I did it for Rock and Roll!

This is not necessarily a weight loss success, as I still have another 40ish pounds to lose. This IS a fitness, determination and stamina success story though, and I am proud of myself. A few years ago I was diagnosed with a rare lung disease which will require a double lung transplant within the next year or so. This was pretty heavy news for a singer in a rock band and basically I said "*kitten* it" for the first year and packed on about 30 pounds. Fast forward through a lot of *kitten* and hospital stays and scary moments to about six months ago. I tried to sing again with some friend's band...no go, no lung capacity no power no NOTHING. Well, that #$ssed me off. I had tried all manner of ways to lose weight, very very low calorie etc. So I finally did what my Doc said and cut out the sugar and carbs and joined pulmonary rehab (just monitored exercise) finished rehab, and joined the gym. Worked out (still doing it) heavy lifting 3x a week, and cardio 3x a week. Have lost 26lbs, all the water retention that was causing heart problems (CHF) and a lot of the bloat around my belly making it even harder to breathe. I work out more and harder than some of my "healthy" friends now.
The culmination of my efforts, for now, happened this past Saturday night when my band got to reunite for one last show, and I sounded better than I ever have! We kicked *kitten* to a packed house and I haven't felt that good in a long time!!! I don't exercise for weight loss. I exercise to SING! Edited to say that even though I could barely move the next day, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

tl;Dr: couldn't sing before exercise, could sing after. Take THAT pulmonary fibrosis!




Ok, I can't get this damn picture thing to work