January 2nd 2007

Tricia, that was me, EXACTLY! I started the same day my doctor kicked me in the pants. After that eyeopening office visit I decided I was determined to be healthy by the time I turned the big 4-0....and it looks like that is happening, the magic b-day will be here in December. So I started with a doctor and a goal date in mind rather than a magic start date!

My initial journey was started based on a couple things. I made a New Years resolution that I would diet, and the second was that a girl and I were organizing a 20 year grade school reunion. I needed to lose weight FAST (I had 5 months!) I did go from 510 to 480lbs for that reunion. I was diagnosed type 2 Diabetes on 6/1/06. I was released from the hospital 6/6/6 (nice devilish number) and started my current program that date.

As for milestones, I chronicle those in my blog. I have several "goals" I'd like to accomplish. My next milestone is to get to 241lbs (I weigh 248 now). At 241lbs, I would have lost more weight percentage-wise then Erik of New York (he lost the most on the Biggest Loser, more then anyone in USA/AU). I have already lost more weight then he had (he lost 214lbs), but at 52.74% that would make me a bigger loser then he.

Mine was Dec. 29th 2006. I DIDN'T want it to be another New Year's resolution - those never seem to really hold any weight for me! I wanted to loose the weight, not for a date, but for ME.

I started on a random Tuesday in July of 2006. I started in the summer partly because I wanted to lose some weight before school started again, but mostly it was just because it was TIME. I've never had that much luck when I start on milestone dates, but I think I just wasn't ready until this time anyway. I remember really wanting to lose 55 pounds by my birthday, December 12, because it would put me halfway to goal, and I accomplished that. I also wanted to lose at least 100 pounds by my one-year anniversary of weight loss, and I accomplished that too! Now if I could just get to goal...

No milestone date for me. I just woke up on June 30, 2007 and decided today was the day to change my life and I did... and very happy that I did.

I just realized today is my 5 month since starting my life change! Awesome!

New years here too. I made it til about May, fell off the wagon, got back on track July 9.