5'11", 40lb down, in progress, pics

I'm just a lb shy of meeting my official half way goal of 41lbs but I thought I'd share my progress anyways since 40 is still pretty awesome. I first decided to lose weight this summer when I realized my pants yet again were too tight. Up to this point I just kept telling myself it wasn't a big deal. I was already unhappy with wearing a size 18, and I didn't want to have to buy more pants so quickly just because of my bad habits. The scale was also slowly increasing towards 250 and I realized that I was on a good course to ending up like my mother, morbidly obese. Seeing her now diagnosed with diabetes and having a hard time walking from one side of the house to the other, I decided I didn't want that to be my future.

I also started to notice a lot more health problems. My back was hurting more, I felt tired all the time. When I moved over the summer to a new apartment I kept throwing out my back and it would take a week to recover only to get thrown out again with the slightest provocation. I suppose I'm also what you might call a surviver of having a DVT. I had a blood clot in my leg 6 years ago which has left my left leg and veins a bit damaged. It wasn't caused by health, but hormonal birth control, but either way I didn't want to risk having another one because of being obese (additionally I'm more at risk because the prior DVT and a genetic predisposition). I decided that since I'm only 24, that this is when I'm supposed to be at my healthiest, not falling apart. I wanted to strengthen my leg (I still limp a little when my circulation gets bad) and get back to a healthy BMI.

Since I've started I've noticed my back never hurts. My leg has gotten better, specially when I was doing C25K (I had to stop when school started again and it got cold). I can now jog faster and longer than I could even before my DVT. My varicose veins are getting better and I don't feel the blood settling in my leg as much as before. My snoring has stopped, which was a great bonus. I've lost 2 pants sizes, probably a shirt size (though I keep wearing them anyways), and a bra size (cup and band). Even my watch has needed some tightening. My ring size has also dropped two sizes and I can fit back into my promise ring from high school. And probably best of all, I'm no longer obese, just overweight. Which I haven't been in five years, and it's great to be back.

Okay, enough jabbering. Onto pictures. I don't have any pictures really of my legs. I'm not really comfortable showing them, but I think you can still get the gist.

Before, at about 247.



After, about 2lbs heavier than now.



Timeline of progress.



And as of this morning.



Edit: I didn't post side pictures. Thought you might want to see those too since I'm kinda wide. lol

At 237 from the side.



At 207 from the side.



I really appreciate everyone on MFP for always sharing their own successes and being so friendly. The support and motivation has really made it possible for me to get to this point. If you have questions or comments feel free to ask away. You can also friend me if you'd like.