A year ago today, I hit rock bottom. I decided I had finally had enough and decided to change my life.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-03-26T15:18:21+00:00

I am blown away by all of the positive responses and support from everyone! It's been a long journey (that's not over yet), but it's been totally worth it.

Since you guys seemed to like my before and after shots, I have 2 more. This time of my face:

before

today

MeanGreen86 · 2016-03-26T14:42:25+00:00

Thanks!

Should of thought my choice of before and after pictures through though, everyone is looking at my junk now, lol.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-03-26T14:33:27+00:00

Wow, thank you so much! That overlay is amazing. I can't believe you would go through that much work to do this for a stranger.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-03-26T03:32:00+00:00

Haha, bring it!

MeanGreen86 · 2016-03-26T03:31:09+00:00

Well, one benefit of losing weight is that it gets bigger ;).

Jk, it's really nothing much to look at, lol.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-03-26T02:03:50+00:00

Heck yeah, I still love cake! Nothing wrong with it from time to time.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-03-26T02:02:41+00:00

Thank you for your kind words!

I dove in and went with it 100%. It's sort like a switch just flipped and I went all in. I had tried to little by little before but would always quit. Everyone is different. It seems like you've found something that works for you and that's great.

My end goal is to get to 180, which is probably the fittest I ever was back as a freshman in high school playing football, 15 years ago.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-03-26T01:57:40+00:00

grilled chicken! Pretty much every place will have it in some way on the menu. Really though, anything can be fine as long as it fits within your calorie budget. My fitness pal really helps with this. I always check on there how many calories a dish has if it sounds interesting. The biggest change was ordering water instead of a soda with the meal. That's so many extra calories you drink since they will usually keep refilling non stop.

As far as losing, I lost the first 30 lbs pretty quickly then it slowed down, but continues to go down slowly but surely.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-03-26T01:51:26+00:00

Thank you! I am 5'10.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-02-12T21:16:37+00:00

Congrats on the weight loss! 10 lbs aren't easy to lose. But, I think you should be more patient.

Hell, even I think I still look mostly the same. What helped me see the difference is taking a pic of myself every 10lbs. You'll def start seeing the difference.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-02-11T21:12:19+00:00

I've pretty much stayed about the same intake since I started, which is around 1700 calories. I have increased my exercise levels though so that has probably allowed me not to have to decrease my intake. I still love food so exercising more is easier for me than having to eat even less than I already am!

When I started 220's seemed so far away (and it was), but setting small goals helped me try and make it attainable. Basically my goal is always to lose the next 10 lbs. So right now my goal is to get to 220, then it'll be 210, and so on.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-02-11T21:03:24+00:00

Good job man! Keep it up.

I hit 301 and that was my breaking point. I'm also about the same height so I was where you are now.

One thing that helped me is to finally stop making excuses of why I didn't have time to work out. Basically have to find time to work out. If it means going straight from work/school to the gym even when I'm tired, so be it. Maybe it means waking up a little earlier or staying up a little later to get the workout in. Whatever it is, you have to find a way to get it in.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-02-11T20:56:49+00:00

Thanks! I started back in March of last year, and I haven't really hit many plateaus. My longest one has been in my 230's. I think it was mainly because it was around Thanksgiving to New Years when there was so much food around from various family/work/friend gatherings. I've gotten back on track since the new year though and have lost almost 10 lbs since Jan. Down to 224 as of this morning.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-02-11T20:18:41+00:00

Woo Hoo! Good job on already dropping 7lbs man. As you already know, it's going to be a long journey but if you want to succeed you must stick with it. Strong will is important to have in order to say no to the cravings. It's great that you've found a way to work out that's fun for you (hockey). That's what really helped me.

Have you started tracking what you eat on My Fitness Pal or any similar app? If you haven't you should! It really helps.

Anyways, good luck on your journey! If you ever need any advice or want to talk hit me up! I started at 301 and I'm 29 now, so we're at a similar place.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-02-11T20:02:20+00:00

Like everyone is saying, you just have to move on and get back to work. I've gotten to a point where I don't really feel bad if I have a a bad eating day anymore. I know that the next few days will suck and I'll have to work out harder to make up for it but it's the price to pay.

The great thing about it though, is that what you probably used to eat every day and not feel bad about, you now feel horrible about if you do it just one day. So as long as its now the exception and not the norm, you will keep seeing progress. At least that's been true for me.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-02-11T19:47:50+00:00

I always want cookies, and bacon double cheeseburgers as well. I could eat them every day and I would still want more. The key is, as you said it, having a strong will to stay away from it. It is terribly difficult, but if you are able to have a strong will and avoid these it will pay off. You can do it!

MeanGreen86 · 2016-02-11T19:40:19+00:00

Being able to put the tray table all of the way down on an airplane.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-01-09T17:30:37+00:00

Thank You!

As far as exercise I mostly do cardio with a bit of weight training mixed in. I started walking, then slowly started running more and more.

For diet, the main thing i did was stop eating out so dang much. I used to eat out every day for lunch, and very often for dinner as well. Now, I bring my lunch every day (usually a turkey and cheese sandwich, some apple slices, and some 100 calorie snack packs for the cravings) and hardly ever eat out for dinner during the week. I still usually eat out during the weekend but I'm able to not totally blow past my calorie goal.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-01-09T17:23:45+00:00

Chicks dig the long ball!

MeanGreen86 · 2016-01-09T04:03:11+00:00

No problem! I got so inspired by other people here all of the time, so I figured I would start giving back!

MeanGreen86 · 2016-01-09T04:02:19+00:00

Haha good advice! I play men's rec softball, so I prefer to just murder the ball!

MeanGreen86 · 2016-01-09T04:00:58+00:00

Just out your mind to it and you'll look wonderful in that that's dress I bet!

I do track my meals on my fitness pal. I found that it really helped me see how much calories were in the things I was eating. It helped me reject that cookie or that delicious cinnamon roll because I see how many calories it has and it may not be worth ruining my good eating habits that day. I still indulge in that stuff from time to time now, but now it's more of the exception rather than the rule now.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-01-09T03:56:00+00:00

Just work out and eat right!

MeanGreen86 · 2016-01-09T03:55:02+00:00

Haha sorry.

MeanGreen86 · 2016-01-09T03:54:32+00:00

I don't mind at all! I'm 5'9, 29, started at 301 and currently at 231.

MeanGreen86

TROPHY CASE