short distances. I don’t always need a cane now, but the max I can comfortably walk is a lap in the grocery store. As you can imagine, I put all of that weight I lost back on, I was up to about 375. Bad food and alcohol will do that quickly. I’ve tried to diet quite a few times, and will lose a few pounds and then give up. I even tried keto, which worked for me, it’s just hard for me to do when I’m the only one in the house doing it. I’ve had several failed attempts at getting a workout routine started. I joined planet fitness and would go lift and ride the stationary bike a few days a week, even kept the workout journal. It just never stuck. Usually after about two weeks my body was so sore that I could hardly move.

Luckily a few months ago I was talking to some local bodybuilders who own their own supplement store (super nice guys!!) One if them suggested I go to the clinic and get my hormone levels checked, he suspected I had low T. So I went, and sure enough I did. This was back in February. I started taking the supplements as prescribed, and after a few weeks I was already feeling different. More energized, and more willing to get off of the damn couch.

I decided to give the gym another shot in April. I was going 4 days a week, Monday Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I was amazed at my recovery times. I wasn’t so sore the next day that I couldn’t move. I continued going until I decided it’d be a lot easier just to set up my own gym in the garage. That’s when I really started noticing a difference. I started making gains in my journal. The weights and reps I was doing were continually going up. The only change I made is instead of two on one off two on two off, I decided to just lift every other day. You can kinda count my off days as cardio, because if I go to a store and walk around for a bit I’m usually out of breath and sweating.

My problem is still with the scale. Keto was my favorite diet, but trying to lift while on keto is difficult for me. I was never hungry so I would never take in enough calories, so when I’d try to workout I’d just feel drained. I’m not gaining weight anymore, but I’m not really losing either (though I have lost a little bit of my gut size). I know my issue is still with what I eat, and the fact that I like to drink. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not drinking all day everyday. I’m not drinking to get drunk. I’m not drinking to try and forget. I just like having a few drinks every night, primarily good bourbon, or craft beer.

If I quit drinking I’d probably lose some weight I’m sure, but my biggest issue is the food. I was raised with a mom who always cooked for an army even though there were only four of us in the house. Seconds were always an option, and believe it or not, that’s a hard habit to break. I know what healthy foods I should have, and what I need to avoid. That’s actually pretty easy for me.

My goal isn’t to be a body builder. I want to gain as much muscle as I can though, and also lose some of my gut. I don’t care to be super skinny, or shredded, but I’d like to be able to not use my leg as an excuse for not being able to help carry things. I want to be as strong as I can be. Stronger than I was before I was shot.

Maybe someone out there can help me out. All of the internet research I’ve done tells me different things in how and what I really should be eating for these goals. Some say you can cut the calories and still gain muscle, some say you can’t. Some say keto is perfect for this, others say keto is the devil.

I’ve used bodybuilder forums a lot to build my lifting routine, and decided to take it a step further and try to get more help, and at the same time out my story out there to maybe encourage others with injuries to not give up. For a while I truly believed there was no point to trying to get into shape again. I was letting my injuries take over my life.

I’ve been on a regular lifting routine (don’t worry I still mix up the lifts) since April, and really haven’t missed a beat. My workout consists of Day 1 chest, day 2 back, day 3 shoulders, day 4 biceps and triceps. I don’t have a dedicated leg day, because my leg just tolerate it, believe me I tried. I will sprinkle leg workouts into the other workouts. I will do deadlifts on back day. Other days I will through in calf raises or body weight squats. I’ve seen the difference in the mirror. Friends have noticed the inches I’ve put on my arms, and I’m proud of that. I just want to take it further than this if I can. I’m looking for the advice, the motivation, and all the help I can possibly get to help me get there. I’ve don’t have a goal set, I’m just trying to keep making small changes and enjoying the small changes that I see in myself.

[LEOBulletSponge]

Just a small update. I cut down on the booze. The scale has move a little in the right direction. Let’s hope it keeps going.

[recorb]

Yes definitely quit drinking. Also eat less overall and make more of your diet protein and Cut down on carbs. Eat a protein filled breakfast which is scientifically proven to make you less hungry through the day. Also look up David goggins, he is a great inspiration because he was 300 pounds in his early 20s and then went on to drop the weight, become a navy seal, and one of the hardest mofos on the planet. He used a high rep,low weight rep scheme to drop all that weight and gain strength at the same time. He would do 500 reps in a exercise. I’m not saying you have to go that hard, but try cardio lifting and you will definitely see a change. Also try working out 6 days a week and rest on 7. Keep that metabolism humming bro. Good luck👍