i'm fond of saying that size doesn't matter

In this case -oh hellyeah it does

well done

This is my first post here. I'm 5'10", used to weigh 245 and I'm down to 180, I was as low as 173. I used Atkins and then moved to Low Glycemic Index, cardio & weight training. At 173, I still had a 'muffin top' and love handles. Here are my before and after pics.

http://www.cdol.com/images/before-after.jpg
http://www.cdol.com/images/before-after4.jpg

I don't want to look too thin, but I want to get rid of the love handles. Any advice?

edit: you can't insert pics here?

the lovely Brandy -bmohearn - officially made it into one-derland...

Nice job on all your hard work!!!

OK I count my start weight at 307 although I know it was slightly higher because my scale would read ERR... I got on a pallet scale at one of the warehouses at my old job and it read 314 but I digress.

I cut out the out most red meat (Still like a good steak when I treat my self), fast food, cookies, chips and replaced it with turkey burger, turkey sausage, low fat low cal treats. I count calories try to keep my daily intake under 2K usually around 1800 a day M-F and on the weekends I may or may not have a bit more depending on whats going on. I went from sitting on my couch every day, sitting in front of my servers at work and avoiding doing much that required me to get up and move. I am a big guy 6'3" so I never understood how big I was. I thought maybe 250-260 would be healthy.

I go to the gym at least 5 days a week now, I also have gotten the bug to try things I always wanted to. I tennis, I am going to start rock climbing and some buddies are trying to get me into paintball. I get antsy sitting now if I didn't workout at least once that day. I went from a from a XXXL tall to a M (Tall still if available) shirt. I went from a 42 pushing a 44 waist jean to a 33. I love it I look like a totally different person.

As of this week at my weigh in on Sunday I am at 178lbs, one pound short of 130LBS of weight loss. I feel like a totally different person. I have a healthy BMI, I am in my ideal weight range. I would like to average out around 175 but might want to add a bit bulk. In my arms, chest and neck. I have to say the only downside is the loose skin which given my rate of loss isn't as bad as I though it would be. I hope over the next year I tighten up even more but I still have a lot of stretch marks around my waist, many more than a lot of others I have seen who were bigger than I was.

I don't consider my self on a diet I just changed my life, I never realized how unhappy my weight made me. I hated shopping for clothing before, now I go to the mall more than the finance (who has also gone from a size 14-16 to an 8-10).

I hope I can inspire people to do it themselves. I use to eat because I loved to eat, no real sob story just loved food and ate a ton of it. Now I don't stress over what I eat although healthy choices (4-6 veggies and fruits a day usually) (whole grains) make me feel better and fill me up better but i just focus on the total calories so I can still get small treats if i have calories left over. And when i crave something bad I have it but in moderation which fills the taste void and then you realize its not what you really wanted anyways.

Sorry to rant on but I figured it was a good place to brag

Good for you NolaRob, you look great. All that hard work definitely paid off!
Michelle

KRZY1 - HI! You are an inspiration to me, so thank you for sharing and bragging...good for you
Michelle

For the first time EVER, I can finally shop in the normal-sized stores instead of plus-sized ones!

Last week I was wandering through a store with no plus sizes, decided to try some things on, and ended up with a huge bag of clothes I spent way too much money on... I've NEVER been able to do that before. I was so happy I sat in my car afterward and cried a little.

The only thing is, finding new stores to stop at while needing smaller clothes is not good for my checking account. :P

I lost 30 pounds in 2 months! I used to use all different kinds of weight loss products and nothing worked at all. 7 months ago I started using a new program I found on the internet that helped me keep all the weight off and continue to build and tone my muscles.

Congrats everyone! And congrats to me! I started a diet and workout program and have lost almost 20 pounds!

Great job NolaRob! It is amazing how a person can look completely different in before and after pictures. I am sure a lot people didn't recognize you. It happened to me a lot. Now I only laugh at it. Can you imagine the same person introducing himself to me for the third time?
Now my bragging time...I lost more than 44 lbs and I am keeping it off for more than two years now It made me an expert in nutrition so I gained more than just a lean body.

Congrats on losing 44lbs - Just curious how it's made you an expert in nutrition?

A real, live expert!!??

Just found this thread and, as luck would have it, have something I felt I needed to brag about!

Well the other week I was at a concert and as usual looking at the merch stand where they never have t-shirts that fit me. Being that the band was one of my favourites and they were selling the merch personally I decided to bite the bullet and buy an XL even though a concert XL hasn't fit me since 2002/03 (and even then not well!) in the hope that eventually I would fit into it.

You can probably figure out what happened. Later I got home and tried on the t-shirt - and it fit!

Then I decided it was time to get new jeans because I've been wearing the old one's since I lost weight and just adjusting my belt, the result being that I was walking around in really, really baggy jeans. I don't know what I thought I would be but I was a 42 before (tight at 42) and was hoping (in my head) that I may be close to a 38, though I didn't think I would be.

Well I did get into the 38, and they're a little loose! I tried on a 36 and they fit almost right, but a little tight in the legs so I went with the 38's but know that I'll soon be in the 36's.

Well, anyway, that's enough bragging out of me. Don't really like to brag (you'd never know it from this post) and I feel kind of embarrassed just to press submit . . . but screw it!!!

well done...

and get rid of those baggy clothes - leave yourself no excuse to ever backslide - besides you boys look so much cuter in clothes that fit - rather than droopy drawers

Ha! Thanks Mal. Don't think I'm gonna be running around in Indie kid skinny jeans just yet! I feel better in clothes that fit though, it has to be said.

Think I'll keep one pair of old jeans though, just so when I reach my goal I can take one of those cheesy pics of me in the old jeans, stretching out the waist, shit-eating grin on my face