100lbs Down (And a progress pic if I'm brave enough)

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Davidaw86
Davidaw86 Posts: 117 Member
I finally hit the big one-zero-zero this morning, and I couldn't be happier. First a few stats:

Starting weight: 290
Current weight: 189.4
Starting shirt size: Going into a XXXL
Current: L (that's beginning to fit pretty loosely)
Starting pant size: 40
Current: 30

I remember just starting to live healthier was hard enough. I was always telling myself that I'll start tomorrow morning, but then the morning came and I'd forget about everything I was going to do until after I had a large meal and then I'd tell myself I'd begin the next day instead. It turned into an ugly cycle until I'd think "screw it" and forget about being healthier for another couple of months.

The real kick in the pants was when I came out of the shower one day and was completely disgusted by what I saw in the mirror. It took a few days after the shower, but I was finally ready for a change. The complacent feeling I had about myself was finally gone. Instead of starting the healthy eating tomorrow, I started it with dinner that day. It's how everyone says, it's easy to do things tomorrow, because tomorrow never comes.

I started the diet with nothing but eyeballing portion sizes and deciding what would fit into my stomach and just be filling and not overstuff myself. I did that for about 5 days and did pretty good at that. I had lost 5 pounds before I added my next step, which was to join this site.

I work at a school, and I had remembered a teacher doing a choose your own work type assignment the previous school year. One of the assignments was to join this site and track their food intake for 2 weeks and write a 2 page paper about what they found out about themselves. So I figured I'd check out this site and try it out for myself. And it helped my change in eating immensely. I was still estimating food portions by using measuring cups or eyeballing, but it helped me remain more accurate in what I was eating, how much I was eating, and my calorie intake.

Then, the most important step I took was purchasing a food scale. It took about 2 months for me to get to that point, and I only wish I bought one so much sooner. At least when I was using the measuring cup it wasn't off by too much, but I can't eyeball things to save my life, lol. The scale was impeccable when it came to my new way of eating, and I can't not encourage people to use one if they are trying to eat better.

I have had numerous ups and downs while getting rid of unwanted pounds. One of the hardest was when I got stuck at a weight for 3 to 4 weeks. I won't lie, there were a few days when seeing that unchanging number (except to go up every once in a while) discouraged me enough that I thought about quitting. Thankfully I didn't entertain that thought for long. I kept telling myself that I would get past this bump, I just had to keep doing what I was doing.

Then there was the week I went on vacation and gained back about 8 pounds, which took a week to get back off. And most recently I had a birthday weekend (cake is the devil, there is no question about that). Luckily my birthday weekend only took 2 days to return to where I was and then some.

And this is where I am at now. 100 pounds gone, I am a middle-schooler more lightweight (or a 2 month old horse). I'm sad to say it took until I was 290 pounds to change my life around, but I have to say that I'm happy I did decide to start.

And now before I lose my nerve, here's some pictures of when I was about 275 pounds on the left, and one from today on the right.

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Replies

  • 100_PROOF_
    100_PROOF_ Posts: 1,168 Member
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    Awesome job! Way to go!
  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,900 Member
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    Whats wrong with you!? Be proud! You look great!!!
  • MadyMars2000
    MadyMars2000 Posts: 1 Member
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    Great job!!!! look nice!!

    134967483.png
  • Davidaw86
    Davidaw86 Posts: 117 Member
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    dsboohead wrote: »
    Whats wrong with you!? Be proud! You look great!!!

    Haha, thanks. I just hate having my picture taken.

    And thank you 100_PROOF_ and MadyMars2000
  • HurleyHurley
    HurleyHurley Posts: 44 Member
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    Congratulations on your success! Very inspiring. :)
  • psnowbirdie
    psnowbirdie Posts: 18 Member
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    Really inspiring! Such great advice and honesty. Good for you. You look wonderful!
  • Bavieca
    Bavieca Posts: 32 Member
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    Great job! Amazing work.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    Wow! You look great! Nicely done!
  • wannabesmaller2017
    wannabesmaller2017 Posts: 433 Member
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    Great job! And I appreciate your honesty about losing weight.
  • thereshegoesagain
    thereshegoesagain Posts: 1,056 Member
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    Amazing, fantastic, well done!!!
  • ChristineE63
    ChristineE63 Posts: 105 Member
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    Well done sir, well done!
  • Davidaw86
    Davidaw86 Posts: 117 Member
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    Thank you for all the kind words everyone.
  • Arizona_C
    Arizona_C Posts: 1,476 Member
    edited February 2018
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    Congratulations ! Photos are often tricky to take, still you look awesome
  • FFeric
    FFeric Posts: 100 Member
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    strong work! You should be really proud of what you've been able to accomplish!
  • Frankie_Fan
    Frankie_Fan Posts: 562 Member
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    Awesome! Congrats!
  • Colorfan
    Colorfan Posts: 230 Member
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    Nice work brother! I too had a similar story. Though, I unfortunately waited till I was 320lbs (probably higher, that was my last recorded max weight) and getting depressed about turning 30, to do anything about it. Lost 100 lbs, but then put some back on after a few years. Working at it again to get down to at least 200 lbs. But man, you made it to 189. That gives me some hope to push myself farther!

    Did you do anything else beyond controlling the amount you ate?
  • Davidaw86
    Davidaw86 Posts: 117 Member
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    Again, thank you all for the support.
    Colorfan wrote: »
    That gives me some hope to push myself farther!

    Did you do anything else beyond controlling the amount you ate?

    You'll get there, just keep at it.
    I do walk a lot at my work, which definitely helps. But I find it's true what people say (at least for me), losing weight is 80% eating right and 20% exercise.
  • Colorfan
    Colorfan Posts: 230 Member
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    Thanks man!

    So whats in the future for you? Are you satisfied with where youre at?
  • Davidaw86
    Davidaw86 Posts: 117 Member
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    Colorfan wrote: »
    Thanks man!

    So whats in the future for you? Are you satisfied with where youre at?

    Nah, my plan is to get to the middle to low range of my healthy BMI, then I want to start working out to get definition.
  • tensquaredlives
    tensquaredlives Posts: 47 Member
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    You look much younger and healthy. All your hard work shows!
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