3 years of dedication and 315 pounds lost.

srp2011 · January 2015

Absolutely incredible transformation - you are an inspiration! Congrats on a job well done.

barlovo · January 2015

Wow thanks for posting. It's great to hear you affirm that a clean healthy diet is the key to success. Congrats and yes this is an inspiration to all of us!

ynot14 · January 2015

Truly awesome! Congratulations!

dasher602014 · January 2015

Thank you for sharing your advice, your story and your wisdom. Your journey is truly inspiring.

mxchana · January 2015

Stogie, how inspiring what you have done for yourself and your family. Reading this brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for sharing your story!

Zenexercise · January 2015

Congratulations. very inspiring story

Josephine237 · January 2015

You are a hero to all of us trying to make the change. Congratulations on what you've accomplished! I am a quarter of the way to my goal... Your success cheers me on!

Eagerlylookingforward · January 2015

Congrats so thrilled for you. You truly are inspiring.

aquamarina_182 · January 2015

amazing! I love learning about all these awesome success stories, so inspiring

Nalgh94 · January 2015

That is purely incredible; fantastic job

bingfit221 · January 2015

Stogie40 wrote: »

I didn’t want to post in the success area until I reached my goal, but today officially marks my 3 year anniversary of my new lifestyle, and my daughter said it will help inspire others. This time 3 years ago I was leaving the hospital with the determination to get healthy and be a bigger part of my daughters’ lives. For too long my health made me an empty seat. It has been a long, hard, and lonely road, but I can honestly say, I never looked back and never faltered. I wanted to get healthier more than anything, because that meant being there for my family as much as possible. I read and researched as much as I could about eating healthy. In my case, diet was the only way I could loose weight and get healthy, because working out was not an option due to a serious issue with one of my legs. To everyone reading this, know that a clean diet is the key to being healthy. Every pound I lost was from diet alone. I’m not saying this is an easy lifestyle, I’m saying it’s the best lifestyle IMO. There are plenty of people that say, they can eat this and that everyday and still loose weight, but yet are they getting healthier? Just because you loose weight doesn’t make you healthy. I understand stopping the crappy food isn’t easy, we are going against a lifetime of eating a certain way. In many cases, food is our addiction. With our addiction, we can’t just quit it, we have to smell it, touch it, taste it, and consume it everyday, just to survive. I’m not saying give everything you want up. I have cravings bad, but I get over them by having a few bites. Like when my daughters get French Fries, I’ll steal 5 or so from them, or I’ll grab a few Pringles, just enough to take the edge off. If I don’t, I find myself fixated on my latest craving. I’ll stare at it, and loose myself in the though of eating it, much like a dog begging. I also allow myself to splurge on holidays, one meal of calorie and carb overload won’t make you fat, just like one salad won’t help you get healthy. Just remember this is to get healthy not a punishment. Moderation really is the key. When I left that hospital 3 years ago, I had a handful of prescriptions that I had to take 3 times a day. It took 2 1/2 years, but I am off all my meds, and I owe it to a clean diet. I eat lean proteins, healthy fats, lots of raw veggies, half my body weigh in ounces of water almost everyday, and I keep my carbs low. Not Atkins low, but lower. Carbs are great for long distant runners, but not my big ol butt. It takes longer for carbs to break down, so it takes longer for our body to go into Ketosis. Trust me, it is so worth every sacrifice you make to get healthy. It may be 80% diet, and 20% exercise, but it’s 100% mental. I would wish you all good luck in your journey, but luck has nothing to do with it. You need strength, and with that, stay strong and never give up.

Two words and excuse my language: HOLY *kitten*. Congrats buddy!

annkeane614 · January 2015

Stogie40 wrote: »

I didn’t want to post in the success area until I reached my goal, but today officially marks my 3 year anniversary of my new lifestyle, and my daughter said it will help inspire others. This time 3 years ago I was leaving the hospital with the determination to get healthy and be a bigger part of my daughters’ lives. For too long my health made me an empty seat. It has been a long, hard, and lonely road, but I can honestly say, I never looked back and never faltered. I wanted to get healthier more than anything, because that meant being there for my family as much as possible. I read and researched as much as I could about eating healthy. In my case, diet was the only way I could loose weight and get healthy, because working out was not an option due to a serious issue with one of my legs. To everyone reading this, know that a clean diet is the key to being healthy. Every pound I lost was from diet alone. I’m not saying this is an easy lifestyle, I’m saying it’s the best lifestyle IMO. There are plenty of people that say, they can eat this and that everyday and still loose weight, but yet are they getting healthier? Just because you loose weight doesn’t make you healthy. I understand stopping the crappy food isn’t easy, we are going against a lifetime of eating a certain way. In many cases, food is our addiction. With our addiction, we can’t just quit it, we have to smell it, touch it, taste it, and consume it everyday, just to survive. I’m not saying give everything you want up. I have cravings bad, but I get over them by having a few bites. Like when my daughters get French Fries, I’ll steal 5 or so from them, or I’ll grab a few Pringles, just enough to take the edge off. If I don’t, I find myself fixated on my latest craving. I’ll stare at it, and loose myself in the though of eating it, much like a dog begging. I also allow myself to splurge on holidays, one meal of calorie and carb overload won’t make you fat, just like one salad won’t help you get healthy. Just remember this is to get healthy not a punishment. Moderation really is the key. When I left that hospital 3 years ago, I had a handful of prescriptions that I had to take 3 times a day. It took 2 1/2 years, but I am off all my meds, and I owe it to a clean diet. I eat lean proteins, healthy fats, lots of raw veggies, half my body weigh in ounces of water almost everyday, and I keep my carbs low. Not Atkins low, but lower. Carbs are great for long distant runners, but not my big ol butt. It takes longer for carbs to break down, so it takes longer for our body to go into Ketosis. Trust me, it is so worth every sacrifice you make to get healthy. It may be 80% diet, and 20% exercise, but it’s 100% mental. I would wish you all good luck in your journey, but luck has nothing to do with it. You need strength, and with that, stay strong and never give up.

bainsworth1a wrote: »

You are truly an inspiration to me. It proves that no matter how long it takes to get to your goal it is worth it.
I am thrilled for you. You look like a brand new person and you have a new lease on life.

I also greatly appreciate your comments about exercise. I am trying to do more but I have some health issues too that make exercise hard and painful. I'm hoping that as my weight goes down my exercise will increase.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pattyjoshockley · January 2015

Congratulations on such a great success. I am so glad to hear that one can do this with diet alone.

"I owe it to a clean diet. I eat lean proteins, healthy fats, lots of raw veggies, half my body weigh in ounces of water almost everyday, and I keep my carbs low. Not Atkins low, but lower."

Do you know about how many grams of carbs you eat a day?

zeusta20 · January 2015

Wow...congratulations. Thanks so much for sharing. If I took away one thing from this post, it's that you said this is to get healthy, it's not a punishment. That I think just gave me my breakthrough on my journey to a healthier lifestyle. Thank you.

cherryblossombabe · January 2015

That's amazing!! Congrats on all your hard work, you look awesome!

kodak1122 · January 2015

That is amazing!! Way to go!! Trulyan inspiration!!

therindaproject · January 2015

You are truly an inspiration.

musicandarts · January 2015

Congratulations!! You are amazing.

Bethsnow · January 2015

Absolutely amazing!!!!! I've started again today...feel like 50 pounds is insurmountable so your story is EXACTLY what I needed! What you've done is incredible!! Thanks for sharing - your daughter was right.

Kdickey44 · January 2015

Congrats to you and you are an inspiration.

dinobomp · January 2015

You are awesome! Thank you for going ahead and posting; it truly IS an inspiration to those of us just starting. I've only been truly committed for two weeks, and sometimes it is hard to think there will ever be a payoff. My first week I was under my calories, and I gained.8 of a pound. It was so discouraging...but I knew I had to stick with it. I will weigh again tomorrow. I may have to reduce my calories significantly; but if I do I will. I am 60 years old, and also cannot exercise. I too take a handful of meds twice a day. I am dependent on narcotics to dull my pain. The chronic pain made me near suicide before that. I need to lose about 200# to be at a good weight. Last year my husband lost 100#, then left me after 38 years of marriage! I was devastated. But I don't miss him at all. He didn't make me happy, but I didn't think I could make it on my own. I'm doing OK with my youngest son's help. He lives with me and works from home. What a blessing it is to have him here!
I want to see my Grandchildren grow up!!! I have stage 4 kidney disease, heart disease, a-fib, a-flutter, very bone-on-bone knees and hips,and have to use a walker to go one step. The sciatica is also debilitating. Ugh! Because of my heart and edema I need to sit with my legs elevated all the time. Many days I don't even leave my room. I used to be fiercely independent, and do whatever I wanted! It has been hard to give up driving, but it's impossible. I am on a sure path to dying if I don't get the weight off. But I have been discouraged by the inability to exercise, and the low number of calories it takes for me to live. When I was in college I had tests done to see why I gained weight so easily. They said my body was very efficient, and I didn't need many calories to "live". Back then I weighed 145#, and the Dr. Asked me how I let myself go like that! (Sounds like what I heard from relatives! Bleah.) I was 5'8" tall, so that wasn't an unhealthy weight! But we all have regrets...
The bottom line is that YOU have made me believe it IS possible to succeed at this, even without exercising! After some of the weight is off, I should be able to exercise some. I hope that's the case, anyway.
Thanks for reading my first post ever on here! You should be very proud of your accomplishment!!! I think it is FANTASTIC!!! I wish you the best, and thanks again for the encouragement you have given me.

FurahaDownUnder · January 2015

I only started using this app recently and your story has given me even more inspiration to keep at it!Thankyou so much Stogie!

Lauris18 · January 2015

Stogie40 wrote: »

I didn’t want to post in the success area until I reached my goal, but today officially marks my 3 year anniversary of my new lifestyle, and my daughter said it will help inspire others. This time 3 years ago I was leaving the hospital with the determination to get healthy and be a bigger part of my daughters’ lives. For too long my health made me an empty seat. It has been a long, hard, and lonely road, but I can honestly say, I never looked back and never faltered. I wanted to get healthier more than anything, because that meant being there for my family as much as possible. I read and researched as much as I could about eating healthy. In my case, diet was the only way I could loose weight and get healthy, because working out was not an option due to a serious issue with one of my legs. To everyone reading this, know that a clean diet is the key to being healthy. Every pound I lost was from diet alone. I’m not saying this is an easy lifestyle, I’m saying it’s the best lifestyle IMO. There are plenty of people that say, they can eat this and that everyday and still loose weight, but yet are they getting healthier? Just because you loose weight doesn’t make you healthy. I understand stopping the crappy food isn’t easy, we are going against a lifetime of eating a certain way. In many cases, food is our addiction. With our addiction, we can’t just quit it, we have to smell it, touch it, taste it, and consume it everyday, just to survive. I’m not saying give everything you want up. I have cravings bad, but I get over them by having a few bites. Like when my daughters get French Fries, I’ll steal 5 or so from them, or I’ll grab a few Pringles, just enough to take the edge off. If I don’t, I find myself fixated on my latest craving. I’ll stare at it, and loose myself in the though of eating it, much like a dog begging. I also allow myself to splurge on holidays, one meal of calorie and carb overload won’t make you fat, just like one salad won’t help you get healthy. Just remember this is to get healthy not a punishment. Moderation really is the key. When I left that hospital 3 years ago, I had a handful of prescriptions that I had to take 3 times a day. It took 2 1/2 years, but I am off all my meds, and I owe it to a clean diet. I eat lean proteins, healthy fats, lots of raw veggies, half my body weigh in ounces of water almost everyday, and I keep my carbs low. Not Atkins low, but lower. Carbs are great for long distant runners, but not my big ol butt. It takes longer for carbs to break down, so it takes longer for our body to go into Ketosis. Trust me, it is so worth every sacrifice you make to get healthy. It may be 80% diet, and 20% exercise, but it’s 100% mental. I would wish you all good luck in your journey, but luck has nothing to do with it. You need strength, and with that, stay strong and never give up.

Lauris18 · January 2015

I just started today once again and your story really inspires me to keep strong and conquer my goal of loosing weight and be healthier. Thank you and congratulations!!!