7+ years, ups and downs, still going.

My weight loss journey began back in May of 2007. My mom was overweight for most of her life, and also a diabetic. Thus, I saw the toll it took on her - she developed neuropathy in her feet and lost her sight to retinopathy. In May of 2007, I was at a friend's house for a cookout and pool party. As I was in the bathroom changing into my swim trunks, I looked in the mirror and did not like what I saw. I weighed 237 lbs then and knew I needed to do something about it. I began to walk at least 5 days a week and started eating healthy as well. By September 2007, I was down to 178 lbs. My weight fluctuated after that, but I managed to stay under 200 until last year. The beginning of 2014 was a very stressful time in my life, and I went back up to 212 or so. Last summer, I began a run/walk interval program and brought my weight back down into the 180s. Then I joined a local gym in December, and today I weigh 185 with a body fat percentage of 19.4. In March, I'll be taking on the challenge of my second half marathon.

I am not sure if the before pic here is from 2007, but it does represent what I looked like then.

Hope this encourages and inspires someone. Thank you for reading.