Thank you for sharing your

First I want to say you're welcome and thank you. Knowing that I can inspire someone else to keep going and pushing to their goal is motivation in and of itself. My story isn't as "epic" as most, but I can share.

I've never been super fit, although I played baseball while growing up for about 10 year and made it into the little league hall of fame, I never really concentrated on working out or anything. I basically just ate whatever I wanted growing up and ran around like every other kid in my generation. Once High School hit I went through a lot of trials and such with my parents. My father was an alcoholic and addicted to many different drugs and my mother drank a decent amount herself. I began to mentally shut down and not care about anything anymore. That started my downhill slope into poor health and fitness. I entered High School at around 165lbs and left at around 235lbs. Nothing too drastic taking growth spurts and everything else into consideration, but it wasn't healthy weight. I began to become sluggish, couldn't even run a mile, and overall just lazy.

After leaving high school I got my own apartment at 19 years old and this began the SPRINT downhill. Drinking a lot, partying all the time, never working out, and overall just becoming a slob.

Years later, I fell into a deep depression after my brother enlisted and was sent all over the place. He was my rock growing up and having him "torn" from my life hit me pretty hard. Then shortly after my father-in-law passed away, the first real father figure in my life, suddenly taken from me without warning.

I began to gain weight like crazy and at my "peak" I reached 315lbs. I had to hold my breath to tie my shoes/boots, I would get winded just climbing stairs, and overall just gave up on any physical activity.

One day, I came home from work and great news was waiting. My fiancee announces that shes pregnant. This was the shining light and hope I needed. I realized that I didn't want to watch my daughter grow up from the sidelines. I wanted to be able to play with her, not watch her play.

Overnight I became a fitness Nazi. I watched EVERYTHING I ate, went to the gym religiously at 5am with a friend of mine. Every free moment of my time became time to make a change. Gain control of my life and really dig deep for a better way of life.

Long story short, my daughter saved my life. My 100lb weight loss journey is almost over and its all thanks to the motivation that my daughter has given me.

I love you Sophia Leigh with all my heart and I can never repay what you have given me. A second life.

Wow truly inspiring and can relate soo much because my son is my inspiration!!! Congrats on ur success and continued success!

I hope to inspire as well. Here is my story:

I was a fat kid and obese my entire life until a month or so ago and I will never go back. The heaviest I have seen on a scale was 295 lbs. About a month later I was affraid to step on it again and decided to try to do something about it. I lost a few pounds and then re-injured my knee playing basketball with my son. After rehabing it for 6 months or so I decided to get it looked at and had an MRI and my second surgery on that knee. The medial meniscus was completely removed due to it being a shredded mess and I was diagnosed by the surgeon with grade 4 osteoarthritis on both the femur and the tibia and also under the knee cap. I had to purchas a $1200.00 knee brace and I was told to get comfortable with walking with a cane. I am 37 years old and the surgeon said I had the knee of a severly arthritic 65 year old man. My only option is to have a total knee replacement but I am way to young and have not found a surgeon willing to do it due to the fact that they only last 20 years and are extremely difficult to fix once they wear out. I was told I can no longer do any activities that have impact at all and was told to start swimming and bike riding and that I need to get under a 25 BMI just to be able to live with the knee until I am in my mid 50's and old enough to get the replacement. So in January 2012 I decided to make a lifestyle change that I knew I could keep up. I have lost 117 lbs to date and feel amazing. When I hit 184 lbs I was no longer obese and now I am at 178 and still working on things. I told myself back in January that I would not eat sweets until I was down to 190 and except for a dessert at Easter dinner I kept to it. I quite drinking back in November 2011 which was huge and it alone cut a ton of calories. I renewed my membership to our pool and started walking in the shallow end and after a few months I started swimming laps. This progressed to me swimming a mile every morning before work Monday thru Friday. I was not the fastest swimmer and I am still not but everyone of the guys in the locker room tell me almost daily how ispiring I am and how I am the incredible shrinking man. Some even admit that they were mad at me because they were not losing but I have passed them by on my journey. Every comment was a boost for me and I continue to be active I swim now 4 days a week and I bought a bike a month or so ago and last Sunday I rode over 33 miles in under 3 hours and it felt great. I plan on making that ride again this Sunday. When peopl ask what diet I'm on I simply explain that I am not on a diet. I made a lifestyle change. I do not eat any different food then I did before I started this however portion control is the key. I have eaten pizza almost weekly but you know the differnece is 3 pieces of veggie pizza over 5 or 6 pepperoni pieces. I don't eat much sweets in fact it turns out that I really can only handle sweet stuff in small amounts or I get a stomach ache. I tried to eat under my calorie goal as much a spossible but I didn't fret it if I went over a little cause I was being active and I know I'm on the right path. I have not tracked my calories now for awhile which was huge for me and I have continued to lose the weight. Most importantly to me is I feel great. I'm not saying I cured my arthiritis or that the joints don't hurt cause they do everyday and I still wear my brace day in and day out but I don't use a cane anymore and I have found things I never knew I had like an adams apple and a rib cage and quads for day's. I hope this helps you on your journey. Feel free to add me and I try to be supportive to the people who do!

SW: 295 or so


In Onederland



184 lbs


Face comparison


117 lbs lost but who's counting. Oh yeah ME!!!!!

Amazing story! I saw your pictures a few weeks back and was showing it to a co-worker showing the transformations that can happen with hard work and dedication. Thanks for sharing!

You have done an amazing job yourself!