I Lost Weight: Jarvis Googoo Fell In Love With Group Fitness And Lost 81 Pounds

Got a success story of your own? Send it to us at success.stories@huffingtonpost.com and you could be featured on the site!

Name: Jarvis Googoo
Age: 32
Height: 6'2"
Before Weight: 260 pounds

How I Gained It: While I?ve been an on-again off-again weight-lifter and runner since junior high, my eating habits were not the best, which usually kept my weight up regardless of how much I exercised. However, my weight shot up to 260 pounds in my second year of law school. My best friend from back home committed suicide, and this sent me into a depression. I hardly exercised and ate a lot of unhealthy foods (often deep fried, sweets and soda) to cope. Soon, my regular-sized clothes were no longer fitting properly and my studies were difficult to keep up with.

Breaking Point: After attending counseling to help deal with the depression, I began to feel a bit better emotionally. But when looking in the mirror one day, I realized that I allowed my health to slip away by gaining so much weight. I knew that I had to get back on the fitness wagon and stay with it no matter what.

How I Lost It: I joined a gym in order to get back into exercising and also started eating healthy again. I cut out a lot of sugar, virtually stopped drinking soda and hardly ordered out anymore. Instead of three large meals a day, I started having several smaller meals and snacks throughout the day. I began eating more fruit and vegetables and drank lots of water.

I also began to calculate calories in and calories out. Knowing that a pound was roughly 3,500 calories, I would count how many I was burning on the cardio machines, along with how many I would eat during the day. I started to make good progress with the treadmills and step climbers and weight lifting. Soon I was feeling better, more active and able to get back into some recreational sports. My clothes even started to get a bit too big for me. However, I eventually plateaued. I became bored with what I was doing. I needed something different. Then I finally took notice of the exercise classes at my gym.

I tried BODYPUMP, and quickly became a regular and then a hardcore participant, going to as many classes as I was able to all over the city. Then I started going to BODYCOMBAT and other classes, but it was BODYATTACK that was my favorite. I broke out of my plateau (as an average class burns more than 700 calories) and climbed, and continue to climb, a new mountain of healthy living and fitness. My instructors were motivating, encouraging and a lot of fun. Classes became a passion and a part of my life. Then one day I saw auditions for potential instructors. Given my acting background, zeal for classes, abundance of energy and desire to help others achieve their fitness goals and healthy lifestyles, I auditioned. After a weekend of training that was the most physically and mentally demanding experience in my life, nearly three months of practice and filming, and then submitting my video, I became a BODYATTACK instructor in fall 2011.

I thought that being a participant in a great class was one the best feelings ever, but being an instructor takes it to an incredible new level. I?m absolutely in love with what I do.

After Weight: 179 pounds

The Huffington Post publishes photographs as they are submitted to us by our readers.

Check out more of our inspiring weight loss stories below:

• Tricia BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/04/i-lost-weight-tricia-baker_n_2567788.html">Read Tricia's story here.</a>

• Tricia AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/04/i-lost-weight-tricia-baker_n_2567788.html">Read Tricia's story here.</a>

• Zachary BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/i-lost-weight-zachary_n_2582585.html">Read Zachary's story here.</a>

• Zachary AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/i-lost-weight-zachary_n_2582585.html">Read Zachary's story here.</a>

• Jessica BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/06/i-lost-weight-jessica-pancheri_n_2583074.html">Read Jessica's story here.</a>

• Jessica AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/06/i-lost-weight-jessica-pancheri_n_2583074.html">Read Jessica's story here.</a>

• Ana BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/01/i-lost-weight-ana-guerrero_n_2568918.html">Read Ana's story here.</a>

• Ana AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/01/i-lost-weight-ana-guerrero_n_2568918.html">Read Ana's story here.</a>

• Cristina BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/28/i-lost-weight-cristina-hanganu-bresch_n_2488557.html">Read Cristina's story here.</a>

• Cristina AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/28/i-lost-weight-cristina-hanganu-bresch_n_2488557.html">Read Cristina's story here.</a>

• Sara BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/25/i-lost-weight-sara-bown_n_2488390.html">Read Sara's story here.</a>

• Sara AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/25/i-lost-weight-sara-bown_n_2488390.html">Read Sara's story here.</a>

• Katie BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/23/i-lost-weight-katie-regan_n_2488078.html">Read Katie's story here.</a>

• Katie AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/23/i-lost-weight-katie-regan_n_2488078.html">Read Katie's story here.</a>

• Jen BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/i-lost-weight-jen-hamel_n_2526563.html">Read Jen's story here.</a>

• Jen AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/i-lost-weight-jen-hamel_n_2526563.html">Read Jen's story here.</a>

• Dannii BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/i-lost-weight-dannii-martin_n_2459151.html">Read Dannii's story here.</a>

• Dannii AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/i-lost-weight-dannii-martin_n_2459151.html">Read Dannii's story here.</a>

• Mindy BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/i-lost-weight-mindy-witthoft_n_2472801.html">Read Mindy's story here.</a>

• Mindy AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/i-lost-weight-mindy-witthoft_n_2472801.html">Read Mindy's story here.</a>

• Claire BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/16/i-lost-weight-claire-alsop_n_2426238.html">Read Claire's story here.</a>

• Claire AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/16/i-lost-weight-claire-alsop_n_2426238.html">Read Claire's story here.</a>

• Shawn BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/07/i-lost-weight-shawn-tyler-weeks_n_2426021.html">Read Shawn's story here.</a>

• Shawn AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/07/i-lost-weight-shawn-tyler-weeks_n_2426021.html">Read Shawn's story here.</a>

• Lori BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/14/i-lost-weight-lori-yates_n_2426142.html">Read Lori's story here.</a>

• Lori AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/14/i-lost-weight-lori-yates_n_2426142.html">Read Lori's story here.</a>

• Olivia BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/07/i-lost-weight-biggest-loser-olivia-ward_n_2288394.html">Read Olivia's story here.</a>

• Olivia AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/07/i-lost-weight-biggest-loser-olivia-ward_n_2288394.html">Read Olivia's story here.</a>

• Danny BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/i-lost-weight-danny-ninkovic_n_2377025.html">Read Danny's story here.</a>

• Danny AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/i-lost-weight-danny-ninkovic_n_2377025.html">Read Danny's story here.</a>

• Hannah BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/07/i-lost-weight-hannah-curlee-biggest-loser_n_2288418.html">Read Hannah's story here.</a>

• Hannah AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/07/i-lost-weight-hannah-curlee-biggest-loser_n_2288418.html">Read Hannah's story here.</a>

• Janaye BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/31/i-lost-weight-janaye-murphy_n_2366430.html">Read Janaye's story here.</a>

• Janaye AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/31/i-lost-weight-janaye-murphy_n_2366430.html">Read Janaye's story here.</a>

• Michelle BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/18/i-lost-weight-michelle-howard_n_2325046.html">Read Michelle's story here.</a>

• Michelle AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/18/i-lost-weight-michelle-howard_n_2325046.html">Read Michelle's story here.</a>

• Laurie BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/28/i-lost-weight-laurie-swanson_n_2324758.html">Read Laurie's story here.</a>

• Laurie AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/28/i-lost-weight-laurie-swanson_n_2324758.html">Read Laurie's story here.</a>

• Melissa BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/10/i-lost-weight-melissa-dunn_n_2271495.html">Read Melissa's story here.</a>

• Melissa AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/10/i-lost-weight-melissa-dunn_n_2271495.html">Read Melissa's story here.</a>

• Scott BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/13/i-lost-weight-scott-herrem_n_2293774.html">Read Scott's story here.</a>

• Scott AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/13/i-lost-weight-scott-herrem_n_2293774.html">Read Scott's story here.</a>

• Betty Lou BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/i-lost-weight-betty-lou-sweeney_n_2316038.html">Read Betty Lou's story here.</a>

• Betty Lou AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/i-lost-weight-betty-lou-sweeney_n_2316038.html">Read Betty Lou's story here.</a>

• Eli BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/26/i-lost-weight-eli-sapharti_n_2288221.html">Read Eli's story here.</a>

• Eli AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/26/i-lost-weight-eli-sapharti_n_2288221.html">Read Eli's story here.</a>

• Brian BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/24/i-lost-weight-brian-dillahunt_n_2316470.html">Read Brian's story here.</a>

• Brian AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/24/i-lost-weight-brian-dillahunt_n_2316470.html">Read Brian's story here.</a>

• Ella BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/12/i-lost-weight-ella-ricker_n_2286698.html">Read Ella's story here.</a>

• Ella AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/12/i-lost-weight-ella-ricker_n_2286698.html">Read Ella's story here.</a>

• Matthew BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/28/i-lost-weight-matthew-briggs_n_2204748.html">Read Matthew's story here.</a>

For more on weight loss, click here.

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/13/i-lost-weight-jarvis-googoo_n_2625688.html

the raven the raven zerg rush david wilson playstation all stars battle royale kim zolciak kim zolciak