55 lbs lost - New Man (Pic Heavy)

Okay people,
I've been waiting for this day for a long time. I started over 2 years ago on this journey to find myself. I left the Army in 2009 after 8 years of service and gained 50+ lbs within just a few months. I found out that my wife wasn't happy and we were divorced within the same year. I had PTSD and was already in counseling for that as well. I couldn't figure out why life was worth living outside having my kids and then I thought I might lose them too. My doctor told me I had high blood pressure and that I needed to start exercising regularly. It was the beginning of what would probably be my downfall. I couldn't understand how I let myself go so quickly. In fact, with the divorce, she took my dog, she took my home, and she took 85% of the friends with her. So I was low, very low at this point in my life.

My weight loss journey starts with one single day, looking at www.peopleofwallmart.com with my coworkers. I'm a bit of a jokester, so we were laughing at a picture of this obese woman wearing skin tight clothing. One of my coworkers, which is obese himself looked at me and said, "Dude, you aren't much smaller than her, what are you laughing at?" It hit me like a ton of bricks. I had been failing to diet for so long because I was in and out of the fad diets, no exercise, doing some stupid stuff. I have counted how many calories i was eating in one day and there were days where i would eat over 6000 calories. Then, all of a sudden, I decided that I was going to lose weight no matter what, starting immediately. I walked straight to one of my friends that had lost some weight and kept it off. He told me about this website and I became obsessed.

Within the first 2 weeks I had lost 20 lbs. I cut out the excessive eating habits and started exercising, within a year I was 220 lbs. I have had trouble with some plateau'ing and stuff, but I have held out. I am happy to say that I am actually skinnier and in better shape than I was the entire time I was in the Army. In fact, I became a runner. I've been in over 20 races to date and have actually done very well. I ran the Detroit Free Press Marathon late last year and have two more marathons planned for this year, not to mention three triathlons and about a dozen other races. I'm officially at 193 lbs and plan to lose about 13 more before starting my maintenance mode.

I'm very active now, not only am i running regularly, but i am also playing softball, volleyball, swimming, biking, and even golfing.

So, to finish it off, I want to let everyone know that I am once again a happy man. My ex-wife makes it a point to check me out every time I pickup the kids, which is quite often. It is a GREAT feeling knowing that she is checking you out and all you can think is, "oh hell no", LMAO! For once in my life I don't have any commitments other than my kids and it feels amazing. My sister told me one day, "Scott, you need to stop committing to things, you are a commitment junkee," and I took her advice and said no to everyone and everything in the ways of commitment, i even got rid of cable. I have two commitments in my life and don't plan to have any others until i feel i am ready for another one, those commitments are to me and my kids and that is all. One day I hope to find a wife and settle down again, but that day is not today. =-D

What 55 lbs looks like:


Me completing the Detroit Free Press Marathon:


The two people I love most that I will never give up on:
[img]http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg338/Yokourio/Facebook/Profile Pictures/311291_1475237697427_1920683_n.jpg[/img]

My race wall: