My friend Dennis McGouirk and I met during an FLW competition on Lake Okeechobee a few years ago. I remember him joking about how his weight would hinder my boat’s ability to reach its maximum speeds. While we both laughed about it, my instincts told me that his weight was likely a burden to him physically, mentally and emotionally. Nevertheless, we both went on to catch plenty of bass that day and had a great time.
On January 5th, 2016, Dennis decided he was going to try to lose some weight and change his life. At that time, he was 346 lbs., wore size 46 pants and 4XL shirts. He struggled in the beginning but over time, he says it got easier. He tracked his calories using an app on his phone and exercised daily.
After losing a lot of weight, at a yearly physical with his doctor in May 2017, he weighed just 189 lbs! After losing so much weight, Dennis still had to deal with the problem of the stretched skin on his body that would never go back to its original shape. In August of 2017, he underwent abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) to tighten up the loose skin and is recovering nicely.
What makes this story so special to me is that Dennis chose not have gastric bypass or any other medical procedure to lose weight; he did it the old fashioned way: diet, exercise, and commitment. He sweated it out and ate right. In a time of quick fixes (that are usually temporary anyway) to big problems, he chose the path of discipline. He struggled every day and committed to a lifestyle change that will benefit him in more ways than even he might know.
Being lighter on his feet makes him able to stand and fish in a boat longer and will surely serve to make him a better competitor on the bass tournament scene. He was already a threat to the competition but now…look out y’all!
Dennis is now finished with his transformation. He weighs 176 lbs., wears a size 32 pants and med/large shirts. The problems he had with his knees are gone and his blood pressure is back to normal; these are significant improvements to his health. He encourages anyone that wishes to undergo such a dramatic transformation to never say or believe you can’t do it; you can…he’s living proof.
~ Capt. Randy Cnota