536 days with MFP and 300.8lbs lost

I was told I should post my story on here, well here goes!

When I started my weight was 602lbs, and I was miserable. I couldn't walk far without my back being in severe pain. My knees were killing me constantly and I had hurt my heel. I was taking over 2,000mg of ibuprofen to kill pain in my heel. I was basically waiting to die at this point.

I then found this community and people using myfitnesspal, they were doing nothing but tracking calories and losing weight, I figured I can do that! I showed my wife posts on here and how people were successful without going to a gym. I then watched videos on meal prepping because when we come home from work we were both not motivated to cook.

So the first weekend we spent like 6 hours cooking food but that whole week we had dinner, lunch, and breakfast done. I also found my old Fitbit and started wearing it again. It was awesome that week. Meals were done and ready to eat as soon as we got home.

After a month I would have murdered someone for a Big Mac or a pop. There were days I broke down and cried, yes cried because I couldn't eat fast food. I didn't realize how much food had taken over my life. At work, we have a vending machine on my floor. There were mornings I just stared at Hershey bars because I wanted one soooo *kitten* bad!

Eventually it got better, I started to realize that for the calories in that bad food, I could have so much more....then I found dannon light and fit Greek yogurt...that *kitten* is my weakness. 80 calories for a container....score! Then I realized I can cook out on the grill for the entire week and I found boneless skinless chicken thighs...I eat them everyday now. I cook about 6lbs a week on the grill and eat them for lunch and use them for dinner some nights.

About 5 months in I lost 100lbs and bought myself a weight set, I got bowflex select tech weights. I love those. I started doing things I couldn't do before, for my birthday I went golfing again! I miss being able to do that. I was able to walk without my back being in so much pain.

Cue to February 2018 and my wife's birthday. That morning I woke up and broke over 200lbs lost...my wife was more excited than I was. She said me losing this weight has been the best gift I could ever give. I'm able to walk without needing to stop, I can help out around the house and not leave it to her. I also decided to do something I never thought I would do, I bought a BICYCLE!!

I haven't rode one since I was 14 Also, I wanted to give my wife something for putting up with me and how much she put up with when I was too heavy to do anything. I booked a trip to New Orleans! It has something we always talked about doing but never could because I couldn't walk. We went on that trip in April of 2018. We got a hotel room with a balcony overlooking bourbon st. We walked everywhere and I had so much fun, it was the best vacation I have ever had.

So since then I have continued on my lifestyle change. The morning of August 22nd 2018 I got on the scale and cried when it told me my weight. I weighed 301.2lbs...while to some of you that is still over weight to me this is the lowest I have weighed since maybe my first year of college.

• For my birthday this year in October we are going to DISNEY!!!! I also signed up up for a dinner with the Pooh characters!!
• I have now lost over 24" off my waist
• My shirt size is now a 3X/4X down from an 8X
• My shoe size went from a 12 wide to 11M, this one was the oddest change!
• I now wear compression clothing from Under Armour because of my loose skin
• I finally saw my Dr a few months ago and she didn't recognize me. My last weight in the chart was over 550lbs and she thought the chart she had was for a different patient.
• I am signing up to do the warrior dash next year because I was too late for this years.
• I signed up for a gym last week so I am excited to start doing that
• I want to lose another 70lbs but we will see where this journey takes me.

Losing this much weight has saved my marriage too, my wife had to do everything for me. I couldnt help around the house so it became her job. I knew it weighed on her so much because I became a burden to her. Now, I'm planning to go on a trip together. Go on a hike together to see nature...she has said that it's like she married a new person. When we dated I weighed less than this but still never wanted to go hiking or biking anywhere.

Thank you to everyone who posted their struggles or who posted their success. It has helped me make it through my journey so far. I realize I have a lot more to lose but I already feel like a new person. You all have helped me change my life and I owe it all to everyone here...thank you!