"People who don't know me look at me now and think I am naturally fit," he said with a laugh. "I want to tell them that I worked my butt off for a long time. It took incredible discipline and focus. None of this is natural. I will continue to work on it for the rest of my life."
West Hills would like to congratulate member Jake Wahlstrom on an amazing 100 pound weight loss.
Jake is a former football player at WMU and at one point could use his size to his advantage. After football ended, he quickly realized weighing 327 pounds was not conducive to a healthy lifestyle. His body was in constant pain, he had bad knees, and people treated him differently because of his weight. "I was eating over 5,000 calories a day, and a lot of it was fast food," he said. That was two and a half years ago.
Today, Jake weighs in at 225 pounds. He made a promise to himself two-and-a-half years ago that he would never weigh that much again. To achieve his long term weight-loss goals, he set up short-term goals to achieve along the way. "I'm very competitive. I would not allow myself not to reach my short-term goals for fear of not achieving my biggest goal of losing the 100 pounds," he said.
The journey was not easy. Jake treats eating like a science. He knows exactly how many calories he can eat per day and the ratio between carbs, protein, and fat. "When you used to weigh 327 pounds, you know exactly every calorie you put in your body and where it comes from. Eating clean is the only option," he explained.
Jake believes losing weight is all about the diet, but he also hits the gym twice a day on most days. He sticks to a strict workout schedule between cardio and weightlifting. He started lifting in 7th grade with his older brother, who acted like a mentor to him. "Going to the gym keeps me out of trouble; it is something I've always done," he said. It has also brought his 6'4" frame down to 12% body fat.
Since the weight loss, life for Jake has improved in so many ways. He moves pain free, has more confidence, and an overall sense of well-being. "People who don't know me look at me now and think I am naturally fit," he said with a laugh. "I want to tell them that I worked my butt off for a long time. It took incredible discipline and focus. None of this is natural. I will continue to work on it for the rest of my life."
Congratulations Jake! West Hills is proud to have you as a member and an inspiration to others looking to start their own weight loss journey.
