[-CB-]

Let me give everyone a hope of encouragement.

Ten years ago, I had some major back issues, reduced activity a lot.. got the back fixed, under the knife, but it took some years to really "feel right". It'll never be 100 percent. Its ok, I live with what I have.

The result though, was increased weight, and several years ago, I was in the doctors for a plain old sinus thing, and got weighed. Not good.

Gents. I am not proud of this - but I'm gonna share it. I was 384. Six foot one, 384 and just a total lardass. I might have gotten heavier than that, before starting to lose, I dunno... I really dunno.

I little more than a year ago, I began to consider reducing the sugar in my diet - which was mostly from the 4 shovel fulls of sugar they put in yer morning Duncan Donut coffee. Yah, coffee and bran muffin.. starts my day usually. I friend of mine had had a heart attack, and then stroke, and then lost a leg to diabetes type II. So I thought, ya know, this whole thing is killing me. I'm gonna get into some real blood sugar issues if I don't reduce the sugar and hell, while I'm at it, lets totally eliminate fast food (several times a week for lunch). I never was one for soda, or lots of sweets. The occasional Coke (very rare). And the occasional confection. I just don't do 'em, but that coffee... I'd do two sometimes in a day and it sent me zingin'!

Cut out the sugar seemed to be a good thing, so I did.

And I began to lose some weight with only those changes in my lifestyle. In fact, I lost about 40 lbs in about eight or ten months. Then, when I'm gonna estimate I was about 340ish, I took a spill on the ground.... wet sludge at work didn't look slippery but it was. I went down HARD. This was last June. It took me till September for my back to feel up to doing anything but as soon as I could, I did one thing that was totally beneficial.

I began to walk.

First a mile per night, then two, then three, then four, then five, then six.... every night or almost every night. I got some shoes for it, and every damn night, I go out for an hour, or hour and a half, and walk. That was September, but pretty soon (a few weeks) I was feeling chipper, and as the back allowed, I began to thunderously jog or flat out run as my back allowed. Usually... a half mile or so at a time. The lungs got better at it. The legs got better at it, but the back... I still can't run much. The pounding on the lower back and my feet start to tingle, and I know thats enough or I'm in for some issues. I guess some nerve compression is still going on, and well, its a good thing as its a warning for me to "watch it".

I also changed my diet to include not too many changes, just less of the same old things - same bran muffin, same coffee (no sugar) but no fast food, and "fill up" on green veggies, lay off the starch a bit, and include fresh fruit daily too. Its not a "diet" but a change that I can feel ok with as a lifestyle. I still eat pasta once a week. I still eat bread. Haven't had pizza in a while but, would eat it, as its a rare thing. The idea for me, what works, is not a "diet" but lifestyle I can live with.

So.. since September of 06, I've been doing this. Mid January I got up the nerve to get on the certified shipping scale in my warehouse. Yah, the one we weigh skids full of cast iron pipe fittings on. I was amazed to be under 300. I was 298. That was January. Friday, I was 265, or damn near 120lbs under my heaviest verified lardass weight, still not proud to say that 265 is my weight, but I am observant that I have lost a lot, and have been on the road of loss for over a year with positive results. Pants from 48 (ouch) to 42 (still ouch but less so). I humbly look forward to size 38 breeks. Similarly, old clothes fit once again... but I hate to stock up on new items unless I REALLY have to. Hence, I tend to be a bit baggy pants (wearin 44's, not those 48s!~)

There's more to lose folks. I'd like to be 200 even. Time will tell. I work through each 10lbs and rejoice when that number is now a 26x vs 27x and so forth. With continuation... and by the grace allowed me, at some point in time the target will be be reached or I'll find some equilibrium that is just where I end up (hopefully close to the target).

In the meantime, I encourage everyone who wants to... get a little more active, eat a little less, and eat healthy stuff. And don't give up on yourself. If you go off the wagon, get back on. Enlist the support of everyone who you know (like you fella's here!~).

Thanks all. God bless you all.