Two years, just 20lbs but a huge difference - loads of pics

It's a familiar story. In the dying embers of my twenties, I found I'd got complacent and contented. In a well-paid job, "Let's just get a takeaway" or "Let's open a second bottle of wine, Thursday is the new Friday after all," became my siren call.

Moving to a new office, I ended up sharing an office with an Australian girl who was the most super-fit person I'd ever encountered - she ran marathons and could do a triathlon at the drop of a hat. Aged 29 I was wearing a size 18 (US size 14) polyester trouser suit and getting out of breath climbing stairs. With my colleague's encouragement, I joined the local YMCA gym. Starting with basic gym work and beginner's aerobics, I worked my way up to high-impact classes and circuit training. I can remember running my first mile on the treadmill as if it were yesterday. It took me 13.5 minutes, and I felt, and looked, as if I'd explode.

But within months I was running 5Ks, then 10Ks. I took part in a relay triathlon, then a sprint triathlon of my own. At my fittest, I took part in The X Zone, a hardcore fitness competition, in 2001. I looked like this:


I weep for that tiny waist!

But something went wrong. I felt that was it, I was fit, I didn't need to work at it any more. I threw away my Big Book Of Calories, and although I never abandoned fitness altogether, I didn't have any goals. Then I changed careers to journalism, a high-stress, low-pay job if ever there was one. After a long illness my mum died, I took it out on my partner, and ended up single, clinically depressed, and very, very fat. Here I am aged 43, once again straining size 18 clothes, and weighing 14 stone (196lbs):



Realising I needed to get fit, and armed with my new smartphone, I started shopping for apps (free ones because I was broke!). I tried a few running and walking trackers which got me mobile but weren't terribly inspirational. Then I stumbled across MFP, which I was a bit meh about as as standalone app until I discovered the motivational forums and made awesome, inspirational friends.

I did a lot of this:


Bought a lot of this from the local market:


Sweated this much:


And ran to Zombies, Run!, even in the rain:


I ate more to lose more, usually more than 2,000 calories a day. I tried lifting heavy, but it wasn't for me (too hurty to run the next day, easily bored, and no squat rack), and ended up doing more dynamic resistance work, especially kettlebells, and circuit training style exercise DVDs. If I couldn't do anything else, I'd walk fast at lunchtime.

At one point I'd lost 28lb, or two stones in old money. I was disappointed to put 8lb back on, but you know what? The number on the scale doesn't matter. Unless you have it tattooed on your forehead, no-one's going to see it except you.

Today I look like this:


I still have a long way to go in terms of shifting body composition and increasing fitness, but that's nothing compared with how far I've come, and I couldn't have done it without you. MFP friends. Thank you :flowerforyou: