New Member of the 20 Pound club

Well as of weight in today I've lost 20 lbs. in the month since I have been on MFP. Now I know some will say I am losing too fast but given that I have completely turned my life around in the last month and changed everything my doctor is very pleased with my current weight lose.

At the end of January my wife had an affair and decided that she needed to live her life on her own for a while and ended up moving out on our 2 kids and myself. For the first time in over 12 years I was a single dad. Everything I knew and believed was turned upside down. As people tend to do in these situations I took a real hard look at my life and I honestly hated what I saw. I was and am a 40-year-old morbidly obese man who was going to end up dead before his time. This is how bad I was, I would:

drink 4-6 sugared sodas a day
eat fried hot wings with blue cheese dressing once a week
eat a whole ribeye steak to myself
eat mac and cheese and hot dogs with cheddar cheese inside
eat 2-3 cans of spageti o's with 2-3 hot dogs added
eat 4 or more pieces of a large all meat pizza qat once

I was every bad stereotype of a fat person but I had convinced my self I wasn't that bad of an eater.


Before this happened I could ignore the stares of strangers because I always saw the look of love in my wife's eyes that said to me that it was ok that I was who I was. In hindsight I realize she was my enabler/excuse/crutch. Suddenly wherever I went I felt the stares and could almost literally hear the negative comments that people must be thinking.

As you can guess my first thought was to lose myself in all the high fat comfort foods we all know but for some reason I didn't. I decided that I was going to change everything. I immediately started looking for sites to help and found this place. I signed up and started using the tools. It was a struggle at first to report EVERYTHING I ate cause lets face it we all lie to ourselves about food. I started walking around the neighborhood with the kids at night. Each night felt better and better. This led me to the gym where I work and I have n't looked back since.

So now one month later I've lost my first 20 pounds. My kids are so proud of me that I almost want to cry over all the lost years. It’s not just in what they say its in their eyes too. Last night my son hugged me and said, "Hey dad I can almost get my arms all the way around you." It didn't hit me then but as I write this I am so happy that I'm becoming the father they need me to be.

Things I've learned over the last month:

Work the site and the weight will come off. Use the tools her honestly. If you slip, put in in the foods so its there to remind you for the next time.

Carry heathly snacks with you everywhere. Helps avoid the tempation of convenience food.

Water, Water, Water.

Allow yourself some of the things you love but in moderation. Don't get pizza every week but once in a while is okay. You might also find like I did that when its a special treat if tastes so much better than every before.

Do anything you can to exercise. If you don't have access to a gym, walk/run the neighborhood. Work in to it at a pace that is good for you.

Your doctor is your friend and wants you to lose the weight more than you do.

Eat your greens they metabolism boosters. A salad with 2 teaspoons of a lite dressing or a vinegrette takes more calories to burn off than it adds to your body.

Get support. Either on this site, in the real world or both.

This isn't a diet. You are changing your lifestyle not doing a temporary change in your eating. Learn to eat right and exercise and the weight will come off.

I am on my way and looking forward to the 40 pound club, 60 pound clud, etc.