Ongoing inspiration?

[billybob]

Hi everyone!

 

New to this site and liking what I see so far.

 

When I turned 30 (I'm 36 right now), I made myself a promise to spend the next full year of my life getting in shape. I had always been chubby growing up, and from the time I went away to college until I turned 30 I quickly moved into what many would call the "obese" category.

 

After an entire lifetime battling my weight, and over a decade of being a "sloppy mess", I ended up keeping my promise to myself. I dropped from about 260 (although I had been up to 270) all the way down to 178 at my lowest. I kept it off for years, although about a year ago I realized that I had let myself slip all the way back up to 225. So once again I met the challenge head on and am now sitting at a comfortable, healthy, 190.

 

I'm lifting 2x a week and training at a boxing gym in south philly 3x a week and I'm feeling good about moving forward. What I need is the ongoing inspiration to keep slowly improving, and not allowing myself to backslide. I've found that I can be a very all-or-nothing person, so it's challenging for me to work so hard just to "maintain".

 

Anyway, I have a blog at http://leanbodyquest.blogspot.com which starts at the beginning of my journey and goes all the way until now. It's a good read especially for beginners as you can follow my ups, downs, and in-betweens about not just the physical part but also the mental and emotional challenges. Check it out for some inspiration, or just to check it out!

 

Attached is a photo of me at 22, and another a few days ago (at 36) with precious cargo.

 

[Laureleye]

That's quite a change.  You're right - it's much easier to stay in shape that have to get back in shape after backsliding, especially as you get older.  Glad you joined in.  Welcome.