A morbidly obese recluse who once struggled to buckle a six-foot-long belt around his gigantic waist has shed almost 300lbs in just 15 months.
Logan Goodall, 38, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, developed serious health issues that threatened his life after his weight skyrocketed to 575lbs. The father-of-two’s weight made it difficult for him to walk, and he didn’t leave his home for two years because he was ashamed of his size.
‘I felt completely worthless. Everything I was trying I failed. I would start a diet and I would fail,’ he said. ‘At 575lbs, I hated myself so much that I thought I would be doing everyone a favor if I just died.
Then and wow: Logan Goodall, 38, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, went from 575lbs (L) to 287lbs (R) in just 15 months
New man: The father-of-two used struggle to buckle a six-foot-long belt around his waist
The former lumberyard worker said his weight began to spin out of control while he was struggling to cope with his divorce in 2010. His father’s death in 2012 also had a serious impact on his mental health and eating habits.
Logan, who is dad to Alexander, 13, and Allison, 10, would starve himself all day before chowing down on a mammoth feast of greasy takeout, which he washed down with several liters of soda
‘The weird thing was I wouldn’t eat all day long usually, until dinner time but in one sitting I could eat up to 6,000 calories,’ he explained. ‘The delivery guy knew me by name. I would order a large pizza, wings, pop, and a dessert too.
‘Every time I did it I would tell myself, “This is the last time,” and of course it wouldn’t be. I’d hate myself even more,’ he admitted.
Struggle: The father-of-two’s weight made it difficult for him to walk, and he didn’t leave his home for two years because he was ashamed of his size 7XL frame
Danger: Logan was rushed to the hospital with breathing issues in January 2017, and the health scare inspired him to lose weight
Logan was eventually forced to quit his job because his out-of-control weight gain made it impossible to carry out the demanding physical labor it required.
At his heaviest, Logan wore a 7XL and could no longer fit behind the wheel of his truck. He stopped leaving his house because he did not want to people to see how big he had become.
‘For two years I didn’t leave the house. I had become a complete recluse and my anxiety was really high. I just didn’t want anyone to see me,’ he said.
The dad’s moment of clarity came in January 2017 when he was rushed to hospital with breathing issues.
‘I was coming down the stairs and I couldn’t catch my breath,’ he recalled. ‘I had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital and it was so embarrassing. In the hospital, everything that could have been wrong with me was.’
Warning: Before he lost the weight, Logan’s oxygen levels were dangerously low, and he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, blood clots in his lungs and congestive heart failure
New man: When he was released from hospital, Logan embarked on a high-protein, low-carb diet, swapping pizzas for lean chicken and salads
Incredible: By following a healthy diet and swimming regularly, he shed 288lbs in 15 months
Logan’s oxygen levels were dangerously low, and he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, blood clots in his lungs and congestive heart failure. He also suffered from sleep apnea and deep vein thrombosis.
‘I was worried I wouldn’t see my kids grow up,’ he admitted, and the hospital stay inspired him to change his ways.
When he was released from hospital, Logan embarked on a high-protein, low-carb diet, swapping pizzas for lean chicken and salads. In just 15 months, he shed an incredible 288lbs.
‘It’s unreal to me that I’ve managed to achieve this,’ he said. ‘Diet was the main way I have lost weight, but I started swimming with my friend and that really took the pressure off my joints.’
Having fun: Logan said that swimming really took the pressure off of his joints
Success: The dad now weighs 287lbs and wears a size 2XL after shedding half his body weight
Happy family: ‘My kids are over the moon. They have their dad back after all these years,’ the dad said of his children Alexander, 13, and Allison, 10
Since taking control of his diet, the dad managed to reverse his Type 2 diabetes and his heart’s health has vastly improved.
The dad, who now weighs 287lbs and wears a size 2XL, said he finally has control of his life after years of being a prisoner to the pounds.
Logan plans to return to community college in the fall in hopes of rejoining the workforce, but he said his children’s happiness has been the most positive thing to come from his weight loss.
‘Changing my life was the only option for me. I didn’t have a choice if I wanted to see my kids grow up,’ he explained.
‘My kids are over the moon. They have their dad back after all these years.’