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Name: Omar Rangel

Age: 33

Height: 5'8"

Before Weight: 315 pounds


How I Gained It: I grew up fairly skinny, until I finished playing high school football. My eating habits stayed the same throughout college, but without any activity on the field. I ballooned up to 315 pounds. My eating habits were always an event to see from the quantities I ingested. A whole pizza, two hamburgers or five hot dogs at a time were normal meals. I’d get tired walking upstairs. Walking in general just wore me out. Even getting married didn't motivate me to lose weight.


Breaking Point: Suddenly, from one day to the next, my brain switched priorities. I was tired of breathing hard and getting tired very quickly. It's difficult to pinpoint a specific moment, but there were many moments of walking and sweating for no reason. Clothing was also an issue: I had to wear pants with elastic waistbands and XXL shirts. I could only walk for about 10 minutes at a time.


How I Lost It: I have lost over 130 pounds without surgery. A high-protein diet with fiber and limited sugar is what I eat now. I eat a lot of chicken, turkey, vegetables and beans. Breakfast is usually eggs and avocado, lunch and dinners are chicken with vegetables. I try to change up my meals so I don’t get bored. I snack on carrots, apples and cucumbers. I'll have a small cookie sometimes.


I go the gym constantly. At first, it was exhausting and painful and not fun at all. Now, I can do 30 to 45 minutes of cardio a day and weight train. I am at the gym at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday. I enjoy staying mobile and fit. It's a lifestyle change. I always show my pictures around to prove to others what they can also achieve. I try to inspire them to enjoy it. Now, my life is all about my two girls. I want to run with them as they age.


After Weight: 178 pounds

2013-06-10-OmarRangel2.jpg

The Huffington Post publishes photographs as they are submitted to us by our readers.



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