Doctor results and 1 year in (pics)

This is my first post on the boards but I thought I'd share a victory and a success story as well as some photos. Last year in September I went for an annual doctors visit and got the very scary news that my blood sugar was borderline pre-diabetic, that my cholesterol was high at around 223 and that my blood pressure wasn't great. I was around 292 pounds at that point. I didn't realize how awful I felt or how badly I had been treating myself. It's so easy to just get used to the body you're in.

I was so mad at myself for so many reasons that all of you I am sure are familiar with yourselves. We've all been there and I don't need to say those things again. I have been heavy all my life, have so many bad feelings and memories associated with it and have struggled with weight even as a college athlete. When I was upset about these results and talking to a friend she said to me "You have always your whole life done your best work when backed up against a wall. This is no different. Take the passion you put into your career and your independence and channel it, for once, into your health." It was right around that moment that I resolved myself and took my first walk. I struggled just to walk 20 minutes and a half mile a year ago.

So that brings me to today. I just got my results back from the doctor. This year, I've run (RUN!) six 5Ks (albeit very slowly), learned to love exercising, lost 65 pounds, visiting a trainer regularly and pushed myself as hard I could... and that's all been wonderful and I feel triumphant but it was really these doctor results that I was focused on. Health, not weight.

So my doctor called and the results are in: My cholesterol is a healthy 187, my sugar is back in completely normal range and my blood pressure is totally normal. I have been able to in a year turn it all around and I could not be happier about those results. I've gone from a size 22/24 to a 16. I can borrow my friends cloths. I feel antsy when I don't work out. I choose me.

I have a long way to go. Another 50 pounds at least if not more, but I keep reminding myself this is a marathon, not a race. And if it takes me another year then so be it. I'd like to run a 10k this year. I'd like to get under 200 pounds, but most of all I'd like to continue to be healthy.