One Year Anniversary - BEFORE/AFTER PICS!

It's my one year anniversary so figured that I'd post a couple before/after pics (this takes more courage than I thought!)

One year ago, I got home from vacation with the family and watched a video of me laying out at the pool. Oh my God, I thought, is that what I look like?! How did I get so blubbery? I was 49 and abruptly realized that decades of being sedentary and careless with my eating had taken their toll.

I'm 5'8" and was 197 lb. & 27% body fat. After years telling myself, "I'll start tomorrow" I decided that I needed to get in shape and there would be no higher priority for me, not family or work or friends -- no excuses! I started tracking my food keeping to 1,200 cal/day and learned to love brocolli! (seriously, have you TRIED to eat 1,200 calories of that stuff!)

I committed to 30 min. of cardio a day and started with walking 15 minutes twice a day. I got a FitBit and learned to love parking at the far end of the lot just so I could get extra steps in! After a few months I joined a gym and hit the elliptical machine every day (I can't believe I've logged over 1,100 miles over the year)! I realized that if I was working out, I needed to "bring it" and work up a sweat. I got a heart rate monitor so I could push my limits. Now I want to really start building some muscle and have started lifting. Yes, they are the lightest weights in the gym but I know I will do better if I stick with it and remember that it's a journey just like my weight loss was.

Today, I'm 154 lb. & 17% body fat -- that's 43 lb. with 28 lb. of fat no longer on me! It may not be "Biggest Loser" worthy, but it means the world to me!



and another...