One Year On Track (137 pounds lost!)

Copied over from 3fc but keeping it here for prosperity too (much less detail then I was actually planning on since I have everything here in the blog already, but still nice to have)
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On January 4, 2009 I set out to change my life.  I have never really dieted before, but I just knew a "diet" wouldn't work for me.  I needed a permanent lifestyle change that would be a FOREVER solution to my food issues.  After researching options, looking up the science behind weight loss, and reading up on nutrition, I started clean eating and calorie counting.

When I started, I told myself I would stay on track for 1 FULL year before giving up, and I would re-evaluate at that time.  So here I am, my most important mini goal has been met.  I have not had a cheat day/meal in 365 days, and I have a loss of 137 pounds to show for it (with very little exercise).  The nitty-gritty details of how I did it can be found on my blog, here.

Onto the pictures! (see photo page, here)

More importantly than looking better, here is a small smattering of some of the physical and health related changes I have since losing the weight:

• I can cut my toenails without holding my breath and leaning to the side to do so
• My feet don't hurt at the end of the day anymore
• I can easily climb 3 flights of stairs (and not even be winded!)
• I no longer wake up all night from sleep apnea
• Even better, I no longer wake up with stomach acid in my throat and lungs and don't have to down antacids before going to bed nightly
• My diabetes is gone
• The nerve pain I had running from my lower back and into my thigh is gone
• My NASH / fatty liver cleared up
• I barely break out anymore
• I can bend and stretch and move in ways that I didn't even know I couldn't do
• My hands don't fall asleep much anymore

My goal weight is still 55 pounds off, and I know that the next year is going to be more of a challenge then the last.  I have issues with getting enough exercise, but that must be my next step in order to reach my final goal, a "normal" BMI.

I suppose I could go on and hit ya'll with an even larger wall of text but I'll spare you :) My blog (link in my signature) holds all kinds of information if you are still interested though!

Thanks to you all for your motivation and kind words.  I don't think I could have done this without you 3FC chicks and roosters as a big portion of my support system.