33lbs lost in 5 months - MFP works!

I wanted to share my humble success with the forums in the hope that maybe some people who are starting out can get something helpful from it. I started MFP in April 2012 weighing about 210lbs. A family member suggested I check it out, and I downloaded the app not expecting much from it. I had never dieted before, and had been pretty active, but had very little knowledge of how to eat in a healthy, balanced way.

The first two weeks or so were difficult! I had to learn which foods were balanced and not too high in calories, fat or sugar. I laugh when I look at my diary from when I began this, such funny food choices but I was a beginner! My wonderfully supportive Wife and I started our MFP diaries together, we logged all our food, and became proactive about exercising even a little every day.

After 5 months I had learned so much, how to eat a balanced meal, how to exercise in a smart way, and most importantly how to lose weight in a safe way without starving myself or using any tricks to get ahead. I have become a much better cook, I have made some fantastic friends on here and I feel so much better for all the effort we put into this. The only exercises we do are high-paced walks and kettle bell cardio and strength routines (KettleWorx).

33lbs is tiny compared to what some people have lost, but for me I am at my goal weight. I just really wanted to say that weight loss and healthier living are completely achievable if you just put the effort into it. Our success was based solely off eating balanced meals and working out, and *always* prioritizing safety. I am grateful for my progress, my goal now is to maintain my weight, and to achieve some modest muscular tone so I can make my better half blush

I also wanted to add that an accurate kitchen scale, and a heart rate monitor with a chest strap are two of the most useful things we have found to help us out, when we first began logging without these two things. MFP estimated our calorie burns as way too high, and we were eating back calories that we didn't actually burn off! The kitchen scale is awesome for getting an accurate weight on portions sizes too.

So thanks MFP and my friends for your support, I've learned a lot and I'm still learning!