42 Lbs lost with before&after pictures

1960HikerDude
1960HikerDude Posts: 215 Member
in Success Stories
Hey Folks,

I've been at this for six months now. I though I'd share my experience with you.

My weight had crept up along with my blood pressure over a couple years. I had also been dealing with sleep apnea and chronic low back pain.

My girlfriend and my doctor had been after me to loose the excess weight for some time. I made several aborted attempts. But I just couldn't find the motivation to keep going. The turning point came in April, I found myself sitting in my doctor's at a follow-up appointment that I had been dreading. My doctor had been threatening to put me on blood pressure meds. And I had not done any of the things she told me to do. My doctor told me my BMI was 32.67, which means the I was obese. Hearing the "O" word really got to me. I have always seen myself as an active outdoorsy person.

At that moment, I realized that I was at a crossroads. At age 51 I could continue with my un-healthy ways and end up more and worse chronic conditions that would limit my ability to enjoy the things I love. Or I could adopt a healthier lifestyle that would allow me to be active and enjoy the outdoors late into my life.

So, I started eating more fresh fruit and vegetables and cooking all my own meals, in addition, I started walking 4-5 times a week. Now, I run 4-5 times a week. I've also been hiking 2 to 3 times a month. I even managed to summit Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast.. And of course, I use MFP to track my calorie intake. Here is the result.

before_after.jpg

I've lost 42 Lbs (35 since joining MFP)
My BMI has dropped from 32.67 to 27.15.
My blood pressure reading are consistently in the normal range (< 120/80)
My cholesterol has dropped from 182 to 174
My HDL (good cholesterol) has risen from 28 to 44

I still have work to do. I need to loose another 20 Lbs to get to a healthy BMI. My chronic back pain has gotten better. But, I'm still having issues. And, I'm hoping I can get off my CPAP when I reach my goal.

I plan to stick with it. I am really looking forward to the winter hiking season.

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