42 Lbs lost with before&after pictures

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.



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.