Hey, I go by Thumper in public, everyone knows me by that. I'm an old guy, 56, and you could say I've had had a rough life. Two wars (disabled since 2005), two divorces, growing up severely abused on a farm in the 70s and 80s, had ptsd since I was a kid. I am down 60lbs since June 2024, going slow trying to avoid a belly flap. I was 339 in May last year, this is the first time I've been under 300 since 2017. Being fat works wonders for keeping females away, but it fucks up your body. The belly should be gone around 250lbs, we'll see. I was 235 and active duty 2000-2005, so I am kinda muscular at 5'8" which is how I was able to be in the military. Normally my max weight would be 172lbs, I barely made that when wrestling in high school at 9% bodyfat. Benched 265 when I was 17.. farm life does that to ya. Its a lot higher now. Spent lots of time living in vehicles because of the divorces. Last divorce was 2013, done paying the first in 2015, and my life has improved every year since. Nearly everything from my life that I earned before 2015 is gone, just got to keep some old rusty cars and my tools. I cannot trust females anymore, and I don't date, but if a cute enough one is interested, I might break off a piece. Bought my 13 acres by Lake Superior in '13 and closed on it two weeks after the divorce was final, before my credit took a huge hit. Paid the land and building loan off in 2021. I knew what was coming when they put the potato in office, I'd seen it with Carter, Clinton, and Obama already, so I did what I had to and got debt free. Having a 10 year note made it easy, I was only 2 years from paying off the building loan, and mortgage. Now I spend my time building the cars, making silly videos, going dragracing, and doing work around my property. Need to crank up the sawmill and make some lumber, then kill some more trees so I can build another shed. I build everything, despite the chronic pain and limited mobility, I make it happen or nothing gets done. Nobody is coming to help or save me, which has been the story of my entire life.

@Jonah Burns its impossible for me to feel shame, not entirely sure why, might be the PTSD, or the two diagnoses as a sociopath, the abuse growing up, or just the dominant personality I have always had. Probably all of it. I have a channel on YT where I do the car thing, right now its mainly shorts while I build cars and get video for longer content. Doing a car channel is more work than talking like Bo does, you have to work on the vehicle, video it, do voice over, think of a story to go with it, edit it, and make it interesting. Its rare anyone makes money doing car content, because it costs something to work on cars. If I could turn it into a huge channel, then great, but I don't want to be dependent on youtube either. I got 90% service connected and IU, so I am not allowed to have any other income than the VA. The VA checked me after I got out in 05 and found a HUGE list of things wrong with me, service connected, but most of it they deemed minor so 10% to 20%. The issues I had on active duty were well documented, both mental and physical, and it stretched back to the 80s. Fighting with the VA doesn't make much sense, who knows what they will consider something. Currently I am fighting with them over the meds that allow me to walk. I am not on any opioids or pain killers, just anti inflammatory stuff used for arthritis, and they keep trying to pull it. I had to fire Dr number 12 because she was just yanking me off meds, pushing the covid shot, and trying to get me on ozempic and other bullshit. Got a Filipina who seems to know what she is doing, but the VA keeps cancelling my Rx. I might need to get a congressman on it. Tired of this shit.

I've been living with crushed meniscus in both knees and hips for 20 years. Inflammation is the bane of my existence. Glucosamine chondroitin lets me walk. Minimal sure in my diet, helps a lot too. No alcohol or smoking, not that I enjoyed either of them. Walking my dog around the 300ft circular driveway for 5 to 10 laps a day helps a lot. Just getting moving. I drink lots of water, sometimes I carbonate it for a change of pace. No coffee or caffeine if I can help it, but caffeine helps me focus on things. Coffee tore me up, inflamed my gut and joints. I'm 56 and was essentially a power lifter, moving cargo in the USAF made me huge at 21, then wore out my body when I was 35. Pain is part of my life, so anything I can do to minimize or alleviate it is a good thing. My physiology and metabolism are probably very different from yours, but clean living, consistent light exercise, and plenty of water helps.