75 Pounds lost in 8 Months with pics

This is a simple story of how I went from 248 pounds to 173 pounds. I hope what I have been able to do inspires others on MFP that are discouraged or struggling. This is also not an "I am awesome" thread...this is a "This is what I did, here's the proof, and this is how I got there" thread.

The before pics at 248







The after pics at 173









My story...I retired from the Air Force after developing High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Hypo-Thyroidism, Acid Reflux, and Sleep Apnea. The medications that I was given to take packed the pounds on me even before I retired. Tomorrow I will be retired from the United States Air Force for five years. During those 5 years my life spiraled out of control, resulting in my wife leaving in Jan 2009 because I had gotten so bad. On my 50th birthday Jan 24th 2011, I got on the scale and it said 248. I was shocked and embarrassed. I was disgusted at what I saw. I had no energy and felt like crap all of the time. That day I finally stopped thinking about getting back in shape, I actually started working out with intensity. A friend told me about MFP in March 11 and I added it to my iPhone I started logging my calories and tracking my intake and exercise. I continued to work the treadmill, walking and running, biking and theelliptical and from 24 Jan 11 to 31 Aug 11 I have lost 75 pounds. On Saturday 27 Aug 11 I completed a 102.5 mile bicycle endurance race called the Hotter N Hell, in Wichita Falls TX and did it in 7 hours 9 minutes 4 seconds. 29 Aug 11 I started a cycle of P90X and will do it for the next 90 days with the hope of reaching my goal weight of 160

I want to thank all of my awesome MFP friends that are super supportive and have helped me...I particularly want to thank my co-worker Jessie (she isn't on MFP)uses who inspired me to get back to being me...I am forever in her debt. Tenaya, Rachel, and Sherri who have supported me since my first days on MFP!



Things I did to achieve my goal:
1. Used MFP and logged religiously...I am at 156 days and counting
2. Drank 8-10 glasses of water a day
3. Rarely took a workout day off
5. Stayed away from fast food!
6. Never ate back my exercise calories
7. Tried to get AT LEAST 6hours of sleep a night
8. Never denied myself what I felt like eating, yes I had pizza, soda, beer, but in moderation.
9. I challenged myself to do better every time I worked out
10. My goal-2 pounds per week until now…13 pounds from my goal now its 1.5 pounds

Over the nine months and 1 week that I have been on this journey (IT'S NOT OVER!), I have averaged around 2.3 pounds per week lost with one plateau...it can be done! My thoughts are we make our own plateaus.

Good luck to anyone who reads this and if what I have been able to do helps someone else along in the journey.