198 lbs lost in a little over a year :D

MdmAcolyte

Wow that's a drastic change! You look GREAT!!

brookielaw

Congratulations, you really look amazing, what a great transformation...and aside from that, I love the fact that you did it your way. Your story gives me a whole lot of hope because I have very similar stats and was also pushed towards surgery by many well-meaning friends and family members but am doing it on my own plan, also as a vegetarian. I'm in awe, WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rockinchick221976

:flowerforyou: Good for you, great job! You don't even look like the same person. I have 94 more lbs to lose so this is very inspiring and really makes me think I can do it. I don't think I'd have a problem keeping my calorie at 800, but cuttin my suger down to 12 grams a day would be a challenge for me. I just make it at 24 grams a day. Thanks for sharing you should be very proud, you look fantastic.

MsMuniz

Congrats, you look awesome!! :drinker:

imblissful

WOW! You're jawline is fabulous!

bLui_bella

I was not expecting that after picture... Usually there is a difference in before/after photos... But you look like 2 different people!! I know you feel better too... Props to you sir, for opting out on the surgery road

joergwb

Congratulations! You look great!

aalhasan

This is probably the best contradiction to the starvation mode arguments and the "not-eating-enough" posts. Well done.
However, you've probably lost a lot of muscle mass. Work on increasing your intake and add more protein to your diet.

Congratz :drinker:

babyj0

Wow! Like a completely different guy. So inspirational!

sunnshhiine

YOU have done amazingly well over the past year! Congratulations on your weight-loss and your healthy lifestyle! You're an inspiration!

YaGigi

Holy canolli!

I've never seen anything like that!

You're a real life miracle! Congrats on your achievement!you look awesome!

Do you have any lose skin?

ractrev

This is probably the best contradiction to the starvation mode arguments and the "not-eating-enough" posts. Well done.
However, you've probably lost a lot of muscle mass. Work on increasing your intake and add more protein to your diet.

Congratz :drinker:

This is what I have always wondered! Why can't someone do this by themselves without the surgery? (obviously it can - great f-in job!!!!) I know it would be difficult, but so is the surgery.

thesophierose

Congrats!!! You beat their system and nailed it! You look amazinG!

annakow

You got new life in different skin! good luck and congrats

TribeHokie

Wow major high five for you bro. 800 calories, and the foods you list, is a bit extreme but congrats on finding something that worked for you. Now comes the hard part.

beepermad

Ha. I thought you looked familiar, and it looks like you live a few hours away. Anyway, congrats. You look phenomenal.

ncmedic201

OMG you're awesome!! What amazing dedication!!! And you look fabulous!

linsey0689

Wonderful job! Very interesting on how you did not sure if I could get my calories that low but wonderful job sticking with it.

You shed a grown man and when doing it you look sooo much younger. I was getting down on myself today this did the trick for me

jgal86

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

rebeccask

Incredible! You look so happy and much younger. You must feel great having accomplished this on your own.

NekaMaye88

When I started my weight loss journey I was miserable. To make matters worse, standard dieting and exercise was proving to be less than effective. I went to the doctor and they tried to push me into bariatric surgery. I REALLY didn't want to go there.
So I asked them "What is it specifically that makes bariatric surgery successful? What about a smaller stomach makes you lose weight." They responded "Essentially it forces you to only be able to consume 700-800 calories a day." So that gave me my action plan, I thanked them and left the office.
I am a vegetarian, have been for almost 7 years. I began searching for the most nutritionally dense low calorie vegetarian foods I could find. I made a requirement of never eating more than 3g of sugars in any meal. I decided that eating 4 meals a day at minimum would be best so each meal had to be under 200 calories.
My diet for over nine months was 800 calories a day, it mainly consisted of spirutein shakes and protein bars. I made sure to eat one "real" cooked meal a day. I use a lot of vitamins. I worked out, cardio only twice a week. The weight started melting. Now that I am at my goal weight I am going to focus on maintenance and building up some muscle to fill all this loose skin

You are ABSOLUTELY amazing!!!! Congrats on such an accomplishment! You were determined and disciplined and I believe that's the biggest problem that people have is the discipline part. You are totally an inspiration. Thank you for posting your success story! If you can lose 198 in a little over a year, I KNOW I could lose another 80 in the same time period. Thanks again for sharing with us all!

AnthonyKolka

I began searching for the most nutritionally dense low calorie vegetarian foods

What did you find that met this criteria? Which specific foods?

Mainly vegetarian protein shakes and protein bars. I eat a lot of Spirutein's simply natural line of shake, and quest nutrition bars which I might add are delicious.

karen0214

You are amazing. I am so impressed with the fact that you thought the situation through, came up with a plan and actually had the discipline to carry out the plan. Your diligence has paid off. The docs should totally use you as an example for others who do not want the surgery. Congratulations! Oh, and thanks for sharing your story because you have given me even more inspiration that I can lose the 98 lbs more that I need to lose.

AnthonyKolka

Outstanding sir! Did losing weight give you a spiffier hairdo or was that done separately? :laugh:

That was quite separate.

Skyetropics

H-O-L-Y Crap! Good for you )

SwitzEngine

Congrats, amazing !!

salmat77

WOWZA you look AMAZING thanks for sharing!!

strongmindstrongbody

The difference is amazing. Congrats! I was expecting saggy skin for the after photo, but all I see is youthful skin.

AnthonyKolka

This is probably the best contradiction to the starvation mode arguments and the "not-eating-enough" posts. Well done.
However, you've probably lost a lot of muscle mass. Work on increasing your intake and add more protein to your diet.

Congratz :drinker:

Thanks, Actually I am at 42% muscle mass and 12.7% body fat now. I had been eating an average of 70-80 grams of protein per day, that is part of the secret, plus plenty of water. Every time I felt hungry between meals I had a glass of water. Now of course my goal is a bit higher on the protein side because I want to build more muscle, I am thinking 120g a day.

AnthonyKolka

Tracking everything you eat through a program like myfitnesspal is real benefit to keeping yourself honest with yourself and forcing that discipline.