Before and after picture

I went back and found a picture of me on July 20th, 2003 (left) I think I was around 220 lbs and a recent one of me on December 26th, 2008 (right) at 150 lbs.

At 42 I thought my life was basically over. I had very high cholesterol, constant back pain and could hardly move.

Well sometime in 2005 I decided to take action to improve my quality of life so I changed my eating habits (no more fast food and very limited sugar if any) and started exercising. I started with a Water Walking class at the gym. I think the 80 year olds got around better than I did. Well after about 8 months of that I was able to get around better and I found out about a spinning class and started doing that. The first month or so all I could do was light pedaling. Boy what a workout. Then that is when things really started coming off and taking off. What I learned my body does best with is eating the following:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup berries, palm full of walnuts and natural yogurt.

Lunch: Homemade lentil stew.

Dinner: switching between salmon, chicken or tuna salad.

Snacks being an orange, apple and/or natural nut bar.

In 2008 I started running outside, cycling (I did 700 miles in 3 months) and my classes I take regularly are spinning, bootcamp, body works & zumba.

In late 2008 I got a little too thin (I got down to 148 lbs) and so I started making what I call a chunky monkey protein drink. That seemed to help put on some muscle.