Jason Lamprey, 34, from Reston, Virginia, shares how discovering a love of rowing helped him lose weight, get fit, and start a whole new chapter in life.
My weight has yo-yo’d ever since high school, but the majority of my weight gain took place in my late twenties and early thirties, over the course of about five years due to a combination of poor diet, a stressful job, and having to move a number of times for work. Because of the relocations, I had to stop the one thing I was truly passionate about; training horses. I let myself go and stopped putting myself first. At my heaviest, I weighed 380 pounds.
I completely lost my self-worth. I stopped going out, because I always felt like I was going to be judged. I was petrified to have my picture taken. I felt trapped. Mentally, this took a huge toll on me, which just caused me to put on even more weight, a cycle that was very difficult to break. I ended up being dependent on food as I was depressed and had no other outlet and was depressed.
At the age of 32, I already had a laundry list of illnesses, including diabetes with sugars in the 400s which caused sweating, constant thirst and failing eyesight, as well as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, severe sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. The turning point came at my mother’s 50th birthday party: I saw a picture of myself, and absolutely hated how I looked. I wanted to do better, and I knew I could.
That was in December 2019, and it marked the beginning of a process that took two years. I started working with a certified nutritionist and mental health counselor. I lost 80 pounds through just clean eating and walking, getting down to around 300 pounds, and began to feel much better. Then Covid happened, and as a result of lockdown, I ended up putting 50 pounds back on.
I underwent weight loss surgery in July 2020. It was something I had reservations about, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. Following my operation, I followed a rigorous diet: high protein, low sugar, low carbs, with a focus on hydration. I adhere to this to this day.
12 weeks post-op, my surgeon told me “you’d better find a workout and get moving.” This was important in order to help deal with the loose skin I had after the surgery. In December 2020 I stumbled upon an ad for Row House, and although I was still out of shape and had never done group fitness, I was intrigued by their claims of being low impact, effort-based, and most of all, inclusive.
I quickly realized this is something I would love, and I was hooked from my very first class. I can’t thank my coaches Jonathan and Stephanie enough for welcoming me with open arms. It wasn’t long before my ambitions and confidence skyrocketed, and in July 2021 I took the plunge and became a certified group fitness instructor with Row House. Who would have ever thought that insecure, overweight man would one day lead a group of 20 rowers, including athletes, first-timers, high schoolers and grandparents. I truly feel I’ve found my calling. In October 2021, I decided that my focus needed to be here 100 percent, and I left my job. I am now General Manager at Row House in Ashburn.
Altogether, I have lost a total of 180 pounds and managed to maintain it, as well as gaining lean muscle and cutting my bodyfat by 40 percent. I used to wear a 3XL shirt, now I’m a medium. I am so much more confident and comfortable in my own skin, a feeling I haven’t had since high school.
My goal now is to maintain the physique I have, try to be the best version of myself, and continue sharing the joys of fitness with other people. My one regret is waiting more than 10 years to get where I am today, and the opportunities I missed because of fear. But I am living proof that if I can do this, anybody can.
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