Welcome!

Here is my story:

At one point I weighed in over 500lbs. My doctor told me point-blank that I
HAD to lose weight or die. He told me the surgery was my only option. I did
research. I went to the orientation. I did research. I found that I could be
guaranteed possibly another 15 years if I had the surgery (and didn't die on
the table). The orientation beat into my head that I would have to change
the way I eat and begin to exercise if I were to expect the weightloss to
continue.

Finally it broke through. I got to a place where everything clicked. If I
had to change my lifestyle anyway, why not try it on my own and save myself
the money, pain, & possible complications?

2.5 years ago I started tracking calories and walking 10 minutes a day. In
that amount of time I have lost 233lbs and I am on my way to becoming half
the man I was. I went from 68" pants to 42" pants and 6x shirts to L/XL
shirts. It's a thrill for me to walk into Target/Walmart/Steve &
Barry's/American Eagle and be able to buy clothes off the rack.

I've found 4 keys that have helped me to unlock my new lifestyle change:

1) Commitment - decide in your heart to change and stick with it no matter
what

2) Portion Control - tracking what you put into your body. There are no
restrictions on what to eat, just how much

3) Exercise - walk, jog, swim, anything you enjoy doing to move and expend
more calories than you consume.

4) Accountability - find someone to be accountable to (other than yourself).
Someone to ask about your daily exercise and calorie intake. Someone to
encourage and scold as needed.

If you don't have key #1 in your heart, the rest are meaningless...

Don't believe that I lost 233lbs?:

http://photos.yahoo.com/mvanderplow

Need encouragement?:

http://www.youtube.com/user/phatteningphilms

http://mattyspeaks.blogspot.com

http://www.myspace.com/doomedintoeatingtorment

You can accomplish losing weight without the surgery, it starts with a
commitment to change...

Matty (I weighed more than Jared from Subway)
481/251/225
(starting weight/current weight/goal weight)

First mini goal achieved - 104lbs lost 10/26/04
Second mini goal achieved - 137lbs lost 01/28/05
Third mini goal achieved - 183lbs lost 09/30/05
Fourth mini goal achieved - 204lbs total lost 01/30/06
Fifth mini goal achieved - 233lbs total lost by 08/31/06
Sixth mini goal - 256lbs total lost by 02/24/2007