This Guy’s Shredded Look Started with Walking on Work Breaks
“I have two children and would like to be around in the future and see them grow up,” says Danny Beard, a 44-year-old-systems developer from Meridian, MS. The possibility that he might not be around in the future really hit home when he went for his yearly physical. He was shocked by his weight, and even more so when his doctor prescribed liver screenings and cholesterol medication.
For the previous five to eight years, his weight had crept up, driven by his feelings of depression and low self-esteem. He was unmotivated to do more than lay around the house and play video games, scarfing down junk food and soda. He was also a heavy smoker, which didn’t do wonders for his health. At age 43, he was at his heaviest: 218 pounds.
After his physical, he resolved to change. He asked for a Chantix prescription to stop smoking. He stopped drinking soft drinks, and completely revamped his diet. He’d eat a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast to help lower his cholesterol; lunch was tuna and crackers, a protein shake, and an apple, followed by a dinner of vegetables and grilled chicken with a protein shake. He aimed for 1400 to 1600 calories a day.
For exercise, he started walking on his breaks at work. He’d try to get 9000 steps a day, and stood at his desk rather than sitting. He started light runs after work. Within a month, his tests were back to normal, earning appreciation from his doctor.
After eight months of losing weight, he’d motivated a co-worker to also try slimming down. The two became gym buddies, starting with a 5x5 program of progressive overloads in squats, barbell rows, deadlifts, overhead presses, and bench presses three days a week. Beard did cardio twice a week on off days, including speed intervals and a 5K run.
In a year, he lost more than 65 pounds. His friends and coworkers say he looks like a different person, and he says he feels better than ever. “Everyone tells me I smile a lot more now,” he says.
His first 5K time was around 36 minutes, but he’s shaved that down to 26 minutes; he’s also prepping for his first half-marathon. Now that he’s dropped so much weight, he’s looking to build muscle; he admits having a little trouble wrapping his head around the idea of eating more calories rather than fewer. He’s upped his intake to 2500 calories a day, aiming for 150 grams of protein daily when he’s strength training.
Beard feels like he’s come back from the brink, turning his health around to make sure he has a future with his kids. He encourages anyone who wonders about their own future to take that first step. “As long as you do something every week or every other day,” he says, “it’s better than nothing—even if it is a short walk on your break at work.” That’s where he started, out of necessity. He stuck with it, and soon a year of real change had passed. “You will be surprised by how little changes every day will add up and make a big difference.”
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