39.5 lbs lost and I feel great!

I'm 51 years old. Heart disease due to poor diet and unhealthy lifestyles has claimed the lives of several family members: My older brother at 56, two grandparents at 58, an uncle at 39. Although heart disease can be hereditary, I think their early deaths could have been prevented had they taken better care of themselves. For example, my mother is relatively healthy at 89 and another uncle will turn 91 this July.

I got a wake-up call when I tipped the scales at 250 in January 2014. I was uncomfortable. My clothes didn't fit well. I was tired. Triglycerides were high and HDL cholesterol was dangerously low. My doctor said we get the first half of our lives for free and we have to work for the second half. Good advice indeed.

I joined MyFitnessPal, got a FitBit, and synced them together. I got back on the old-school 1980's-era Schwinn Airdyne exercise bike I brought from my parents' house. I quit drinking sodas altogether. I walk as much as I can. I bike to work when I can. I watch my portions via MFP without giving up foods I love. I drink about a gallon of water a day. Bottom line: IT'S WORKING AND I FEEL GREAT! My wife has pulled my "skinny pants" out of storage and I'm going to have to get some smaller belts. Can't wait to see what my numbers will be the next time I have blood work done. I'll soon be back to what I weighed when I was in college 30 years ago.