Program shaves off pounds
Program shaves off pounds
By MIRIAM MOELLER
MARQUETTE — Joe Burdick’s motivation to start losing weight came when he saw his life insurance rates.
• Joe Burdick, 33, manager of Mathews Floor Fashions
• Starting weight on May 6: 244 pounds
• Current weight: 232 pounds
• Goal: 200 pounds
• Height: 5’10”
His payments had drastically increased after gaining 40 pounds over several years, which put him into a high health risk category. His goal for lower rates is to get his weight down to 210 pounds. Now, nearly two months into his weight loss program, Burdick is getting closer to his goal.
His goal of 200 pounds is a healthy weight for him, according to Justin Niemi of Marquette General Hospital Sports Rehab.
Burdick’s said his weight gain has its roots in his childhood. His mother was a wonderful cook and baker, and Burdick loved her food. In high school he played football, but said he felt he was always a little heavier than other kids.
In college, he liked to party and socialize, which he says contributed a great deal to his weight gain. In fact, Burdick said the hardest thing so far in his weight loss journey was giving up “good, heavy, dark, rich beer.”
When he got married, he exchanged his bachelor lifestyle with that of a businessman, working late hours, snacking and socializing at long business meetings.
When his friends were joking that he’ll die young because of his lifestyle and when his wife asked him whether he wanted to see his daughter grow up, it hit him that he needed to do something immediately. And he did. Now Burdick said he feels good, his wife and mother are happy, and he even had to buy a new belt because he lost four inches on his waist.
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