How can someone get to 538lbs?

OP, Thanks so much for your candor. Self-examination is hard enough when you plan on keeping it to yourself, but to share it with the Internet without pulling any punches....that takes some stones. I hit 408 because I ate whatever I wanted because I didn't care whether I lived or died, or about much of anything else. It took me a long while, and the love of a good woman to find value in both myself, and in my life. You're farther along than I am, but it's super encouraging to see someone that much further along the road I've been on, and am still traveling. You seem a good man, and I appreciate your sharing!

A few people have asked to see some images of my loss so far so here it is, the girl in the picture is my new niece Ella. She is much bigger now.

Beautiful little girl and your personal angel. :flowerforyou:

Thanks for showing us your friend.

Wow....what an amazing post and story! Congrats on starting this journey and good luck to you on the rest! Don't feel like you have wasted your life! We all have regrets but did not waste our time. We just spent it living a different way! :flowerforyou:

Thank you so much for sharing your story OP! Three years ago, I tipped the scales at my ultimate highest weight of 428lbs on a 5'1.5" frame. Every move I made was painful, I suffered from extreme edema of the lower extremities which caused my feet to swell so tightly each step I took felt as if the skin were ripping and my lower back hurt so much that just moving from my couch to my bathroom was excruciating. I was miserable and ashamed and I didn't leave the house for over a year because as you know people could be incredibly cruel..especially when it comes to something they don't understand. I wished for death every single day..it really was no kind of life. Like you, I felt the challenges I faced ahead were incredibly daunting and maybe even impossible. How could I possibly lose weight if I could barely move?

Luckily, with the encouragement of my late grandmother I managed to find some spark of hope within myself and I slowly started to make an attempt to change my life around. Prior to MFP I lost 51 lbs following a low carb diet and herbal life (do not recommend), but it quickly grew old (and expensive) and just when I was ready to give up a friend introduced me to this site. I've since managed to lose 169 lbs with MFP for a total combined weight loss to date of 220 lbs. It hasn't been easy, the struggle is mental just as much as it is physical but it's not impossible.

Last Summer I went to Puerto Rico and sat in an airplane seat without the need for an extension or an extra seat. It was surreal and despite the sad events that led me to Puerto Rico (my grandmother's death) I think I smiled that entire flight. Little things like fitting into restaurant booths, or rides at the amusement parks thrill me to the point of tears. I've recently started jogging. JOGGING. I never thought I'd see the day. I was a prisoner in my own body for so long, and now my only regret is that I didn't start sooner.

I'm very sorry for the loss of your niece, but I commend you for finding the strength to move forward. I think you are incredibly brave, and you've come so far already I have no doubt you will achieve all you want and more.

I wish you the very best of luck!! :flowerforyou:

OP - You have made an amazing transformation. I read your story with tears in my eyes. Your pain and journey are so evident. You should be very, very proud of how far you've come. The picture of you and your younger niece and you after losing 150 pounds are both beautiful for very different reasons. I wish you the best of luck on your journey. And I know there's a guardian angel up there cheering you on. Be so proud of all your accomplishments. Losing weight is just one of them. Seeing why and how you got there and having the drive to fix it is even bigger in my humble opinion.

Wow...
This is truly inspiring to read! Thank you for opening up and sharing your story with us!

As many others have said; I'm so sorry about our niece! The loss of a child (whether your own or not) is devastating! I lost both of my daughters in 2009 and that is when I started packing on the pounds. It's how I dealt with my anger, sadness, confusion of it all...I sympathize with you on some level and I'm inspired to see your changes and dedication and to see how strong you are to have gone forward to get healthy!

You're doing an amazing job! I wish you the very best!!

Thank you for sharing. You have left me speechless and teary eyed. Congratulations on your loss. (((((( hugs ))))

live it up my friend! its never too late. (although i too suffer from regrets regarding my weight.)