"I never thought I would lose weight from 135kg to 90kg," says Petr Bednarz

Author Petr Bednarz

When I was approached by bodybuilding.com to write my story, I was hesitant, but at the same time I have to say that I was pleased in the end. In the past, I didn't really believe in these transformations myself, that it can be done the "natural" way, but after years I convinced myself that it is possible.

How it all started

I was never thin, I was always overweight, which increased over the years. I also never had a relationship with sport, I was never attracted to it, I didn't enjoy it, I was comfortable, even lazy to do anything. I also never cared for a healthy lifestyle, healthy foods - I was more likely to seek out the unhealthy ones, just the "tastier" ones. I didn't overeat during the day, classic - breakfast - lunch - dinner, but after dinner came the biggest cravings for everything possible, even impossible. All this got me up to 135 kg of live weight.

I wasn't deterred by two raised fingers. The first one was in 2007, when at the age of twenty-nine I underwent a very difficult nine-hour lumbar spine surgery (stabilization with four screws of the L4 and L5 vertebrae) with an uncertain prognosis. It was a very challenging period, both mentally and especially physically, as after the surgery I had to relearn everything from scratch, getting out of bed, walking, dressing, performing basic hygiene needs and just everything else that we find perfectly normal. The doctors found out that I had a degenerative spine disease when I was a teenager.

There were multiple damaged vertebrae, so I was told very strongly that I needed to lose weight and start exercising. Yes, I practiced basic physio exercises at home for 5 months after the surgery, during which time it took my full recovery and involvement in normal life. Of course it didn't take too long, I recovered and got back into my routine. The other raised finger was from the edge of 2020, when the doctors found small gall bladder stones and I was again advised that I should lose weight and start a healthier lifestyle. Even that didn't deter me...

I was not discouraged by the blatant health problems

It all came to a head in October 2021 when I suffered a very severe gallbladder attack. I was given antibiotics and I thought that everything would be solved, that gallstones are common and can be lived with. But I was very wrong. The doctors' verdict was that I was in direct danger of my life, that my condition was very serious, even critical, because I had also got a very massive inflammation of the liver and pancreas. It was not good at all and I had to go immediately to the operating room without blinking an eye. I didn't understand and just told the doctor in shock that I had to go to work after all - he just said "go, but there is a risk that it will burst and you will die". And I will never forget this.

Everything went well despite other unpleasant complications, fortunately they were able to reduce the inflammation, the gallbladder was removed and as a souvenir I received 7 gallbladder stones in a jar from the head of the clinic, measuring 1.5 x 1.5 cm. I was told that I had literally escaped the undertaker's shovel, that he had never seen anything like it in 30 years of practice and that 95% of patients die from such sudden massive inflammation of the entire abdominal cavity. It was only here that I really began to realise how far I had let it go and that it could have turned out completely differently, simply fatal despite the fact that I had completely ignored the health problems that had been going on since August. It was the biggest slap in the face I've ever received in my life.

After the operation I had to follow a strict gallbladder diet, of course, there was really no choice. Stewed, boiled and simply healthier foods. The weight went down immediately and quite quickly. In 4 months it was down to 15 kg. During this period, when everybody told me that the yo-yo effect would come anyway, I started to like the healthier foods and, on the contrary, the unhealthy ones made me sick. And it wasn't a miracle diet again, I just skipped sweet, fatty and greasy foods, I eat 5 times a day and the feeling in the evening to eat everything that comes under my hand is also gone. Coincidentally, I went to the doctor for my regular one year check up with my spine and was told that the weight was coming off too much and that my spine couldn't take it. That I needed to start exercising, immediately, and strengthen my back muscles in particular.

Well, start exercising when you've done nothing for over 40 years, no movement, no exercise. So I decided to find a personal trainer to guide me. And here was another stumbling block. Yes, I had been going to physiotherapy, rehab, etc. for years, but I figured it needed something more drastic, even though a lot of people discouraged me from my idea. I approached several fitness trainers, outlining my limitations, but to no avail. I was still nearly 120kg and was told "lose some weight first and then come back" or "bring a note from the doctors that you can exercise with that spine". I was once again stumped, demotivated and feeling like giving up on it all.

Choosing a coach or a great step towards my transformation

I was following a lot of trainers on social media and one day I discovered a video of a Karviná fitness trainer Nicolas Neumann working out with a young handicapped boy in a story. I thought to myself, this could be a path for me too. And it did. I immediately wrote to Nicolas with great determination, explained my situation and hoped he would not reject me. On June 1, 2022 I went to the Karviná Fitness Ring for the first time to meet Nicolas (by the way, last year's winner of two gold medals in bodybuilding in the Men's physique category at the EVLS Prague Amateur and Musclecontest Austria).

I was very nervous how I would be looked at not only by him, but also by other people, overweight, spine problems, zero relation to sport etc. But I was very pleasantly surprised by Nicolas's very professional approach, he questioned me first what my limitations were, what I wanted to achieve, he didn't treat me like I was an outsider and he made a gentle training plan taking into account my spine. Even the feeling that I would be looked at as an exotic by the other visitors to the fitness center was gone very quickly.

After the first workout, I knew that this was indeed the way to go and I felt very comfortable. At first I went to work out 1x a week, then 2x, 3x and now I go regularly 4x a week. Nicolas and I have strengthened my back muscles beautifully, fine-tuned my diet, and in a year and a half of working together have taken almost another 30kg off me.

I've never felt so great in my life, especially physically, when all the back pain I suffered from regularly in the past has subsided. In fact, when I started to see some muscles on myself for the first time in my life, that was also quite motivating. Our biggest reward, however, came this summer when I had my regular spinal check-up again. The doctor literally couldn't believe his eyes, on the one hand he didn't recognize me but he was very complimentary of my change, especially regarding my spine.

He was thrilled, examined me, took a follow-up X-ray and praised me that everything was absolutely fine, more than ever before and that if I continued like this, I would not even have to go for regular annual check-ups anymore. And I'm extremely grateful for that. Both to Nicolas and to myself. Of course, I'm not resting on my laurels and we're moving on and I'm curious to see where my journey will lead next, because I really can't imagine it anymore without the gym.

That's not the end of it, and I'm moving on

This story isn't about moaning, but I just wanted to point out where it can all lead. The sad thing is that if I hadn't been faced with these health issues, I probably would never have taken the plunge myself because I kept justifying it to myself that I was happy, that it was actually fine this way. But going from a 3XL to an M is much better. But mostly it makes you feel much better and good overall, just comfortable.

It's not easy to start with such a transformation and I want to point out from my experience that it's not easy to find the right coach, who will not look at you as a lesser person and will try to really help you, support, motivate, motivate and even the kind, friendly approach is very important. I was lucky enough to have that and I wish it to everyone who decides to do this... The support of close surroundings, family, friends, co-workers is also very important and I thank them very much. If this story of mine, not exactly exemplary, motivates or kicks at least one person, then it made a huge sense to write it down and share it.

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