One Year Anniversary!

It's hard to believe that today marks one year on CC!  I started my journey on May 29th, 2007 at 209lbs with an obese BMI of 32... and that 209 seemed small at the time compared to my high of 240.  Today I weighed in at 144 with a normal BMI of 22.  I look at my side-by-side pics and barely recognize the "old me".  I couldn't have done it without the support of my friends here, always keeping me honest!

I guess the keys to my success were not making radical changes that I couldn't live with long-term and fierce dedication.  Publicly posting my goals and actuals for the world to see didn't hurt either!  I was in the obese category for the past ten years and managed to drop it using only the tools on here.  The moral of the story is that I was a big boy for a long time and at 32 was able to make a dramatic change in a relatively short amount of time.  I hope it serves as motivation for people just starting out that it WILL happen if you dedicate yourself to making it happen.

Now I'm happily maintaining and getting ready to start the next stage of lifting weights, bulking up, and tightening up some of this left-over jelly.

Happy Anniversary!

You look amazing. It's so weird to see huge changes like that. When I was really big I just thought no matter how much I lost I would always look like that, somehow. Now, not so much. haha.

Congratulations on your success!!!

Thanks rebepi!  You've undergone quite a transformation yourself, so congrats to you too!

I agree, although I think I was in denial that I ever got that big in the first place, with no mirrors around, I always thought I was my "normal" weight until I saw myself in pictures and didn't believe it was me!  Now it's the other way around and I still spook myself walking past a mirror sometimes!  HA!

congrats doomie! you look fantastic! way to go! woop woop woop

Congratulations.  Sounds like you have found the the same recipe for success.  Making life style changes  instead of dieting is the way to go.  I have lost over 95# and I love walking past a mirror, even though I have to take a double look. 

Best of luck in maintenance.  Love to here how it goes.

Wow yay congrats woo hoo! *tosses confetti*

I am really happy for you... you deserve to celebrate!!

I'll have one with you.... cheers!

You look great! Congratulations on your weight loss! I hope i look as good at my one year anniversary here!

Thanks so much for sharing your story!!!!

Thanks for all the positive feedback everyone!  There were periods where I felt like I wasn't making any progress and wanted to give up, but my friends here kept me going.  Looking back at the overall big picture, I can't even really see those times that felt like MAJOR setbacks at the time.  I'm happy to close the chapter on weight loss and I'm now gearing up to refocus my efforts on body composition.