2012 'The Class of Change' (150+lbs with pictures)

Hoppymom · June 2012

Outstanding result for outstanding effort!!!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

deniseg31 · June 2012

WOW!!! Congrats!!! You have done such a wonderful job. You look like a totally different person!

uxbridgeheli · June 2012

Twit-twooo!!!
Looking hot to trot!!
Mega well done - you look fab!
H x

NMJosephs · June 2012

Great work! Congratulations on the fantastic change!

shesapear · June 2012

Awesome job!! Your look like a totally different person.

igloonorth · June 2012

Congratulations - you look fantastic and I can tell you feel that way too! :happy:

4myhlth · June 2012

Thank you for posting these! It is so hard for some of us to imagine that there will ever be a change and then to see yours is so inspirational. Congratulations, live life to its fullest!!

zebraspots2069 · June 2012

Wonderful progress, you have the right to be very proud!!! U look great

TrishaGuy · June 2012

Wow what an amazing story and tranformation to the man you were ment to be. I pray you will always remember that your inspiration was a group of young people that most had written off and I pray they remember the teacher that thought they were worth it. Congratulations on both of your life changing events.....you should be very proud:flowerforyou: thank you for sharing such a wonderful story and keep up the good work....you look great.

cdhaverland · June 2012

Well done sir, well done!

bondavbriwil · June 2012

Wow! Great job.

PennyLorraine · June 2012

Wow! You've done great!!! Congratulations!

vallemic · June 2012

WOW! I am a teacher so your story was very touching! You look fabulous and sooo much younger! Congratulations and best of luck to you on your life journey!

doxiegal13 · June 2012

How inspirational! You don't even look like the same person... Keep it up.

RichOC · June 2012

You looked so different after losing that weight that it took me a few to figure out which person you were in that family picture. Congrats on your amazing accomplishment and a thank you for helping today's youth!

sibitalic · June 2012

Wow, what an accomplishment! Congratulations! Stories like this are a great motivation for us who are just at the begining of the weight loss journey!
Thanks for sharing your story!

willafan · June 2012

Today, I sat back and watched the grad class of 2012 complete their journey from K-12. Watching these young-adults move onto the next phase of their life (under the banner 2012 'The Class of Change') got me thinking about my own life.

Some quick background on my connection with these students (so you can follow my line of reasoning). Over the past six months I have worked intensely with a group of 25+ 'at-risk' grade 12 students. My directive, and my only directive, was to insure that as many of these students as possible graduated (and those that weren't going to be able to had a plan). Many of these students have dealt with more in their 17/18 years than most of us will experience in our entire lives. To see them rise to the challenge that I placed before them, and respond to the support that I provided them, has been truly inspirational. These students truly grasped the concept of change in a way that many of us can only imagine (from directionless and switched-off to purposeful and switched-on). Of the 25+ 'at-risk' students all but three walked across the stage today to receive their Diplomas (given that all of these students were, at the start of the year, considered long-shots to graduate...the change is quite remarkable).

Watching these students undergo their process of change got me thinking about my own (although my transformation pales in comparison to what some of these kids have gone through). 10 years ago, this week, I graduated from High School (I felt the gravity of this number as I watched my students collect their well-earned Diplomas). At that point, I was in the best shape of my life (adolescent flab had vanished, I was active in sports and worked out on a regular basis). Over the next 9 years I slowly put on 150+ pounds until, on the day of my wedding, I hit 355 pounds (unfortunately, not all change is for the better).

Last year, I made a commitment that, by June 2012, I would hit my goal weight of 205lbs. The process started slowly (10 minutes walks was about all I could handle) but, to my shock, compounded into much more than I thought possible. I attribute this compounding to: 1) The setting of micro goals and 2) Taking up hobbies. Since last summer, I have become an avid: Hiker, Runner, Mountain Biker and Squash player. Exercise, and moderation of eating habits (i.e. putting down the fork), have become a way of life for me. From my initial exercise goal of 10 minutes continuous walking I can now: play squash competitively, hike an entire day up mountains, mountain bike for 10+ hours and jog over 12km at a time. I know that by continuing to set micro goals for myself (i.e. upping my run distance) I will insure that my life-style change is permanent.

Today, I felt as if things had come full-circle for my (at least physically). I am, once again, in the best shape of my life (far exceeding where I was at in High School). Mentally, I feel symbolically connected with the 2012 Class of Change that I worked so closely with. These students looked at adversity, accepted it's existence, side-stepped the block it had set up and have moved on. I can only hope that their example will continue to inspire me as I work to maintain my newly found lifestyle.

Wedding Day (At my heaviest…but also my happiest!)

At the start of the process (hiking was the first hobby I picked up)

November/Movember (sorry for the moustache)

December (up at the top)

March (the start of my Mountain Biking adventures)

April (even animals are starting to stand up and take notice)

May (with the family)

June (not the end, but an end)

Thank you for sharing your story- I am in awe of what you accomplished, both with your health and with the kids. You are my hero, thank you for what you do. I wish you earned more money!

niecyc23 · June 2012

WOW you look like a different person I know you must be proud of yourself great job:)

naughtyfushsia_wechnaged · June 2012

fantastic loss well done!

gorewhore13 · June 2012

Wow what a true inspiration

La_Lola · June 2012

Amazing!!! Congrats!!

sunflowerkid2011 · June 2012

You look amazing!! You are such an inspiration! Thank you for sharing!

readyforthejourney · June 2012

outstanding!! Love the transition for both you and the students...Thank you for contributing to their lives in such a positive way and thank you for inspiring others further with your example on MFP!