Before_and_After
put all three pics together so they be on one board....
First pic is year 2000 and it was at erics 11th birthday party. my weight at that time was between was between 350 and 385 might have been more (didn't start to watch my weight until 02. And at that time hard to find a scale that i could read (couldn't see my toes) let alone the dial... :-] (can joke about it now, but not then)
Second 2 pics were taken yesterday March 24 08. weight is 202.
So when i say i am in better health at 40 then i was at 30, i think you will agree.. So much more i could say here to prove it (but it would be sensored)....
You and Linda inspired me. Down 11 lbs. Yeaaaaaaaaaa ME!
Slow and easy everyone that is the way to do it. Slow and easy. I eat cake just not the whole cake anymore. I am still eating reagular food but I have grapes with a sandwich instead of chips. Lean Cuisines help and Smart ones. I fix everyones elses meal then I just eat one of those. (They are always on sale somewhere or walmart has them cheap.) Perfect portions low fat high fiber. I also swim 3 to 4 times a week. 1.5 to 2 hours at a time. Or if you get a pediometer and take 10000 steps a day equals the same.
When you go to the store park way far to get your steps in. When you are cooking in the kitchen step back and forth to get your steps. Just STEP STEP STEP.
Seems I just finished reading this. BTW good luck with your continued changes. I too have a new ring since I lost mine right after graduation. Wedding ring fits my pinky now, or pretty close.
as far as class rings - my wife lost mine when we were dateing - replaced in 2000 - it fit real good (old 8.5 to new size 10). My wedding ring (size 9)- i haven't even tryied it on since 91 (until last week) - got cut on the ring finger and they almost had to cut it off (the ring) instead i pulled it off and that made me get 2 stitches because i made the cut bigger (metal was still in it). With all the weight that i have lost (broke 195 this week - have my 18 year old graduation this month and doing a lot of eating out make plans, makes it hard to keep on diet - really slowing down in the losing area- the closer i get the harder it getting) my class ring now falls off and wedding ring fits (if it wasn't for the scar tissue i would wear it all the time - but it makes the finger itch all the time.)
Once i hit goal wieght of 180 - going to stop smoking again - but don't want to even try until i get the wieght were i want it... Everyone i know that has quit gains between 10-20 pounds in the first 3-6 months after quitting. and my luck - would gain the 20+ pounds right back (or 2x faster then i lost it)
also sorry i can't give you any insight on how to keep from gaining the weight once you stop smoking (execpt to say chewing on toothpicks is the only thing i can think of doing that doesn't add inches) but thats just changing one nasty habbit for another one....
Again Good luck with stop smoking and the weight - hope you can quit the one with out effecting the other....
Doing great Jack! Can you come in for me next week for the weigh-in for my semiannual PT test? 
just broke 197.5 today 4.5 pounds since march 24 - still 2 to 2.5 a week...
One other thing i tried to help lose weight faster was switching the big meal of the day to lunch, and have a smaller meal at dinner (just a single sandwich)..... did that for a while but woke up starving almost every morning (to hungry to even want to wait for the wife to cook breakfast)...or got hungery just before bed time (late night snacking didn't help) the trick is to give you body time to process the food - before it tryies to store it.... and in sleep anything in the digestive track is stored....
i only did this for about a month (with work and personal life could not keep it up) though i do remember there was a week or two that i lost 8 pounds a week, - but couldn't handle the hunger in the morning (almost to the point of being sick - (wanting to gag on the first bite or two)....
plus they say that anymore than 2 pounds a week will be gained back... once you stop dieting, and i think i did gain some of the 8 pounds back once i reverted back to the other way.... start snacking about 2:00pm because lunch was too small..
and then didn't want to eat before 4pm.... so i got of track for a while....
again good luck
I am taking it slow and doing it right.
Jack you really should be very proud. I am so happy you did it!
for those that remember me my freshman year... i went though a weight gain (4foot8 tall, and 168) and then lost just be fore the summer of the start of my sophmore year. my weight yo -yo-ed so bad that mrs. G (nurse) wanted me to get tested for diabites. but the reason for the gain and lost was two different girls......
As far as losing the weight for the kids (sorry to say) wasn't the factor... just couldn't stand seeing myself in the mirrors.
You look wonderful Jack! I was so happy to see you at Homecoming and can't wait to see you again next time you get up here.
xoxoxox
Rena
this is awesome and inspiring! Jack stopped in to visit us while we were living in Virginia, a few years ago, and he was about the size of the picture on the left (or he says he was, but I don't remmber him being that big). Yes he was bigger (if you knew Jack in high school, he was a bean pole), but he was still the Jack we knew and loved! I am so proud of him for losing the weight, and making strides to live a healthier, longer life...he needs to be around, we all know that he started having kids all over again, and they deserve to have Daddy around!
Love you Jack, and we are sooo proud of you!!! Can't wait to see you again soon!!!
You are so awesome! Seriously you have just inspired me so much more. I am not kidding.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING THIS!!!
first the those are short i am wearing in that pic and they were 52 waist... still have them as an inperational thing.
02 to oct 05 still drove. yo yoed. in oct 05 had house fire, and start working as a cook 330, (hard place to loose weight) but did left at 318. by hc 06 was 280(42-44) and hc 07 218-220 (36) fit without a belt, now i need the belt to keep them up...
basically any where from 50 to 70 pounds a year, (but always gain between thanksgiving and christmas 20 pounds)... execpt this year.... only gained 7....
really don't do any exercise, but do have 2 kids 6 and 4. found out that in the last couple of months i don't get out of breath chasing them like i use to.... wife uses a tread mill - and i have once or twice just to see how far / long i can take a jog... when in the service had 2 miles under 14minutes:55seconds (i think) can do it about (jog 2 miles) the same, but am totally out of breath.... i also walk at work now (between 4-6 miles a night)... depending how busy. but nothing on an every day exercise plan
only started watching your weight in 02, when did you reach the size 36 waist? and how long have you kept it off? I am so impressed and inspired.
Oh my word, you must feel great about yourself now, and just great in general. I am so proud of you! Do you exercise now? Or do more active things since you can?
My husband drove for years and weighed around 300. He said by the time he was done driving, he had no energy to exercise. Add to it that every hotel has a buffet type restaurant near it.....
fastest way to gain it is go to sleep within 1 hour after eating... use to drive for a living - sunrise to sunset, 8 or 9 pm durning summer - then eat a full meal and go to the motel and sleep on a full stomach...
that is an amazing transformation. That is quite an accomplishment. You should be proud... I spent a lifetime struggling with the weight issue... you must feel great! Way to go...what an inspiration, thank you for sharing. (I am too much of a coward to share)
I understand how you gained it all. My uncle was a truck driver for a very long time and at one point probably weighed close to 400lbs. He lost his weight the bad way by doing the "grapefruit diet" but has kept it off over the years. Now that he has diabetes he has to be really careful. His wife died at 31 of obesity. She ate a large pizza one night before going to bed and just never woke up. Her son found her and he has been fighting obesity for years. It sucks, but I'm glad that you've been able to combat it! Good for you!
Tree88
all i did was make sure i didn't eat anything 4 hours before i go to sleep, and every other day take a 15 min walk after the last meal of the day... if i got real snacky i would either have a bowl of salad or a glass of grapefruit juice... other then that no change in food... breakfast still 2 eggs,2bacon,2sausage, 2 toast and sometime 2 pancakes (2by5 breakfast) lunch a sandwich, dinner (as long as i ate before 4 pm) any thing i wanted, after 4 just salad or a glass of grapefruit juice. and asleep by 8:30 each night, 3:00 am wake up... (wife just told me to say that i also slowed down on the the speed that i ate it) always in a rush and i didn't always chew my food the way i was suppose to...
fastest way to gain it is go to sleep within 1 hour after eating... use to drive for a living - sunrise to sunset, 8 or 9 pm durning summer - then eat a full meal and go to the motel and sleep on a full stomach...
each way i lost or gained about 2 pounds a week... figure i drove for 12 years - 26 weeks of long days * 2 = 50 - 52 pounds in one year alone... unwatched 3 years of that and i was up to 350- my max i never really knew but waist size maxed at 54, and the belt i still wear, kids get a laugh out of the fact that it goes all the way around to the center loop in the back of my pants.... (current waist is 36 - but still need belt or they will fall off.
Hope that helps...
How did you lose your weight?
Tree88
That is amazing, Congrat's to you!
Congrats and keep on going! I think most of us can relate I've got a few before and after pics as well before I became the skinny guy that i am. Best part of you is now you're advising others on the proper way to do it! CONGRATS!
Rock on skinny man! 
I'm sure, you of all people know of the life you have regained!!!!! Congratulations, and many healthy years to you!!!!
Congratulations for losing the weight! I know it's hard to lose, but you've done it and you look amazing!
Tree88
working on things, I am down 11 pounds also, it has been fluctuating up and down this whole time, but i am finally seeing a difference in my body. And I have been walking everyday this week forty mins speed walking, I also started drinking Yerba Mate tea, you should research it if you are trying to increase your energy and lose weight, it has been amazing for me and my energy level, which encourages me to exercise, and I have seen the scale moving down again finally. Good job Suzi, keep up the great work.