Over half way there - 45 pounds down in less than 15 weeks

The success stories and message boards on MFP have really helped push me and keep me going. Some of the transformations have been truly eye opening.

I am only at my midway point, but I wanted to share my "little" victory...


At 37 years of age, I realized that my health was going in the wrong direction.

After a pretty messy divorce, followed by two years of grad school, I completely let myself go. My blood pressure was high, my HDL was way too low, my waist/belly measurement was just out of control. I wasn't happy with the way I looked, but I felt like I wouldn't live to 60 with the way that I was going.

I ate like complete crap. I downed regular pop/soda by the 2 liter. I skipped breakfast, and ate all sorts of bad stuff late at night. I didn't exercise. Basically, a recipe for disaster.

In July, I moved up to Minnesota for a new job and a new lease on life. This was the time that I was going to change my lfiestyle and habits. I have an amazingly supportive family, and phenomenal friends.

On July 15, 2013, I weighed in at the heaviest I have ever been, 255 pounds. The scarier number was that my waist (measured at my belly button was 49 inches). I store fat around the midsection, like a lot of guys, and this just isn't good for long term health. Fast forward to today, November 26th, and and I reached a new low of 210 pounds, and a 42 inch waist (note I measure my waist at full exhale/pushed out...regular posture I am just a hair under 40 inches).

I've had good days and bad days along this 14 1/2 week journey, but you must just push through. You don't need to make all of your changes at once. For the first 2 weeks, I just cut out regular pop/soda, and lost from just doing that. Then I got my nutrition in order. Then I added in cardio. Finally, about 5 weeks ago, I added weightlifting to the mix.

Starting condition (July15, 2013):
Bodyweight: 255 pounds
Waist: 49 inches (fully pushed out)
Chest: 48 inches
Neck: 18.5 inches
Blood pressure: 145/96
HDL: 26


Current condition (November 25, 2013):
Bodyweight: 210 pounds
Waist: 42 inches (fully pushed out)
Chest: 46 inches
Neck: 17 inches
Blood pressure: 128/88
HDL: ?

For me, goal setting was very important. At work, we had a 8 week weight loss contest that ended a couple of weeks ago. Out of 13,300 participants, I finished #16th...and the first place person's weight loss included giving birth to an 8 pound baby during the contest period ;-) Overall, I am now down 45 pounds in about 17 weeks.


In terms of intermediate/long-term goals, in 4 weeks I am visiting my girlfriend's family for the first time, so I am gunning to break below the magic 200 pound barrier by then. In February we are going to Cancun, so I am gunning to be around 170-180 pounds and somewhere between 12-15% bodyfat to look like I want to in a bathing suit.

My nutrition is definitely low carb, but I do allow myself to "splurge" from time to time on carb heavy meals. For the majority of the period I have been in ketosis. It is definitely not for everyone, but it has helped me in two important ways. First, it helped me get some very quick weight loss at the beginning (even if some of it was water and glycogen depletion) and this helped mentally get excited. Second, I am just not hungry. When I consumer higher levels of carbs, I naturally consume more calories than my TDEE. With low carbs, I naturally consume less calories than my TDEE. I really don't count calories now because I don't need to.







Although I certainly enjoy looking better, and younger, I am most happy about the health changes so far. I have so much more energy, i'm getting much better sleep, I'm not winded going up stairs, and my blood pressure is done into the normal range :-)

P.S. I am always looking for new MFP friends!