Transformations Series: Nathan Smith

At 6 Pack, we love seeing people take the fitness reins into their own hands in order to bring about a true fitness transformations Whether it's bulking up, slimming down, or committing to a meal management system, our fans are disciplined, devoted, and succeeding beyond their wildest dreams. The path toward a healthier you is not always easily trod, but the dedication makes the end goals that much more rewarding. Our Transformations Series puts the spotlight on these amazing individuals, and today we introduce Nathan Smith. Nathan is a young man from Van, TX. His family owns an overstock business, and while they once had a brick-and-mortar store in Van, physical sales in a small town were becoming harder and harder to sustain. They eventually moved the business completely online, and now ship over 3000 orders each month. Nathan started moving in the right direction for a fitness transformation February of last year, but he didn't get serious until October. Nathan struggled with obesity while growing up and attempted diets, but he wouldn't stick with them and ended up gaining more weight than before. Before he knew it, he was 21 and weighed nearly 400 pounds. Due to his weight, Nathan also developed a sleeping disorder. No matter how long he slept, he would wait up feeling more tired than when he went to bed. Night after night, he'd come home, crash on the couch, too miserable and exhausted to do anything. It would have and could have been easy for Nathan to completely lose hope, but one evening, one of the most important thoughts of his life finally struck him.

"I had always done to the best of my ability in work, school, and time I gave to others and excelled at it. But I had not given the best that I could give to myself. I decided that I would give myself one last chance to lose the weight. It was now or never."

Nathan remembers thinking, "These are supposed to be the best years of my life, not the worst!" That very night, he got off the couch and decided that change starts NOW. He jumped on a treadmill right then and there and walked for over 90 minutes. He began walking every night, and with 400 pounds on him, it was not easy on his feet. No shoe could really support his weight well enough, and the soles of his feet were actually getting bruised. Even though every step hurt, he was determined to see his fitness transformation through. Nathan's original weight was roughly 395 pounds, in a 4XL shirt and size 52 jeans. While his fitness transformation is still ongoing, he's shown a remarkable fitness leap by slimming down to 265 pounds (over 100 lost!) into a 2XL shirt and size 36 jeans. The hardest part of the journey for Nathan was overcoming the mental battles. "At nearly 400 pounds, there was a lot of mental baggage to deal with," Nathan explained. When he first started, he had little faith that a new, skinny him was even possible. But he felt determined in the belief that he no longer wanted his weight to limit the things he could do in life. Reality hit when he couldn't fit in a rollercoaster ride. He also wanted to change the way people perceive him.

"I knew that I alone had the power to change this."

His fitness transformation began simply. He walked 5-6 days of the week for an hour a day. While he did drop some weight quickly on his own, he knew there was a long journey ahead, and that he needed accountability and advice to get there. He joined Premier Crossfit in Tyler, TX in October of 2013. For the first several months, he did CrossFit workouts 3 times a week and walked on the treadmill for an hour, 5-6 days a week. After a few months, he began doing CrossFit workouts 5-6 days a week, in addition to walking in the evenings. In order for him to get to CrossFit, he has a 30-45 minute drive one way. The long drive would have been an excuse for the old him not to do it, but when he remembers why he wants to lose weight, he is willing to do anything. For Nathan, the metabolic conditioning, strength building, and, of course, weight loss keeps CrossFit fun and enjoyable for him. He's constantly making new personal records (or PRs, in CrossFit lingo). When he first began, he couldn't do one sit-up. In a recent Workout of the Day (WOD), he was able to do 100! Nathan's diet mainly consists of high protein and low carbs, with a daily caloric intake between 1500 – 2000 calories. He's not diehard paleo, but about 80% of his meals are paleo, with a focus on chicken, salmon, vegetables, and eggs. If he needs some carbs for energy, he turns to yams, a healthier option. 6 Pack Bags came into Nathan's life one day as he was browsing a local supplement store. The Innovator 300 caught his eye, and he was instantly intrigued.

"I'm particular with the gadgets and bags I tote around with me, and I knew I was looking at a whole new level of awesome as soon as I laid eyes on the Innovator. Everything from the material, the black stealth-like design, the color, the size€¦ it's just perfect."

Nathan's Innovator has been a huge help throughout his fitness transformation. It has kept him on track with his meals when he's out running errands or running the roads on the weekends. His 6 Pack bag has allowed him to quickly bring pre-prepped meals everywhere he goes, keeping him on track with his meal plans and weight loss goals. It is human nature to be drawn to convenience, and before he discovered 6 Pack, it was tempting to just stop by a fast food chain. Now with 6 Pack, he acknowledges that he has no excuse to cheat. He would like to soon upgrade to either a sports bag or gym backpack soon so that he has even more room to carry around spare gym clothes and all the gear he needs. Nathan recognizes that when it comes to a fitness transformation, you are the variable. "Circumstances in life may have brought you to where you are now, but the second you realize and accept the fact that you are the only variable to change in your life, everything changes," Nathan said. It is this realization that allowed him to finally commit to a healthier life. Nathan also lives by the notion that there's no point in talking about getting fit. You just have to do it.

"Don't wait until Monday to start. I said that for so many years. There are 7 days in a week. Monday is only 15% of your week. 75% is passing grade. Why waste 75% of your week over one day? Turn those dreams into reality, and make every day and every meal count. Work hard, trust the process, and the results will come!"

Nathan's future goals include losing another 55 pounds in order to come in around 210 pounds of solid muscle. Now that his fitness transformation has come so far, he no longer wants to just lose weight. Now he wants to be an athlete, and we're excited to cheer him along on that journey! In the fall of 2015, he plans to compete in CrossFit competitions, as well as get his Level 1 CrossFit Certification in order to be able to train others.