743 days on MFP, I year at Maintenance

around 743 days ago I was sitting one night watching Army wives with my wife. Was one of those shows that we would watch together on netflix. In the particular episode the Generals wife who was a fit attractive late came down with Diabetes. I thought to myself OMG if someone like that can get Diabetes what does that mean for me. Morbidly Obese, Drinking 4-5 cans of coke a day and eating as much of whatever I felt like with no thought.

I woke up the next morning and thought I will log my calories for a week to see how bad i am. Won't make any changes just log my food. It is amazing the decisions you make when your logging food and being accountable. All of a sudden without thinking your not upsizing that meal. That lasted 2 days before I went all in on changing my lifestyle.

That is me probably at my heaviest
I had yet to weigh myself as I did not own a scale and could not find one that would reliably weigh over 300lbs. My guess is at my heaviest I was probably about 350. I set a goal weight of of 185, thinking that was a good number. I remembered weight that once in High School when active. At 5'9 it is still heavy but I figured it is better than where I am now.

I logged everything and weighed everything. I became an obsession in the eyes of those around me. But I never deprived myself of anything. If I wanted an Ice Cream with the family I would go. I would just make sure it fit my day and would not do it to often. I Found alternatives for some stuff but never went without. I started running, but that did not go well. 300lbs crashing down on your legs and feet does a world of hurt and soon had Runners knee, tendinitis in my feet and shin splints. So I bought I bike. Makes me laugh today, my first ride on that bike was just under 5km in May or June of 2014. I had to walk up a hill pushing the bike. I got back to car at start of bike path hoped off Bike and my legs gave out and I hit the ground.

August of 2014, the wieght was coming off. I look at this photo now and think wow. I actually thought I was looking good and proud.

As the weight started coming off I looked at my goal weight and thought 165 was a better target. Put me in Healthy BMI range and not overly thin. It was a target weight that was actually sensible. Had some real thought behind it.
Christmas 2014 I actually broke below 200. came in around 195 if I remember correctly. People were really noticing the weight loss and I was feeling good about accomplishments. But when I looked in the Mirror, I still saw the 300lb guy looking back.
I started running 5k 2-3 times a week through the winter, was riding with a cycling coach indoors on trainers and started going to the Velodrome getting into track cycling. 165 came and went April 25, 2015. I had made my goal weight!. But as my focus shifted more to achieving my cycling goals I realized I needed to get leaner. I adjusted my goal weight to 155 which is where I keep it. I allow myself a +- 5lb buffer around that to accommodate training cycles and life in general. At the end of last cycling season I was down to 146lbs and 6% body fat. My Wife says that was to thin. I tend to agree but ti sure made climbing hills on the bike a dream.
This is me at 155ish

And this is end of 2015 cycling season



Over this winter I put a few lbs back on and maybe got back as high as 163 but on April 25, 2016. 1 year after reaching my goal I am at 155.3.

That hill I had to walk up on my first ride back in 2014. When I come to it now I use it as a training hill. I will do 5-6 reps sprinting up in then recovering on the way back down. Then continue on my ride. My leisure rides are not in the 50km range and training rides 100+ km for road. I Mountain Bike regularly, Play Badminton weekely and now am a member of a Tennis club where I play twice a week,