My success story 180lb lost:3 years on and still going strong (with a few before and after pictures)

Preamble: As I'm never sure which forum to post in I will be posting this in both the success stories and the motivation threads.

It occurred to me earlier that today was the third year anniversary of the day I finally took control of my senses and my life.

On this day back in 2013 (29/05/2013) I joined my local slimming group. My life had been going downhill for many years and almost all of it was self inflicted. I used to be a heavy drinker, smoker and a junk food addict. I'd go to work and eat junk all day, then I would come home, buy alcohol, buy takeaway food and slob out all night.

In 2010 I ended up in hospital as I was having breathing difficulties. What I thought would be a short check up and discharge ended up being a twenty nine night stay. I was diagnosed with congenital heart failure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnoea; these symptoms were on top of the gout attacks I was frequently suffering from. As a two year old child I had received open heart surgery for a condition known as Tetralogy of Fallot: as I understand it, two of my heart valves where faulty and I had what is commonly known as hole in the heart. The surgeons repaired my heart but by 2010 one of the valves was leaking and the other needed patching up. My body was full of oedema and I weighed 287lb. After twenty nine days I had lost 14lb, which was mostly water. Before I had gone into hospital I wasn't on any medication other than a drug I took for the gout attacks, and I only took that when I needed to. When I left the hospital I was on 8 different drugs; diuretics, blood pressure tablets, anti-coagulants and drugs for the diabetes. I was told that I would need open heart surgery done again, but being the size I was it wouldn't be possible to do the surgery. I needed to go home and lose a lot of weight, if I did that they would operate.

At the time my head was probably in the wrong place and I went straight back to my old habits. Over the next couple of years my weight went up and up. On July 13th 2012, I woke up with another hangover; I had been drinking heavily the night before and smoking cannabis, which was a daily occurrence for me. I think that morning I must have had an epiphany. I realised I absolutely detested the taste of the alcohol I was drinking; I couldn't stand the feeling of being drunk, or high and even more I realised I hated smoking more than anything. I quit both drinking and smoking that day. Since then I have had the occasional social drink with friends, but have never touched a cigarette or been anywhere near any other form of recreational drugs.

At the beginning of May 2013 I had another appointment with my heart consultant, this was when he was blunt with me and told me I had less than 5 years left to live unless I sorted myself out. Even though I had quit smoking and drinking a year previous, my eating habits went into over drive. At this appointment I was at my heaviest weight ever and had one very unhappy cardiologist on my back.

Around this time the gout was constantly coming and going. If anybody has had gout they can probably confirm that it is one of the most painful afflictions you can possibly get. For me I used to get it in my ankles and knees. It would last for up to a week each attack and it was almost impossible for me to walk anywhere. I would love to say that pressure from family and friend, doctors and loved ones where what made me sort myself out. In truth it was gout. So on this day exactly 3 years ago I joined a weight loss group. It felt a little strange being one of only 3 men in a room with around 60 females in. I struggled to walk from the car into the meeting, with my heart almost at the point of complete failure and my ankles swollen like balloons, but I did it. Instantly everybody made me feel really welcome, nobody was being judgemental: I fitted in. They explained the plan to me which was all about eating healthy and getting in some exercise, and they showed me many recipes of the types of food I loved, but cooked in a much much healthier way. I jumped on the scales and I weighed 329lb. After 7 days I had lost 11½lb and I was sold on the plan (I'm not naming it here as I am not a salesperson for the company).

Over the course of the next 12 months, I was taken off the diabetes medicine as I no longer needed it. I returned the CPAP machine to the hospital as the sleep apnoea had gone. The gout attacks had stopped, and I had lost 156lb. At this point I had impressed my cardiologist enough for him to start the process of me having my heart surgery done. At the beginning of September 2014 I was admitted to the hospital and within a week, I was out with a perfectly repaired heart and completely drug free. I do still take a daily 75mg aspirin apparently it will help my heart. I was told that if I lived long enough then I would probably have to have the operation repeated in the future.

I forgot to mention above that my cardiologist had advised I took up some cardio exercise but under no circumstances was I to try doing any weight training. I took up swimming. I would go to my gym and swim in the pool 4, 5 and sometimes 6 times per week. I loved it. After I left hospital I was told no gym for 6 months. Intransigent that I am I was swimming again within 4 weeks and doing some light weights after 3 months. I registered with Parkrun just over 12 months ago having never run anywhere in my life before. I've since completed 42 5k's.

Three years in, I've kept the weight off and currently weigh 147lb , I'm feeling pretty positive about my future. I'm always mindful that I have an addictive personality and could easily slip back in to my old ways. Hopefully I will be repeating this post in 12 months time on my 4th year anniversary.

A few pictures.

This was me on Christmas day 2009 or 2010 can't quit remember which.



Quite possibly at my heaviest weight here and I think a good few pounds over 329lb



Me with my daughter in 2012



Apologies for the graphic nature of this picture but it was a great day for me as you can see from the look on my face :-)



Heart repaired and trying to get some fitness back



Me out one one of my park runs





At my lightest weight (around 135lb) still enjoying a light snack lol



Taken yesterday weighing 147lb



I still accept the occasional new MFP friend, but only from people who add a message to their friends request. I have no time for friend collectors who just add people and then never communicate with them. Having said that if you are genuinely in this for the long run and want to add me I'm happy to have to you on board.

I hope I can and have spread some motivation to anybody who finds themselves in the position I was once in.

Thanks for reading.

Allan (AKA ZezelRyck)