A high school band director has revealed how he lost 230 pounds and reversed his prediabetes by changing his diet and going for a walk.
Tom Finigan, 58, of Walterboro, South Carolina, once weighed 410 pounds and was struggling to keep up with the Colleton County High School band, so he decided to make a change.
The high school band teacher loved his job, but feared he would have to retire sooner rather than later due to his weight, which he believed was holding him back.
Tom Finigan, 58, of South Carolina revealed how he went from 410 pounds to 180 pounds simply by changing his diet and walking every day (pictured left before weight loss and right after).
The high school band director (pictured post-weight loss) loved his job but feared he would have to retire soon because his weight was holding him back, so he decided to shed the weight
Six years ago, Finigan lost 100 pounds (before the weight loss), but during the pandemic he was gaining weight and feeling “miserable,” so he made a change (pictured right after the weight loss).
Six years ago, the father-of-two lost 100 pounds, but when COVID-19 struck, his weight went back up to 372 pounds and he became “miserable,” impacting both his personal life and his classes.
And because there was a heart condition in his family, Finigan resigned himself to believing that at any moment he was going to have a stroke or heart attack.
Despite those around him telling him he would “feel better” if he lost the weight, he refused to believe them and forced himself into a state of “denial.”
During the school’s parade, Finigan had to “ride in a golf cart” while the kids marched and felt “guilty” watching them run while struggling to keep up.
The 58-year-old knew he had to make a change and said: “I realized I had to be a better man, a better teacher, a better band director and a better role model.”
He started walking around his neighborhood between classes and changed his diet, which he says was one of the biggest factors in helping him lose weight.
He now weighs 180 pounds total — the lowest since middle school.
Despite those around him telling him he would “feel better” if he lost weight, he refused to believe them and forced himself into a state of “denial” (pictured before weight loss).
With heart disease running in his family, Finigan (before losing weight) resigned himself to believing that at any moment he was going to have a stroke or heart attack
Finigan (pictured post-weight loss) knew he needed a change when he had to ride in a golf cart to keep up with his students during a parade
Finigan no longer scared of retirement, says he can ‘teach another five to 10 years’
He added that his life is very different now, his mood has improved and he “loves life”.
After his weight loss, the high school band teacher went from a 6XL to a large, his waist went from a 64 to a 36, and he’s able to buy clothes he’s never been able to wear before.
In addition to a new wardrobe, Finigan said he’s happier while teaching, has more energy, sleeps more soundly, and is no longer pre-diabetic.
Before his weight loss, the 58-year-old never thought about what he ate and viewed food as “comfort”.
He added that each day he consumed two plates of food, a whole box of Oreos, a gallon of milk, and a whole box of chicken from fast-food chain Bojangles.
How Finigan’s Diet Changed His Diet To Lose 230 Pounds
FINIGAN’S DIET BEFORE WEIGHT LOSS
Breakfast: Oreos and a gallon of milk
Lunch: Two plates full of food
Dinner: A whole box of chickens from Bojangles fast food chain
FINIGANS DIET AFTER WEIGHT LOSS
Breakfast: An apple and an Atkins shake
Lunch: Salad with sugar-free dressing
Dinner: Air fry chicken, salmon or steak, seasoned with low-calorie flavors like pepper and garlic
To shed the weight, Finigan changed his diet, which he now describes as “boring,” adding that he’s sticking to the same thing because he knows “it works.”
On a typical day, the 58-year-old starts his day with an apple and an Atkins shake, lunch is a salad with sugar-free dressing, and dinner is chicken, salmon or steak, which he cooks in the air fryer with low-calorie flavors like pepper and garlic .
He also said he makes sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and stays away from bread.
The 58-year-old also tracks his calories with his Fitbit and sticks to 1,600 calories a day.
He added, “I approach it as a musician – as a trombonist and band director, you have to practice every day if you want to get better.”
Despite his strict diet, Finigan said, “I don’t feel bad if I have a cheat day — I might opt for chicken wings or an ice cream cone. But I always have in the back of my mind that I’ve lost that weight and I don’t want to gain it again.
Before his weight loss (left) Finigan never thought about what he ate and considered food a “comfort”, after his weight loss (right) he stuck to a strict diet and tracked his calories
To shed the weight, Finigan changed his diet, which he now describes as “boring,” adding that he’s sticking to the same thing because he knows “it works.”
Finigan sticks to his diet every day, making sure he walks between 30 and 45 minutes a day, and weighs 180 pounds — his lowest weight since middle school
As for training, Finigan started walking for only 15 minutes until he could run for 30 or 45 minutes.
Walking has become a part of the high school teacher’s everyday life, who said, “If I don’t walk, I feel like I haven’t started my day. I also like to end the day with a walk.”
Finigan added, “It’s easy to find excuses and say, ‘It’s too hot’ or ‘I’m tired.’ But you have to work for yourself for 30 minutes or an hour. There is no magic pill. It’s consistent and persistent.’
Approaching his weight loss as a magician, the high school band teacher knew if he wanted to improve his health, he needed to exercise every day.
Before his weight loss, Finigan was “jealous” of those who were fit, but he said as he committed to his routine he started seeing results, adding that the key to his weight loss has been consistency and persistence.