My weight loss journey before and after pics

CONGRATS!!!! WOW!!!! That is EXCELLENT. How long did it take you two to get to where you are now, and what did you do to get there. Keep up the GREAT WORK you are doing to take care of your health

I have been working on losing weight in many different ways (atkins diet, vegetarian lifestyle, increased exercise, & calorie counting) for around 11-12 years. My weight has dropped in fits and spurts and I had periods of weight gain in between. My story is already in the Success Stories category under "My weight loss journey". I just recently got down to (below actually) my goal weight, using myfitnesspal to keep track of my calories and exercise. It's really all about accountability.

My husband has tried in the past to lose weight without much success. About 14 months ago he decided to really put all his effort into losing weight via diet and exercise. He started off with a 1400 calories/day and regular exercise (more cardio than weight lifting). It took about 6 months to lose 20-25 lbs. So he visited his doctor to see if they could tell him why he was having such a hard time losing weight. The doctor referred him to the bariatric surgery department for a consultation. He didn't want to have surgery, so he asked them what the surgery would do to make him lose weight. Their response was that it would basically force him to only consume 700-800 calories/day. He said no to the surgery and instead reduced his calorie intake to 700-800 calories/day.
We found several low calorie, high protein, low sugar bars, shakes, and snack bars. He says the trick is to drink lots of water when you are feeling hungry. A protein shake (we use Spirutein Unsweetened with unsweetened almond milk or flax milk, and your preferred no calorie sweetener) for breakfast, a Nugo Slim bar for a snack, a Quest Protein Bar (these are amazing! low sugar, great flavor, and with 20-21g protein) for lunch, then a real food dinner (200-250 calories). We are vegetarian so the dinner is usually some sort of vegetable medley with low calorie hommus and salsa. The biggest factor in choosing the food we eat is how much benefit are we getting out of the food. He is only 16 lbs away from his fat loss goal and has started to increase his calorie intake. He is up to 1000 cals/day. I couldn't be more proud of my husband! He has lost 178 in 14 months!

By the way, some of the main keys to our success are that we don't drink any alcohol, we severely limit the sugar in our diet, we don't eat meat or eggs, and we also severely limit the simple carbs in our diet.

Thank you all for your words of support! I love being an inspiration to others! And yes we feel great, though there are some side effects of losing so much weight. Our bodies aren't as good at regulating heat (we get cold very easy), we no longer have the cushioning around our bones (sitting/laying for prolonged periods or on hard surfaces is very uncomfortable), and of course if we crouch, kneel, or bend over and then stand up quickly all the blood rushes from our heads and we feel like we will pass out. So, if you make the decision to lose the weight, come up with a plan to accomplish your goals, then stick to the plan regardless of naysayers, you can lose weight and be healthier! Good luck all!