54 Weeks, 187 lbs down, Half the Man I use to be at least we

jhardenbergh

So My wife and I began our trip down healthy lane on January 13th, 2011. We chose to forego Gastric Bypass after researching it and began a diet and nutrition plan with a local hospital. I lost 120-130 lbs in the first 6 or 7 months and since then have begun working with a personal trainer who has been very helpful in putting together a weight lifting/cardio program to shrink my loose skin. The weight is still coming off, and I still have a couple lbs to lose before I want to put on 10 lbs of lean muscle.



I use to walk 2 miles in about 40 minutes and now I can do two miles in under 20 minutes, I can run for an hour at a time. I love to run but now I am more focused on the muscle building side so limit my cardio to one full hour a week, but I do mix in short cardio sessions with my weight training for warm up and cool downs.

My wife and I have one goal left and that is to have a child, still a work in progress. Outside of having our life and health back we have had some interviews with a national magazine, our weightloss center did a promotional video with us, and on Thursday we are getting interviewed by the local NBC affiliate. We are super excited. We have met a lot of great inspiring people on here and MFP has become an integral tool in not only losing the weight, but helping us truely realize the contents of what we put into our body. My day before losing this weight was really three or four days worth of food, it's pretty eye opening.

ShellyMacchi

amazing!!!!!
no others word for it... you've done fabulous!

LuckyAng

WOW!!! Incredible!! I can only imagine how amazing you both must feel!

Brandie1029

Absolutely phenomenal!

cgraylyon

Please post if you are on TV. I will have some of my family and friends watch. You and your wife are truely an inspiration!

Neize

amazing!!!!!
no others word for it... you've done fabulous!

^this... Congratulations!

jhardenbergh

we should find out on Thursday when it's gonna air. we live in Mass near the RI border, it is NBC in Rhode Island. I would post the video that the weight loss did, but don't know how to paste it into a message

jhardenbergh

I wish the pic was smaller, I tried resizing it, but basically the other pic is my profile pic

pspetralia

So inspiring!! Thanks for sharing!!!

hellotina

seriously amazing. & i love that you two did it together!! good luck with the future & having a child! such an inspiration!!

MamaMel71

I am truly inspired by your story. I have recently been finding success myself after dealing with yo yo dieting and diabetes medications that put weight on me instead of helping me to get it off. I have now just been diagnosed with a thyroid problem too(under-active I believe) and am going for new medication next week. so am hoping that will also help me regulate and move things along. My sister was diagnosed last year with the same issue and put on medication and for the last 5 months has been able to lose 30 pounds when she never could before no matter what she tried.

It is a tough decision to finally decide to work your butt off when you are used to being sedentary but it is so worth it in the long run. My goal is too see if I can get rid of this diabetes once and for all when this 60 pounds I am going for is gone. Tell your wife all the best as well and to keep it going. I would love to hear more of her story as well.

I am glad I found this place as I need all the help and support I can get like most everyone on here does too. I love all the tools and stuff we can use on here. Here's to a healthier life!

jhardenbergh

I am truly inspired by your story. I have recently been finding success myself after dealing with yo yo dieting and diabetes medications that put weight on me instead of helping me to get it off. I have now just been diagnosed with a thyroid problem too(under-active I believe) and am going for new medication next week. so am hoping that will also help me regulate and move things along. My sister was diagnosed last year with the same issue and put on medication and for the last 5 months has been able to lose 30 pounds when she never could before no matter what she tried.

It is a tough decision to finally decide to work your butt off when you are used to being sedentary but it is so worth it in the long run. My goal is too see if I can get rid of this diabetes once and for all when this 60 pounds I am going for is gone. Tell your wife all the best as well and to keep it going. I would love to hear more of her story as well.

I am glad I found this place as I need all the help and support I can get like most everyone on here does too. I love all the tools and stuff we can use on here. Here's to a healthier life!

I was a diabetic and didn't know it when I started, I had a fasting glucose level of 243 and an A1C of 10.0 and now my glucose level is 80 and A1C is 5.0. You can do it, just stick to your plan and don't give up. It's amazing what a little diet and exercise can do for you. What helped me is I made exercise a second job, but eased into, starting with only 15 minutes a day 3 days a week. I also change it up from time to time, so I don't get bored with it. I did the wii fit, once I got under the weight limit for it, I walked, I tried different machines at the gym.

j77r68

congratulations to the both of you, you must be so proud of each other. What kind of exercises are you doing to tighten up your skin? I have less than 100 lbs to lose but I have a feeling I will have some leftovers that will not look pretty whatsoever

jhardenbergh

congratulations to the both of you, you must be so proud of each other. What kind of exercises are you doing to tighten up your skin? I have less than 100 lbs to lose but I have a feeling I will have some leftovers that will not look pretty whatsoever

Most of my loose skin is around my midsection, I have a little on my arms right next to my armpits, a little in my upper thigh. For the tummy area, I do a lot of core type exercises, crunches, crunches with medicine balls, leg lifts, bosu ball exercises (those half balls with platforms. burpees with bosu ball, rotational exercises with medicine ball, I do have a book Men's Health Big Book of Exercises which gives you different exercises you can do with varying difficulties as well. My trainer is planning on doing exercise videos and posting them on line as well. He wants me to do them with him. Sort of like a tutorial. The book is good, but making sure you have the right form in lifting is very important there is only so much a book can portray.

ahjenny

That is fantastic! You look good, and completely different. And good luck in the baby department.

Beatlegirl66

Words can't say how proud I am of the two of you. You have inspired me totally. I decided to get with it and lose weight because if my friends, who are just normal people that I know in real life, can lose all of that weight, then why can't I? I am now excited at the chance to be an "aunt" in the near future as well. You and G-funk will be great parents!

cloud2011

Congratulations to both you and your wife. Your story is inspirational. I had to do a double take: I was shocked that you lost so much weight in one year! Fantastic!

I have 80-100 lbs left (lost 30) and your story really helps motivate me. Thank you!

Emilia6909

Congratulations !!!!!! You look amazing.

Jzslim

Incredible,good for you both.the 65 lbs i have to go seem a lot less daunting.

femme62209

WELL DONE!!!!! You are such an inspiration Congratulations on all of your success ) Thanks so much for sharing!

rainman3k

Jay, you are an inspiration to many and I am one who would not be where I am today without having met you via this site!

Thanks my friend and keep up the awesome job!