Dave Embry- “Growing up, I was always the funny, fat kid.”

Dave Embry has lost almost 180lbs and is shooting for 200. He is currently training for a marathon!

Growing up, I was always the funny fat kid. The “that’s a big ole boy” guy. The “that boy is country strong” dude. So I embraced it. Always keeping a smile on my face. But still WISHING I was smaller. I would half ass try to diet. Half ass work out. But never took FULL responsibility for myself.
Till one day my wife came to me and SHE wanted to change our lifestyle. She wanted us to be around for our 2 kids. I was just wanting to be a supportive husband. At 408 lbs it wasn’t going to hurt me to at least try. She had been looking into weight loss surgery and we began to do our research. After months of reading, lectures and talking to folks who had done this. We came to one conclusion. Surgery was just a tool, no more than a hammer is to a carpenter. This tool was only to be used with other tools , diet and exercise etc.
And so it began we had the surgery , couch to 5k was added to my phone. Carbonated drinks went out the window. Calories were counted. And miles were logged…. lots of them. In the beginning I just wanted to RUN 3.1 miles without stopping . The thought of that was equal to climbing a mountain in my eyes. I began my  journey ,”Heavy D’s Slow Roll Hustle” at least that’s what I called it. Till I was able to complete a 5k with no walking!!!
I did it!! I climbed the mountain!!! Only to get to the top and see more mountains. Hell!!! I climbed this one, I want to climb that one!! So I began a list:
Sub 30 minute 5k ✅
10k ✅
15k trail run ✅ .
Navy 10 nautical miler you say? ✅
half marathon ? Screw that we going FULL!!
So now I am training to run what I now see as my pentacle. The St Jude’s Full Marathon this December…… unless I get to the top and see more mountains?

Heaviest 408
Currently 230
Goal was 225
Now I want to be half the man I was.
Working for 204