Screenname: kolektor97
Nicknames: Mike (original huh?)
Please don’t call me: Mikey (I do like IT, but I do not like the nickname)
Important Relationships IRL: family
Favorite Superhero: Batman
#1 Claim to Geek Status: i love history and reading
Chat quirks: i am working on it. still a chat infant
Favorite part of chat: just a great time overall. everyone is great and it makes my work day much easier.
You can find me: at work, or at work, work maybe, and the rest of the time is home or the gym. It makes for a great and exciting social life.

Please use this template so we can get to know you!

I have been overweight since I completed my Army enlistment after the first Gulf War. I cannot pinpoint what it was that caused me to gain weight other than a complete lack of caring what and when I ate.

Over the years I know I was gaining weight but I never thought of myself as obese. My health declined a bit and I developed high blood pressure but that still did not wake me up as I have it rampant in my family and they are not overweight.

So I took medication to control it and nothing else. I still did not get it. But for some reason when the Christmas pictures from this past December 2006 got developed I saw how big I had truly become. I knew I had to do something but still did not want to exercise because I was too lazy. But on February 1st, 2007 weighing 274 pounds on my 6 foot frame, I started to change my eating habits. I was not counting calories, but I did cut out many of the sweets and fatty foods I had been eating and cut out all night time snacking and ecreased my food portions.

I saw a bit of success and it made me feel good. So I continued and eventually lost about 18 pounds. I felt good and was now counting calories, but then I plateaued and got frustrated and knew it was time to exercise.

So I joined a fitness center on May 1st and since then have been running/walking on the treadmill and using weights an hour at a time 4 days a week. I love my routine and as of July 22nd, 2007 I have lost 44 pounds! So I am ecstatic about my weight-loss and am ready to attack the next 50 pounds needed to reach a healthy BMI. I have small short term goals but the biggest thing that has helped me recently is finding this site about 3 weeks ago.

All of the personal testimonies, ideas, tips, and tricks and most of all the overflowing support to make this a lifestyle change and not just a diet have convinced me that I have made the right choice in turning my health and life around!

I look forward to all the new friendships I make here and wish all of you a heartfelt best for each and every one of you in your own personal journeys.

Mike