Doug Wespiser is a Farrell’s member at Farrell’s White Bear, Minnesota. Doug’s story is truly one of hard work and dedication. Keep reading to hear, in Doug’s words, how he became the father, husband, and man he always wanted to be!
Chapter 41: How Did I Get Here?
Growing up, I was full of ambitions and dreams. “Who do I want to be? What do I want to do when I grow up?” As a husky boy in my teens, I planned to be an avid hunter, camper, and fisherman, exploring remote locations and surviving off the land. Today, at 41 years of age and nearly 300 pounds, I think to myself, “How did I get here? How could I be so far away from what I had envisioned for myself?”
From a young age, I knew I wanted kids. I wanted to share with them the many experiences that I had with my dad growing up. But in 2017, I realized I was failing them. I was too tired to do anything except sit on the couch and watch them play. I wasn’t living up to the idealizations they had for me.
The real wake-up call came during a trip to the Mall of America’s Nickelodeon Universe. Instead of creating memories of the cool dad who did everything with his kids, I was too large to ride the rides. Even with the help of the attendants, I still could not close the shoulder restraints and was forced to exit the ride. To add salt to the wound, I came home to a letter from our insurance company declining my application for life insurance due to my health status. I realized at 41 years old; I was dragging my family down from our potential best life. I was ready to have the life I’d always dreamed of. This chapter of my life needed to end so that I could write my new life story the way I wanted.
Ready For Change
I had been a yo-yo dieter throughout my life. Before I met my wife, I lost 112 pounds with fad diets and a haphazard fitness routine. Then, significant life changes caused me to lose focus on myself. Two kids and 15 years later, my weight had crept back up to 291 pounds. I had nobody to blame but myself for my poor health conditions. When I started to come to terms with the fact that I needed to do something, my wife supported and encouraged me. On my way to work – s right after New Years 2018 – I stopped by Farrell's to learn a little more about the program. It sounded great. I’m an all-or-nothing type of person, so I joined the 10-Week Challenge that same afternoon.
Monday morning on January 8, I started my Farrell’s journey. I met my fellow class time members and my incredibly encouraging and inspirational Farrell’s coaches, Katie, Angelique, and Troy. I felt more motivated than ever. I knew I had a lot of work to do, but I was excited to become the best version of myself for my family.
During Monday’s workout, I partnered up with my coach, Troy. I was asking myself, “How am I going to do this and not affect my partner's ability to get a good workout?” But I decided to buckle-up and try to keep up. Troy was awesome! He, Katie, and Angelique were right there alongside me, guiding me through the workout and exercises with proper form. Their constant encouragement and fist bumps kept me going! By week five, I had improved a ton. My results were crazy, and the weight was melting away! I was mentally constrained by what the scale said, but my coaches and my wife helped keep my mind right. Holistically, I was improving every day.
Some mornings I was a little slower than others, and often times my muscles were sore (especially after lower body day!), but this was way better than the routine I was stuck in before my Farrell’s journey began. My new routine – going to the gym, powering through class, getting an awesome workout, and feeling amazing afterwards – was a major improvement. And this was all before I got to work!
I started to realize, “Maybe I can be competitive in my 10-Week Challenge!” As I approached the end of the ten weeks, I felt great. My circle of support – coaches, Spanky, Colleen, Heidi, Jodi, Jean, to name a few – were sure I would win. At final testing, I did not lose as much as I had hoped, but my results were great. I ended up taking second place by a tiny margin!
My Mission To Become My Best Self
After I completed the 10-Week Challenge, I needed to figure out my next step: The $10,000 National Challenge! It provided me with the motivation I needed to keep going. I have been grinding for 14 months to further my mission to be a better dad and husband. I’m in better shape than I ever have been. I’m wearing clothes in sizes from my early youth years! I understand what a healthy lifestyle is. I understand nutrition. I can enjoy food as much as before, without sacrificing my weight and my health.
The Farrell’s White Bear family has enabled me to be the dad and husband for my wife and kids that they deserve, and that I have always wanted to be. I am the quiet guy in the corner that has become a member of this family over this last year.
As I complete my National Challenge, I reflect on how my life has changed in the last year. This is my new lifestyle, and I love it. I will teach my boys my passions, and together we will hike, fish, hunt, camp, ski, and travel to remote locations. I will not be that dad that can’t go with his son on a trip because he can't meet the physical requirements. I will be there! I will be there for my kids, for my wife and for ME!
