140 Pounds Lost In One Year!

StarkLark

Hi everyone!

My journey to a healthier me began around 3 years ago. I had some great initial success, losing 88 pounds in a few months. Then I lost my focus and I gained about 60 pounds of that loss back. Very discouraging to say the least.

Then on July 12, 2011 I decided enough was enough. Although still a few pounds down from my heaviest recorded weight, I still felt like I had an impossible task ahead of me. I took the lessons I learned from my first big loss and improved my diet and my work ethic. The pictures below represent a calendar year of this effort. I am 140 pounds lighter in that 12 month period, and it feels amazing!

If I'm honest with myself and all of you I can say that out of the full year I was only truly focused and making the right choices for about 9.5 - 10 of those months. I had setbacks and weeks where I didn't eat right or exercise. But I have learned to minimize those times and I can only imagine what I could have accomplished if I had been on my game the entire time.

So to anyone who is struggling or feels like they have an impossibly long way to go to reach their goals I say this: even if you don't always make the right choices, all it takes is making the right choice more often than not, some patience, and a desire to change yourself. I still have a long way to go, but I have no doubt I'll get there.

Thank you so much to the MFP community, the active forum members, all of my awesome friends (here on MFP and in real life) and of course the creator of MFP, Mike, for creating an amazing tool and community that has played a huge part in helping me change my life.

Now on with the pics!

jennla32

OMG you look amazing! Your face doesn't even look the same at ALL! I'm soo impressed! Thanks for sharing...and congrats!!!!

becoming_a_new_me

You are totally amazing!! You were handsome before, but you are so much more than that now! The happiness just glows through you!!

JacksMom12

Amazing!!

tjk71

AMAZING!!! Well done.........very inspiring!

JenniTheVeggie

Amazing! Truly an inspiration!

I felt the same way when I started about it being an impossible task. But I know I can and will do it! Success stories like you just reinforce my determination! : )

Jude1064

GREAT JOB!!! You look amazing. Thanks for giving me some much needed inspiration.

ssbarfarkle

What an a complishment!!! Very inspiring!!

YoYo1951

Wow, what an inspiration to look at your progress. You look amazing, and much more happy. Keep up the good fight, you are doing it.

merseyblue

Wow! Congratulations. You have done amazingly well and look totally hot x

MountainDont351LBS

That is awesome!!!! Great job!!!!

Lindawoj1

Wish I read this before I had a snack. Way to go!!!! You are as amazing as your accomplishments. Keep up the good work.

Jnine25

You look fantastic!!! and so much happier!!! There is a lot to be said for the support we get on here. I have only lost twenty pounds so far, but without my MFP friends, I would not have lasted this long. They give me the motivation and inspiration everyday to keep striving towards my goal. It is people like you that let me know I just have to keep battling and keep on doing it no matter what. Thanks for your post!!!

lose4good1

You look awesome. Give yourself a big pat on the back your preserverence has paid off

BackTatJIM

your the man!

StarkLark

Thank you so much everyone! I can't wait to post new pictures a year from now! :drinker: :bigsmile:

ajoy1332

Wow! You look incredible!! Great Job!!

slkehl

You rock!

kimby57

Great Job! Thanks for sharing, I just got back from vacation and was feeling low cuz I gained a 6 lbs back. Now I'm inspired to jump back on the wagon and go work out. :bigsmile:

JPJN

Awsome. You are an inspiration.

jodylynnbudd

You are truly an inspiration to all of us just starting (for the 50th time!) LOL What an amazing transformation! Gives me the get up and go to get this weight up and gone!