Got a success story of your own? Send it to us at success.stories@huffingtonpost.com and you could be featured in our I Lost Weight series!
Name: Tommy Smith
Age: 36
Height: 6'3"
Before Weight: 365 pounds
How I Gained It: I was always obese as long as I can remember. Since the first grade, I was the target of many jokes from other kids. I had stayed obese throughout my childhood and entire young-adulthood. I reached my heaviest weight of 365 pounds, and I was smoking two packs of cigarettes a day! My daily McDonald's dinner consisted of two double cheeseburgers, two large fries and four apple pies!!
Breaking Point: One night, six years ago, I was relaxing at home preparing to eat an extremely unhealthy log of ice cream cake when I finally said in my mind, "What are you doing!?"
From that day forward I decided that it was finally time for me to lose the weight that I had wanted to lose so desperately for so many years.
How I Lost It: I started by simply cutting out all fast food! I decided that I had to work slowly and drop the bad habits one by one to succeed. After cutting out fast food, I started to decrease fatty foods that I would buy at the supermarket. I started buying more fruits and vegetables and began to feel much better. In six months, I had dropped to 245 pounds!
I knew that my journey was not finished yet though. Before I started my weight loss journey, my roommate at the time had tried to get me to run. Unfortunately, at that time I could not even run 100 yards without feeling like I was about to pass out! At 245 pounds, I finally decided to try to start running with the encouragement of a workmate who was an avid 5K runner. I knew that quitting smoking now had to become a reality. I quit when I got down to 230 pounds. It was just as hard if not harder than losing the weight.
I have now been smoke-free for about four years. I have run several half-marathons, three full marathons and several obstacle course races and sprint triathlons. I constantly try to challenge myself to see how far I can take my new body!
I did not want to stop at just losing weight. I feel that I have an obligation to help other people who are obese also. I know the reality and torture of living in a body that doesn't work the way you want. I currently attend a local university, and I am about to graduate with my bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science. My goal is to graduate and get my master in exercise physiology. I hope at the end of my education I can help people realize that they are not trapped and that they can achieve their weight loss goals! With every race I finish, the more fuel I have to show my clients that they can achieve whatever it is they want to accomplish!
After Weight: 210 pounds
The Huffington Post publishes photographs as they are submitted to us by our readers.
Check out more of our inspiring weight loss stories below:
Weight Loss Success Stories
For more on weight loss, click here.