Congratulations Erbe38! You look absolutely wonderful - and pretty happy,too.

Every success story makes the slow-but-sure method of changing your lifestyle permanently inspirational. Thanks for sharing yours.

WAY TO GOOO... you look great! i am "restarting" today , i will try to do some of what u said .. thanks for posting ur success.

congradulations..

Congrats! You look fantastic! :)

well done!!

Give yourself a big hug and a pat on the back; you have accomplished one of the most difficult tasks there is.........losing a lot of weight; you have proved your tenacity and controlling your thinking. Good luck to you and your continued success, you've earned it and you deserve it.

Thanks for sharing your story.  I see that you made weight loss a life-style change and I need to do the same.  I see that you made eating about health and I need to do the same.  I see that you incorporated exercise into your life and I need to do the same.  I am been so impatient to make my weight loss immediate!  Your plan is so much more sane.   Great suggestions.  I am going to print your story to help me in planning my new healthy life-style. 

My best to you.  Katy

Well done!  You have just inspired me to get back on track. 

You absolutely zeroed in on the number one reason to lose the additional weight: your health!  It is good that you had so much support from the medical community.

And, wowza--no wonder your sex life improved!  You look great!  Nothing is sexier than a person who feels confident!

Keep up the good work and make sure you keep us posted on your maintenance tips!

Congratulations on turning your life around! It is wonderful and encouraging to here from others that are winning the daily battle to stay healthy and fit. I have maintained now for seventeen months and counting. It is a challenge every day. The rewards are well worth the effort!

I am lucky to live in Italy where we have public health system. I realize that many on this site are US citizens and not everyone has access to healthcare professionals.

I still strongly suggest that while going on an important diet (to loose more than 10% of body weight) make the effort to visit a doctor and have a blood and urine test. Many fad diets and supplements can be very hard on the kidneys and cause serious medical complications. 

If one does not have access to medical care check with your local Heart Association or Diebetic Association. They may have free or subsidised services to assist.

In the US many YMCA brances in addition to offering atheletic facilities at affordable cost have dietitions coaches and proggrams to help members who are working on loosing weight and getting fit.

I love your tips and reading your story. I've lost a lot of weight and  reached my goal but*didn't* weigh everyday. Now I'm back to CC to lose 10 lbs that creeped back on.  Thanks for sharing your story! =) Well done!

Congratulations and thank you for sharing your story. I thought I was the only one counting calories. I need to do this for me (train myself again). I weighed myself this morning and I am not too thrilled, but will continue on. Thanks for the inspiration. 

Nancy

Way to go!!! WA-HOO!!!

I'm very happy for you, you've done a terrific job!! Thank you for inspiring me!!

Some people e mailed me asking about the mediterannian diet and for recipies.

here is my answer:

the concept of the Mediterannian DIet can be found

onhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_diet

It is basically built on lots of vegetables, friut, legumes, whole grains. substitution of saturated fat animal fat with healthy oil like olive oil .. NB: To reduce calories reduce the amount of olive oil in recipies

Dairy products are limited to low/no fat milk, yougurt and low fat cheeses like feta. small amounts of parmesan. Butter and cream are eliminated. Moderate consumption of wine is good (1 glass per day with dinner).

Small portions of fish and white meat or for vegiterians non meat sources of protein.

Fresh fish is great but if you have difficulty getting it there is also good quality frozen fish available. Even if lower in Omega 3 oils fresh water fish is good as well, instead of deep frying the fish grill it. If you have younger members in your family take them to a fish farm and catch some trout. Great fun and then you can brush them with some olive oil and grill them. Or bake them wrapping them in foil.

In addition to fish you can prepare chicken, and turkey. Whole grains legumes and buckwheat are other sources of protien.

Steam some bulgar wheat or buckwheat, cool it and mix garlic, cucumbers, parsley, and diced fresh tomatoes. a wonderful sumer side dish.

cook a peperonata (a little olive oil, garlic, shallot, diced onion, diced sweet peppers (red yellow and green) eggplant, zucchini, tinned tomatoes, a little white wine, salt pepper and oregano. freeze 150gm portions in zip lock bags. you can use as a side dish warm or cold (when cold I add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice) you can also use it as a sauce for pasta adding some grated parmesan cheese.

take some fresh friut, peel and put in the blender if you like add a touch of sweetner. Freeze in plastic cups with a stick and you have a delicious healty option to ice cream.

For appitizer enjoy a salad, sliced tomatoes. dress with some balsalmic vinegar and fresh basil (basil is easy to grow in the summer) and a very small amount of olive oil. use good quality  extra virgin oil.

Pasta is not a main dish but a first course so limit the quantity of pasta to 80 grams. There are also tasty wholegrain pastas available. This will make a small portion. For the second course 100-125 gm chicken breast, turkey breast or fish grilled or steamed with some vegetables. one glass of wine.

 Fresh Friut for desert

one small square of bitter chocolate with espresso to finish your dinner

awesome story....i love your #1 and #5 tip....those are 2 things that i am learning to live by...i cannot make big weight goals for myself i only get discouraged,but if i make small goals then that seems pretty easy...and to hear someone else to have done the same thing and have a huge success like you that is so good to hear...congrats and i will keep your tips close to heart......

You are in inspiration.  Reading your story made me realize that in the last month I have not woken up with my cronic back pain.  Maybe my health really is improving for the better. (started CC in march at 240, currently 224lbs)

Congratulations!!

Wow you look terrific.  Your story has inspired me and hopefully I can loose the 20 lbs. I need to loose.  I know it seems like so little weight compared to your weight lose but it is so hard. 

Congrats on this major goal!

Well Done, You truely inspiring.

Wow!   I am really inspired.  You look really healthy and happy.  I especially appreciate your comprehensive approach to your weight loss program.  Great advice.

Congratulations. You look terrific.

You look (and hopefully feel!) amazing. Much, much younger. Great work. I need to get my act together and get back on the wagon. Thanks for sharing your story!!

het man you look really good, congratulation. dac 250

You look great.  Congratulations!  I've been on a self-devised plan for 8 weeks, no flour and no sugar, but I'm discovering some of the denials I've been in, like salad dressing, for example.  But I keep at it, and I have incorporated exercise into my daily routine as well.  Thanks for the inspiration!

Molto bene!!

Well done, it lets the rest of us know that we are not alone and inspires us to keep going. I have lost 25 and have 72 more to go but I only look at 10 pounds at a time. I too have to lose because of my health and feel a lot better already. Joining the Y helped me a lot. I consider it "my time"

Good job, good job, good job.  I know how tough it can be and I am working on getting rid of about 30 extra pounds right now.  I am doing a lot of things you have described and I am seeing results!  Thank you for being an inspiration, I know if I keep it up I can make it!!!!!!

 Great advise and very motivating. I'm tired and work too much...I need something that is not brain surgery! I love veggies...this sounds doable! Thanks and great job!! :)

What an inspiring story!  I'm glad you were able to turn things around,  you look great.

Congrats! on your weight loss.  You are an inspiration to me.  I am down 54 lbs since the begining of March.  I still have another 100 lbs. to lose to meet my overall goal.  Reading stories like yours lets me know I can reach my goals if I stay focused. 

Thank you,

Dave

congrats!!

Fantastic!!! well done!!!

You rock! You're commitment is inspiring. I'm still on my journey to my goal weight. The good thing is that I'm really small (4'11") so losing a little bit looks like a lot. :) It truly is a marathon, and not a sprint. Thanks for your encouraging story!

When I started I had 60 lbs to lose. I am halfway there after a slow-as-you-go 10 months of doing it almost exactly the way you have. I have a question for you.

I am taking it slow for many many reasons... but mainly because I know the healthy habits will stick. One other lesser reason concerns my skin. I had found in the past that the faster I lost weight, the looser my skin would be, and didn't seem to catch up. And after yo-yo-ing so much, I considered that if I took it slow, my skin would shrink to match the rest of me, and I would not look like a lady in a water-filled garbage bag.

Have you found the same thing? ... and when you reached your goal, did you feel like your skin was too big, or required surgery? I know what you said your doc reccommended about toning up, which I am also doing... but I get a little nervous thinking that i will have loose skin where I really don't want it.

Thanks in advance, and I do understand if the topic is too sensitive to share!

Thanks,
~Julie

Hey, you look great! Congratulations for the massive weight loss! So inspiring. Off-topic, but I was sure that was Italy in the second picture-such a beautiful country. I travelled there last year for a month from Australia. What city was that taken in?

Second photo taken in my home town, Verona on Ponte Pietra.

Wow! The tummy really disappeared. As if your a totaly different person from the second pix. I will be reading more on your article. Congrats. You inspire!

way to go. the portion control has been key for me along with the calorie counts. I never realized how many calories I was eating before joining calorie count.  You must wake up everyday so happy to be where you are now.  I still have a ways to go, down 70 lbs from 280 to 210, but feel like a new person already. how great you must feel!!!  I had to have back surgery, a fusion of L5 S1. that was my wake up call.  having my back go out probably saved my life. as soon as I was able to get up and walk( 2 days) I took off, and have been walking, swimming and doing pilates, core strengthening ever since.  your photos are awesome.   Italy... I am jealous!!! keep up the good work because the best is yet to be!!!! oh, by the way, howdy from TEXAS!!!

                               That is so cool and a very good way to really lose weight, alot of people if they just pushed back from the table could lose as well as exercising. Good Luck and congratulations!!! Dac 250

       new comment meant foe lonestarpenny. Dac 250

 I usually do not comment on myself but I have really came along ways and has taken alot of time and sel-controll which is really been hard for me but----I have come from 216 down to 178 and feeling so good 25 more pounds to go and I will have reached  my goal I am sooo! excited. My son told me last night "MOM" your losing weight and you look awesome, than nearly made me cry, Down 2 dress sizes I look at myself and I ask myself is that really me? Thanks to all the member on CC has made this hapen for me because of all the encouragement i have gotten without that I could never have come as far as i have and I want to take this time to tell all each and everyone one of you Thank you for your support.  Dac 250

How great for you.  Great life style change.  Enjoy your life. 

Seriously, you don't even look like the same person! I was amazed at how much younger you look with the weight off. Thank you for sharing your story. I am trying to read the success stories each week, they are really encouraging to keep on track. I bet your doctor was shocked that you actually did it. I am a nurse, and to be honest most patients are offended when you tell them that a large part of their health problems are due to the excess weight. I even have a hard time educating about it because patients can get mad. It sounds like you were successful because you had a good plan. Like, if you ate more calories due to a night out, you made sure you did extra exercise and good portion control before and after, this is good advice I will try. I think that not having a plan beforehand can leave us all vulnerable to start sliding backwards. Good for you for putting yourself first and tackling this huge obstacle. Good luck to you in your new healthy lifestyle.

Erbe, your description of the Mediterranean diet made me hungry :D

Great job -- you look fantastic!

Congratulations   i liked your story its really inspiring & its motivating us to do the right thing regrading our health..

Thanks dear for the great tips and wish you to stay this way for ever ..

Good Luck 

I have in fact, 22 pounds to lose which looked difficult (to me) but reading your story made it look nothing, i feel more confident and in power to do it.. am just on my own no plans from a Doctor just a portion control, no fat (butter & others) no junk food & proper sleeping hours not less than 8 hrs. In addition, to 4 hrs exercising every week..  WISH ME LUCK 

so inspiring

i muuuuuuuuuuuuuuust say

bravo

Congratulations!  And some great points for the rest of us who are just starting a program.  Thanks.

Great Story, its inspired me, I am down 32 lbs since May and need to lose another 47 lbs to be at my ideal weight . . . and yes when I do over do it on special occasions, a look at the scale and extra excercise take care of it!

I tell everyone I am not on a diet, its lifestyle change!