He Lost Weight While on the Run

As a child I was always heavy.

There might be two pairs of “husky” pants in my size in an entire clothing store--invariably, one of them would be plaid. Most of my childhood pictures feature me as a butterball in loud slacks. The saving grace proved to be that I was the tallest kid in the class and could “carry” the weight (and no one would dare make fun of my pants).

Unfortunately, I eventually quit growing taller while continuing to grow wider. In my early 30s, I reached almost 300 pounds before chronic back problems and fear--brought on by friends having heart attacks and bypass surgery--convinced me I had to lose weight.

I joined a gym, tried walking and riding the stationary bike, but nothing helped until I started running in 1992.

My wife, Jocelyn, who is a great swimmer and bicyclist, thought about entering a biathlon and wanted to start running. Having never run in my life (except when I was being chased), I balked at the idea, until I happened upon a “learn to run” program in a magazine. The 12-week program, which started with 20 minutes of walking and gradually built up to 30 minutes of running, sounded doable.

We started the program in June, and even though it took me almost 12 months to complete it, by the end I was running 30 continuous minutes and enjoying it! The thrill of achieving each step in the program hooked me, but the real delight was the rapid weight loss I experienced.

Since we ran late at night, we became very aware of how different foods affected us. If we had eaten beef for dinner, we felt sluggish running, so we started having less of it. We began eating to feel good and found that our tastes changed.

Certified farmers markets and Cooking Light magazine became our mainstays for fresh, local fish and produce and the low-fat recipes to prepare them. Today, our menus consist of fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, poultry, and no red meat.

I don’t feel like I’m dieting, because I eat whatever I want (I love pastries!). It is simply that my wants have changed. Today, my weight has plateaued around 195 pounds, I rarely experience back pain, and my waist size has dropped from 44 to 36. A typical week continues to include three days of running, but we’ve also added bike riding on weekends (and occasionally to work), roller-blading, and walking everywhere.

The more I exercise, the more I want to exercise, and I find I have increased energy--and confidence--in my physical abilities.

Jocelyn never did run a biathlon, but last year we fulfilled an even bigger challenge by riding our bicycles 3,700 miles from coast to coast. It was an incredible trip, making us feel like there isn’t anything we can’t achieve. I don’t even mind facing my 40th birthday . . . knowing that I am in the best shape of my life!

Vital Statistics

Name: Rob Goubeaux

Age: 39

Occupation: Videotape editor

Old weight: 300 pounds

New weight: 195 pounds

Time It Took to Get There: 30 months

Want to Share Your Success Story?

Losing weight is as individual as gaining weight. Do you have a story on how you got in shape and stayed there? If so, we’d like to hear from you with a 500-word essay listing what worked in terms of diet, exercise, encouragement / support, as well as your emotional and physical changes.

We’d also like you to send us full-body color photos of you, before and after.

Send essay and photos to “How I Did It,” Health, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, and include daytime and evening phone numbers. No phone calls, please. Submissions cannot be returned.

In addition to publication, winners will receive a Los Angeles Times gym bag and a gift certificate for a free pair of athletic shoes of your choice, redeemable at any Big 5 Sporting Goods store.