This is just a formal thank you to all the members that have helped by allowing me to shadow this board for years prior to actually becoming a member.

Years ago I embarked on a promise i made to my self and my family to change my life entirely - after over a year of hovering around four hundred pounds. What brought this change about was a very close friend had taken ill do to poor choices both with his health and eating habits that put him in the hospital, which in turn caused me to take a hard look at my own situation. Prior to all this when i was younger I had trained quit frequently and took decent care of my self but in the recent year to his health concerns I had fallen off the wagon... hard - and needed to make a change.

I embarked on a regimented eating schedule consisting of 6 to 8 meals per day limited to 1800 - 2200 calories paying close attention to protein and carbs. I devised a gym routine that i was able to follow at work (we have a gym) mostly consisting of cardio and moderate weight training which i put together from all i have learned (mainly) on this board.

I was able to drop roughly 130 pounds in just a little under 12 months(378 down to 245), but not with out loosing a bit of muscle along the way. I mainly focused on diet and cardio for the first hundred pounds, but once i hit that mark i started to shift my focus more over to weight training and to build up the muscle mass that was needed to fill out the excess skin that i had after the massive weight lose. I am still focused and centered around muscle building at this point, however i continue to get at least three cardio days in a week to help maintain - although i am sure some more wouldn't hurt.

Currently I am 6'5, 280lbs and roughly 14 - 15%bf and have been able to maintain this for almost 2 years now. Recently i felt the need to actually get on here and participate, contribute and attempt to help as much as i can. By no means am i a knowledgeable person when it comes to fitness, i just know what has worked for me up to this point which i have gotten from reading and researching on this board as well as a few others.

I feel it is all won and lost in your head even before it can be applied in the gym and the kitchen, at-least it is for me. As long i can see the finish line, I have no problem doing what it takes to get there.I have a lot more work to do to get where i want to be, mainly working to tighten up the excess skin,lol!

I want to thank all the eroids members on here that have inspired as well as helped and for that i thank you.

please don't flame me for saying thank you, it has made a huge difference for both my self as well as my family.