Blog Authors

When You Meet Another with CHD, Part 1

by Jared Gould on Sunday, Feb 07, 2021

Hi, my name is Jared Gould. Living with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, I enjoy opportunities to share information about my experiences with patients across the country. I started blogging for ACHA in July 2019 and since have met incredible people living with CHD. My blog series Pedaling the Pounds Off ended in early 2020, but I am now partnering with Jennifer Rogers, another ACHA blogger and friend, to write about issues facing CHD patients.

Jennifer was born with tetralogy of Fallot. We met virtually in October 2020 when out of nowhere I received a message from her on Instagram asking if we can connect. During our discussion, we discovered that we shared common views and experiences growing up with a heart condition. We even shared similar views on what it meant to be writing for ACHA and how we both questioned if we were the correct people to be sharing our stories.

Pedaling the Pounds Off: Today and the Future

by Jared Gould on Thursday, Aug 27, 2020

In my last blog, Back in Mississippi, Part 2, I discussed how surrounding myself with highly motivated, hardworking people altered my weight loss journey. Through them, I learned that dedication to a routine was necessary to lose weight. And, as with all lessons I learned in my weight loss journey, I practiced keeping a strict routine during my senior year of college.

Pedaling the Pounds Off: Back in Mississippi, Part 2

by Jared Gould on Thursday, Jun 11, 2020

In Part 1, I discussed that losing weight instilled in me a sense of confidence that altered my body image, giving me the courage to lead an organization at the University of Southern Mississippi. At the end, I hinted that living out my goals was not yet over, but that I was also met with new challenges.

In May 2018, I would intern in Jackson, Mississippi, for Governor Phil Bryant. The challenge came a few weeks before moving to Jackson. My brother was seeking to get out of the house and asked me if he could use my bike. I said, “yes!” But, 25 minutes later I received a call from him asking me to pick him up.

Pedaling the Pounds Off: Back in Mississippi, Part 1

by Jared Gould on Tuesday, Apr 21, 2020

In my previous blog, Walk it Off, I wrote about my summer in Washington, D.C. After three months in D.C., I finally broke 240 pounds and when I returned to Mississippi in August to begin junior year, I was 230 pounds. I also discussed that by walking every day, I learned that exercise can be fun. Riding a bike, in fact, is not just a mechanism to lose weight. It is an adventure, a way to explore the environment and, as I will discuss in a future post, a great way to spend time with friends. On the day I returned to Mississippi, I hopped on the bike and took a long ride through my suburb, taking in my surroundings, looking at scenery, and even took a 30-minute break at the community lake.

Why Walk for 1 in 100 with ACHA in 2020?

by Jared Gould on Tuesday, Mar 03, 2020

In my last post in the series Pedaling the Pounds Off, I discussed how I managed to lose weight in Washington, D.C. through walking.

After successfully losing weight by biking, I worried that living in D.C. without my bike would make losing weight more difficult. I could diet in D.C., but it seemed walking would burn fewer calories than cycling.

Pedaling the Pounds Off: Walk it Off

by Jared Gould on Thursday, Feb 27, 2020

In the last segment of this series, It Takes a Long Time, I discussed that losing weight is not an overnight venture. Instead, it takes a long time to lose even the smallest amount of weight.

My experience is a perfect example: Though I was dieting and exercising consistently from the beginning of my second semester of freshman year through the end of my sophomore year of college, I could not break 240 pounds. As I approached summer vacation leading into junior year, I reflected on the progress I made the previous summer. If I dedicated all of my time to exercise and dieting and made tremendous progress during the previous summer, then there should be no reason to not break 240 pounds in the summer leading to junior year. But wow, was I wrong!

Pedaling the Pounds Off: It Takes a Long Time

by Jared Gould on Monday, Jan 27, 2020

In my second post, I discussed what I called “The Learning Curve.” That is, cycling alone was not enough to continue to lose weight. Instead, my lifestyle had to change. I began to seriously consider what I was putting in my body.

Pedaling the Pounds Off: The Learning Curve

by Jared Gould on Thursday, Dec 05, 2019

In my first post, I discussed my life struggle with weight. Going into my second semester of freshman year, I was nearly 300 pounds. Thinking I was on the verge of having a heart attack or developing diabetes, I made a decision to lose weight through cycling.

For an entire semester, I followed a strict routine. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I rode a hybrid fitness bike (seen in the first post) between 20-45 minutes and, on the weekends, I went on a two-hour ride with a friend.

Pedaling the Pounds Off: Where My Story Begins

by Jared Gould on Wednesday, Nov 06, 2019

Hello, world! My name is Jared Gould. I was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a congenital heart defect where the left side of the heart is extremely underdeveloped. From the time I was born until the age of four, I had four open heart surgeries. Of course, I was too young to recall that experience now, and having heart surgeries erased from my memory might be a blessing. However, growing up with HLHS is not.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed by ACHA bloggers and those providing comments on the ACHA Blog are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of the Adult Congenital Heart Association or any employee thereof. ACHA is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by the ACHA bloggers.

The contents of this blog are presented for informational purposes only, and should not be substituted for professional advice. Always consult your physicians with your questions and concerns.

Posts by Jared Gould