- Name: Eli Wells (ask him anything on Talk)
- Height: 6’1″ (185.4 cm)
- Job: I work from home as an Account Manager. In the evenings I have workout classes that I teach at my church.
- Age: 36
- Location: Austin, Texas.
- Highest weight: 590 lbs (267.7 kg)
- Lowest weight: 290 lbs (131.5 kg)
Eli – wow. 300lbs is something really impressive and I know that you’ve had a lot of challenges during your weight loss. Let’s start at the beginning – I believe you had an intervention from an unusual medical source?
Yeah, it all started with a dentist visit when I needed work done. My dentist very bluntly told me that I was a walking heart attack, stroke. He said you should be dead with blood pressure that high and smoking cigarettes didn’t make things better either. My blood pressure was so high and the levels were so way off that the dentist was only able to put numbing cream in my mouth because he didn’t want to use gas. I felt every single thing when it came to the extractions that I had done that day and that was four teeth removals. That was my moment!
How had you got to that point?
In 2000 I was violently attacked and stabbed in my right eye, which meant I lost my eye. At the time I was heavy but when this incident happened my weight increased so much where at one point I was weighing over 600lbs. I went through a major depression and secluded myself and started to let myself just go into a deeper and deeper depression.
I think many people would struggle to imagine what life is like at nearly 600lbs. What impact did it have on you?
Man, five steps felt like a mile, I always took up two seats wherever I sat, I was always out of breath so much that people confused my breathing with having asthma. My knees were shot and I couldn’t even tie my shoes. I broke a couple of office chairs on the job and I had to wear seat belt extenders.
I only ever ate in private because I would be laughed at while I was eating. If I went to a buffet or a party then I’d get constant comments. Having a 60″ waist, I tell ya, The Big & Tall Store loved when I would come and shop there! Elasticated pants were my best friend.
I needed a change. I kept seeing myself getting bigger and bigger so I knew I had to do something but I just didn’t know what I should do or the approach that I needed to take.
So what changed? What did you decide to do?
I started out using the meal plan provided by the Beachbody programme called Insanity. That’s mostly no red meats or pork with a lot more vegetables. I just made the decision that I would stick with this programme. So over time I did Insanity, T25, Insanity Max30 and after I completed all those programs I was able to create my own cardio workouts. I started out six days a week twice a day working out…and that’s when I began to see the weight just fall off and melt away!
Once I started I didn’t want to stop. What I didn’t know is that losing weight and getting fit can make you feel so good, and bring so much life and joy. Well after I lost so much weight, I started getting calls and emails from casting agencies wanting to share my story that was pretty fun and exciting!
So what sort of thing would you eat during the day?
Mornings I would drink my Boost Protein shake, lunch and dinner would be either grilled chicken, almonds, salad, or turkey. My journey was up and down just like life can be sometimes. There was times I didn’t see results but I kept pushing and going and changed up my process a bit, changing up things is good, it tricks the body.
What is the difference of living a fat life and living a healthy life?
My life has changed so much for the better, I’m active, I’m able to keep up with my two kids, I can move quickly. I’m able to run races, exercise for long periods of time even more than once a day. My metabolism is thru the roof, My confidence has boosted sooooo much!
Now I suffer with excess skin that I’ve been battling with. I suffer with rashes, sores, odor horrible back pain and other embarrassing things that I’d rather not mention. I have been to doctors to get consults, but my insurance will not cover it, Ive been denied a total of seven times through two different insurance companies. A few years ago I started a gofundme account to get help from people and only able to raise till this day only $200.00. I smile to keep from crying at times cause I suffer and have restrictions, I have constant back pain from skin, I have to wear compression clothing. It feels like a tire is wrapped around my waist and I HATE IT! I keep pushing and going…
I believe you’ve now started helping others to lose weight?
For the past few months I’ve been instructing and hosting a fit club that I started at my church, it roughly about 10 to 15 of us and I teach and show all cardio moves, transforming lives through health and fitness. During the summer we are off, and the remainder of year we are digging deep three days a week.
What support have you had with the weight loss?
First and upmost God has had helped me and kept me sane through this whole entire process, well actually my whole life since I’ve been big as a kid. Being a single father my kids motivate me and push me by just loving me and telling me that I’m doing a good job! Shaun T is the man I’ve purchased all of his work from home programs and he’s my trainer and motivator and someday I wish to meet him once I get this skin removed whenever that will be…
What should other MAN v FAT readers know about losing weight?
Well – your male parts grows a bit more! I tend to look in the mirror a lot more! Every now and then though you do tend to see that bigger person that used to be there staring back at you which is good and it’s motivation to keep pushing away from what you do not want to go back to…
