True Success

Already posted some pics a bit ago, but will drop them in here again down below for reference....

I hadn't planned on posting again until I hit my goal weight, but I had a doc appt today and saw the "real" success I was looking for when started, so here goes...

I undertook this life change as my doc had been riding me about my blood sugar, my cholesterol, etc for a while. I'm also PCOS and have been diagnosed hypothyroid for 20+ years...nothing I can do to fix that, but I didn't need to aggravate things by being overweight.

Had a doc appt today to follow up my recent bloodwork and the results are...normal...blood sugar normal, cholesterol normal...everything right at normal. BMI is just a touch above normal. I'm not disappointed that I look a lot better with my weight loss and I love that I can do yoga, climb hills, and lift heavy things, but I was really super pumped that my effort is actually making a medical difference, which is what I set out to do!.

So, what did I do?...I came on here and got my eating straightened out...simply a calorie deficit and I try to watch my carbs cuz of my pre-diabetes. Not a super low carber or anything, but I try to keep them below 35% and am usually successful with getting most of those carbs from low GI foods, whole grains, and so on....I do still enjoy a little cake, a choc chip cookie, or maybe even a Caramilk bar once in a while, though...a girl has got to live, you know. Once I had an idea what I was doing with food (about 2 months in), I joined the gym and learned how to lift to avoid losing too much muscle mass on the calorie deficit. I got someone to teach me the basics and have been doing a bastardized SL 5x5 type routine. I'll be honest and admit I hate, hate, hate cardio...I walk my very energetic dog and I have a treadmill at home that I force myself onto a couple times a week, but damn, I hate cardio. :grumble: Despite my hate, my winter goal is to learn how to jog and maybe even to like it.. I know my dog will appreciate me for it

The stats -

H-5'3
SW 205lb
CW 142.8
GW 130???--doc says 5 more lbs is plenty and I don't need to go as low as my original goal, but jury is still out

Anyhoo, keep it up, everyone...it's so worth it.

So, a before and a progress so far pic...