*I'M BACK + BIG UPDATE* - My Story (16st gone + pics!!)

Hi Guys and Girls,

I've recently discovered this site, and after much deliberation i've plucked up the courage to share my story

Sorry if this turns out rather a long story but i've been on my weight loss journey for 15-16 months now.

Like probably alot of people on this forum i have always been bigger than the average guy, you know a few stone heavier and taller than the guy standing next to me. But on the whole until my late teens, early twenties my levels of activity kept the weight from spiralling out of control (played football etc). But as i started doing less and less, and i started to drive rather than walk and i was consuming more and more through drinking and takeaways my weight just ran away with me and for years i ignored the problems, and ignored the way it was affecting my life.

The breaking point came in Aug 2010 when i was on holiday with a few friends down in cornwall. I had a shocking time, i felt nothing but pain in my knees, hips and back and i really struggled to keep up with my friends even at walking pace. I even couldn't fit in the toilet cubicle in the caravan and i had to use the main toilet block for the site, which was embaressing beyond words.

I knew i was big, but i hadn't weighed myself for years (ignoring the problem) but i decided on my way home from the holiday that the first thing i would do when i got home was to weigh myself and see where i am and to my absolute horror i was 30st 12llbs (not a typo!!). I can admit i nearly cried, but i didn't dwell on it, i sat down with my parents and said, i need to do this, and i need to start on my diet and i need your help to do this.

I was never a big snacker, i ate large meals, with unhealthy food. for e.g. i would eat a big bowel of coco-pops or another sugary cereal for breakfast, and i would eat 3-4 portions of a sandwich for my dinner, and for tea i would eat alot of pasta and sauces, southern fried chicken, basically unhealhty, processed,high calorie and fat foods, and to top it off, no exercise.

I decided to do no faddy diet / plan, just calorie count but introduce healthier food as well, try things new, if i didn't like it move on, if i did, great and introduce into my diet and to start it worked well, i dropped two stone in about 2 months, but for some reason i just lost a little motivation and i was scared about doing exercises, mainly because i didn't know if i had any health issues etc, and i didn't want to face up to how unfit i probably was.

I decided to visit my GP, who was fantastic (other health professionals incl. other GPs haven't been sympathetic towards my size in the past) and she gave me some good advice and referred me to something called a lifestyle programme (local programme in stoke for weight loss ran by the PCT). This programme gave me a good push towards doing something and the lifestyle coach gave me some great exercises to do, just simple things like walking up and down my stairs, sitting in front of the tv with weights, walking in my lunch hour, and just build up and try and go for longer as i get stronger and fitter. I was also relived to here that the tests the GP did (bloods, Diabetes, cholesterol) all came back as being fine!!!

After another few months and another couple of stone i decided to buy a treadmill, which is fantastic, and i now also have a slam man (will see it in pics below ) and some small weights and i'm now a regular gym attender

I am now at 14st 12llbs, so a total loss of 16st. I started out with a 66 waist and a 66-68 chest, and i am now a 38 waist and 42-44 chest. I had a starting BMI of 54, and it is now 26

I am very proud of my achievement and i can't tell you how much better i feel physically. I do have quite extensive loose skin which i would assume will account for some of the weight, but i still feel like i should say enough is enough and try and be happy with how i am now, even though i am very embarressed still by my skin. The PCT have twice refused my skin op as they say i need to demonstrate to them i can maintain my weight loss, but as of May 2012 they have accepted it and i'm awaiting my appointment with a plastic surgeon

I hope it can inspire someone to do the same. Believe me if i can do it, other people can. And if anyone has any advice for me please say so

Thank You

Also updated some pics below which were taken in May 2012

MAJOR UPDATE HERE (JAN 2014) - http://www.minimins.com/success-stories/248596-new-site-my-story-16st-gone-pics-21.html#post7006782

Before






After

Welcome and congratulations and very well done on your fantastic weight loss!

It is a credit to you and you look amazing:happy096:

Happy New Year:happy096:

Wow well done!!! You look really well. Good luck with reaching your final goal!!!

welcome & thanks for sharing your story , you have done incredible and ive no doubt you will continue to do so ... oh and dont worry about the skin , they will help you at least with tummy , but you have to get to healthy bmi & maintain an average but thats in your favor incase you have it & loose more it will ruin.

i had my tummytuck in july as i had loose skin too..

btw you joined the best forum in the world =D

Wow - well done! Great story. I would focus on maintenance now for a bit and then go for the next bit of loss when your mind catches up with you

Thanks for your kind words everyone

Kat1e - what do you mean by "maintenance", is it just focusing on staying how i am now for a while before pushing on?

PiiNK-PuNkStarr - the PCT have said they will do the surgery even if my BMI doesn't alter from where it is now as they say i am already at a point where they think my excess skin will stop me entering a healthy BMI range as that is part of the criteria, they say i just need to maintain my current weight to demonstrate to them that i can keep the weight off. It's just the waiting a year part, and then going on a waiting list for god knows how long is hard to take considering how long i've been doing this for now!! - How long did it take you to get your skin removal done i.e. from first referral by GP to getting it removed. P.S you look absolutely amazing by the way

Cookie12

Yes - focus on maintainance of weight rather than losing - it's a different mindset that i am trying to just learn. Maybe do some specific exercise eg i'm going to try build upper body strength or learn a new sport/skill. When you stop worrying about losing you may find that you get your passion back - tricking the brain

Huge well done dude!!

Wow! That's fantastic. Well done you

Wow, that is a fantastic result and you will be an inspiration to everyone. Congratulations!

Hopefully you will keep posting on here and give us all hope. Additionally, this will hopefully help to keep you focused on maintaining your weight. Good luck for the future.

Omg!!!!! U have done amazingly!!!! Well done u!!! U r a true inspiration! I am on day 8 so I have a long way to go. But thank you for your story it is such an encouragement!

Well done on your weightloss, its truly amazing!!!
Good luck on the rest of your journey! x

Thank You again everyone for your words of encouragement, it makes the final push even easier

I only put 1 pound on over the christmas and new year break, but i've manged to loose that and an additional 2 pounds this week and i'm down to 16st 7llb.

I've been the gym a few times etc this week and given myself another kick to just try and get into that 15st bracket.

I'm also a little nervous this week because i'm presenting at an NHS conference . I was asked because i was referred and accepted onto the lifestyle programme which is run locally here and they want me to be there and tell my story. There will be GP's, Practice Nurses and even representatives from the department of health at the event, and i've got to get up and talk to a hall full of health professionals!!!

Dizzalicious said:

Omg!!!!! U have done amazingly!!!! Well done u!!! U r a true inspiration! I am on day 8 so I have a long way to go. But thank you for your story it is such an encouragement!

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Thank You

Believe me if i can do it, you can and anyone else can.

I noticed you said your on day 8, i found the first month or so very hard, but once i got over that and the adjustments to my lifestyle / diet settled and i got into it i've never looked back. Just keep focused and get over the first few weeks and i'm sure you'll go from strength to strength.

You'll have set backs (i've had loads), where you've worked your socks off etc and get on the scales and nothing has gone, but the body is constantly adjusting and it works itself out, i've lost weight when i thought i wouldn't because i've not done as much exercise, and i've not lost when i've not done nothing but exercise.

Patience is key, and i'm sure you will get to your goals, i've learnt pretty quickly this is a great forum and if you feel yourself losing motivation, just pop on here and post something and we'll be here to give to some encouragement.

Again that goes for anyone else reading this


Cookie

well done, you look amazing and just reading your story is a huge inspiration to me as I have a big weight loss journey ahead of me. Thank you for sharing x

You look incredible

Well done xxx

Thanks cookie! I needed someone else to say the 2nd week was hard, not just the 1st....I found the first week easy compared to these cravings!!!!! I've stared the wii to take my mind off stuff can't wait for weigh in on Friday xx

How did the conference go???

Absolutely fantastic, you look great. Well done over the festive season too

Dizzalicious said:

How did the conference go???

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Thank You Dizzalicious, i'm sure you'll do amazingly well.

The Conference is tomorrow.

I'm nervous, it's out of my comfort zone and there will be approx 100 people there, with the majority being GP's, Practice nurses and other health professionals, but i'm sure once i get up there and start talking i'll settle down and it'll be alright.

I'll update tomorrow