My Journey from 260 plus to 189

I'm not really sure what it was that finally clicked in my brain to change everything - maybe it was my doctor telling me I was on the cusp of needing diabetes medication, or my insurance being more because I was overweight. Maybe it was because I was always tired, and felt I wasn't spending the quality time I thought I should with my kids, or it might have simply been seeing myself in photos, which I hated.
I think it was all the above, but on the day it happened, I never looked back. I stayed the course no matter how discouraged I got some days. I changed all my eating habits - eating as clean as I could manage. That meant no more fried foods, soda pop, bars, potato chips, or beer! Do I have a 'TREAT' meal? Yes I do. It's Friday night, where I will have one meal of whatever I like (but within my calories for the day!).
When I started I was over 262 lbs (I say 'over' because that was the last number I remember before I stopped weighing myself!). I started eating clean, and in a couple weeks I weighed myself and 262 was now my new start. I started adding a few workouts a week and the weight started dropping. I lost 15lbs before I joined MFP.com. I started counting calories, and continued with light workouts - learning everything I could about foods and exercise!
7-8 months later I reached my goal of getting below 200lbs!! Woohoo! and have learned to maintain my weight and add muscle too. Now I go to the gym 5-6 times a week and do a half hour of cardio on the days I don't.
It has been an amazing journey and there is NO WAY I could have done it without MFP and all my amazing friends on here!! I still remember getting a message one evening,when I didn't want to go to the gym, the read "You're an inspiration! Keep pushing!". How could I possibly sit there?! I got up and went to the gym.
My advise for anyone wanting to use MFP to help them lose weight: Don't cheat on your diary! You're cheating yourself! And not logging a day because you ate too much is silly! You ate it - own up to it! That's what MFP is for! This is for YOU! The support is here! Find friends who share the same goals, and keep pushing each other! This place is AWESOME!!!!!