Thanks a lot for your candid responses. I really appreciate the openness and honesty on this forum.

I must say, I don't really feel very different, but sometimes when I walk up to my vehicle... I give my reflection a double-take because I almost don't recognize myself.

The buying clothes thing you guys were talking about really struck a chord today because I went into a store in the mall, that I normally wouldn't have been able to buy clothes in and got myself a couple pairs of shorts, that fit perfectly. They had a table with some polo shirts... and as we all know, some stores in the malls label their clothes as one size, but they're really two sizes smaller than that. Anyway, these polos looked like they were going to be too small for me. I bought them anyway because I like the excitement of measuring myself vs my clothing and melting myself into them. Well, when I got home and tried on the polos, they fit perfectly. I was shocked because I thought for sure they weren't going to fit.

I'm 28 years old right now with a January birthday, so I'm hoping that the loose skin thing will correct itself. I'm just really worried about it because I've had stretch marks my ENTIRE life. I have stretch marks around my belly button, on my love handles, up my lats, from my arm pits down the side of my pecs and even on the tops of my shoulders.

As you can see, tremendous damage has been done to my skin because of my excess weight; however, it's strange because most people never knew how much I weighed. People who would be completely honest with me, to this day tell me they feel I look around 220 rather than the 252 that I actually weigh. So, the stretch marks haven't done anything for making me look sloppy and loose fat.

I sometimes worry that the hanging skin is going to be horribly disgusting, but like I said to another poster here, "it's better to have some superficial loose skin than a heart clogged down with fat."

Sorry for blah, blah, blahing all over this thread and never really making a point. I just had to get my whole, "worried about stretch marks" thing off my chest.

pssst - spend some time in the sun (with sunscreen for the damaging sun rays) and get yourself a tan.. pasty white skin shows stretch marks - skin with some color hides it...

A tan will ruin the colours in my tattoos though. lol

Holy crap! Great job! You're a shadow of your former self! People you haven't seen in a while could not possibly recognize you. Now get to work on that closet... LOL!

I'm under the impression that no matter how far we've come in our weight loss efforts, more than half of us will look in the mirror and still see a repulsive figure no matter how society now views us. I can tell you for certian I'm one of these. I've dropped 140+ pounds and I still feel disgusting at times regardless of my looking lean.

With my new job, my first investment was the Bowflex Ultimate 2 that's laying on my floor. I've yet to assemble it because of my hectic schedule, but I'm excited about being able to use it. I'm thinking, once I gain more muscle mass, I'll be happier with myself and have more self-confidence and esteem.

By the way, hi Keith. I can't believe it's been so long since I stopped by last. I'm so sorry, bud, work has been a killer. You know what though, I'm here now to totally give you big virtual hugs, so that's what matters. (((((Big Hugs))))

Question for you too, hon...is there some kind of special eating habits I should transition too now that I'm going to start strength training? I really am quite unknowledged in this area, but given I'm a teenager with a physically demanding job as well as an active lifestyle, I wasn't to convinced I needed to drop my caloric intake all the way down to 1,200 calories-I just don't think I could survive on it given my activity demand. Perhaps you or Steve could fill me in on the proper way to start my resistance training?

Almost everything fits me in my closet... save for a few EXTRA-large / Large shirts from a few months ago. Thanks for the words... and oh, people do not recognize me... or take double looks and stop themselves from asking to avoid embarrassment.

Hiya Rae,

Don't be upset about not visiting, I stopped posting in this thing a while ago. I use my Diary now per Mal's instructions... http://weight-loss.fitness.com/weigh...tml#post453658 At anyrate, Are you eating at maintenance levels now? And you know you don't need to eat 1200 calories with the way you work out at all... however, if you are trying to build muscle now, the cardio needs to probably decrease because you have to be in a caloric surplus. You might want to read the beginner's bulk guide Steve and I had dialogue in... it was very helpful...

http://weight-loss.fitness.com/weigh...k-program.html

LOL... the closet comment was kind of a joke... it looked really messy in your pic...

OOOOH, yeah... I only took pictures that day because it was a "spring cleaning" in March. I decided that was the day I was making the REAL transition from L/XL to M/L... so the whole bedroom looked like a bomb hit it. I am not normally that messy... well... that's a lie, but it looks fine now

Oh my wow!

LOL OMFG. I Just realized your befores look almost EXACTLY like my current boyfriend. Like, so much so that I was panting with disbelief!

But you look great!

Heh, I didn't see this before, sorry. I've been told SEVERAL times that I have "twins", my students tell me there is a guy down at the EL here in Philly that looks just like me and they see him every morning... I'd love to see a pic of him of he is ok with you posting it :-D

1st pic in my sister's wedding... not my heaviest ~260, I ended up hitting the top end of 290.

2nd pic, my wedding about a month ago.

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You are one handsome man! Thanks for the reply on my post!

and wow you have lost a load of weight. I can't wait until I lose 100 lbs! I just know I have a hot smoking bod under all this lol

Wow man, you look fantastic! That's an understatement. I'd date ya!



Been a while... hope all is well.

Truly an amazing transformation. I'm new here, but your story will definately be something I go to for inspiration in days/months/hopefully years to come. By the way, I've always worried about how I would look if I was thinner in the face, I too have what many would call an...ah...eagle beak, but judging from your after photo's, they just become distinguished and define the faces of those of us blessed with them! Hope you don't mind sarcastic humor, but truly, check mine out. Whoa! Too many scuffles on the ice!!