From Hospital Bed and Obesity to Stage-Ready

Then came another villain. I found out I was pretty brave when I used alcohol. Who knew I could dance and talk to girls; so I drank and drank and added substance abuse to keep that drinking train going full speed ahead.

I allowed myself to creep up n down till the yoyo stopped at a staggering 297lbs naked as a Jay Bird…

I hired a coach and lost about 80lbs and maintained that for years then I started having major health issues. I could not eat good healthy food without throwing up. 10ish years I would throw up 50-75 times a day. I developed acute pancreatitis and found myself in the emergency room many times. My teeth were decaying from all the acid. I had frequent headaches and I was living in misery.

I was that angry fat guy making my family miserable at Disney land the happiest place on earth except for us guys with aching knees, ankles and sweating like hogs going to slaughter.

I had deep dark thoughts and Satan was making his way into my life. I strained my marriage and my kids still to this day are angry with me. I was and still am to a degree a control freak and I was extremely demanding…

This lasted over a decade, then through a funeral I met Micah and Diana owners of HITCH FIT. I was desperate so I literally ambushed them in a hallway and started the questions. Before long I started to finally hear the answers but I wasn’t ready yet to commit to Micah’s requirements which at least the big one was, “Rob, are you ready to give this everything you got?”

Rob and Coach Micah LaCerte – After Rob’s First Bodybuilding Show at Age 65

I had to take months to decide, and it happened at an event where I find big discoveries happen at retreats and events. Micah’s story forced me to action. I committed to do everything and MORE, than he required. I also attended multiple SoulFit Retreats where I found a great community to lift me up! 

Subsequently, I had a surgery to fix the problem with my digestive system that had been misdiagnosed for years. The surgery was extremely difficult, almost dying on the table as a 1 hr surgery turned into a 8.5 hr death defying event.

I was in a hospital bed for 4 months and had wires, hoses and who knows what coming in and out of my body. I could not have a drop of water in my mouth for those 4 months and I was fed through a pick line. I was so drugged up I was an absentee owner of my business which slapped a huge burden on my partner and even bigger burden to my earth angle Kimberly who was tasked with a lot of nursing duties.

Massive Belly Fat Loss and Muscle Gain Over 60 – Hitch Fit Transformation

I could not walk but a few steps. I had two bouts with suspected prostate cancer and had surgery on that as soon as the healing was far enough along for my intestines not to be aggravated. From there I had the privilege of a catheter for months and carried a pee bag with me. Fun times.

It was then I made some very hard choices and I had to ask God if I had any reason to fight this battle. The answer was clear and without doubt Heavenly Father told me my work had only just began and my pain would very soon have a clear and concise purpose. Later, we found that ‘I was built for more’, much much more but the first duty was to love myself in a way that transcended temporal life and it’s measures, and then to project that far and wide reaching everyone God places in my path. I was built for more and a piece of that more is to help as many people grow and find peace as possible.

Over 60 Body Transformation – Back Fat Loss and Muscle Definition with Hitch Fit

So, it started with a huge decision then a discipline level I had not reached since D1 wrestling.

I hired Micah and committed to do everything he instructed me to do. It was not easy and each step was hard. I could not eat all the food yet with my stomach having shank so much. I could not walk but maybe 100 yards. I could not do pushups from my knees even, being so weak. I had 11” arms to pair with no chest and a 50” waist if I was sucking it in. My Body Fat was trying to reach 50% and I had all the issues that obese people have including getting very close to onset diabetes.

My first win was when I stopped eating or using rather, sugar. I am addicted to sweat and savory.

So day to day I would do the program and eat properly. Water was hard and I’m still riding that struggle bus but once again; I cleared enough wreckage to make room for that commitment so I will be drinking a gallon of water a day…

Hitch Fit Couple Wins Remarkable Journey Award for Inspiring Transformation

I had lost a bit of weight after surgery, but I was super heavy still and super weak and flabby. I pushed past broken ribs (2 times) a week of pancreatitis; a tear in a knee and still today I have a fracture in my left foot and 3 torn ligaments in my shoulder and bicep, the catheter and tubes were now completely
Gone after the prostate surgery, then I had oral surgery to repair the teeth that were damaged. Whew, it seemed like a lot and looking back there is no way without God turning my pain to purpose and the support of my dear wife and Micah and Diana of Hitch Fit and so many others like my business partner Ricky, I could have done this alone. I got down to about 13% body fat and weighed 149.8. I hadn’t seen the 140’s since college wrestling in the late 70’s.