Where I started from

In Jan 2011 my doctor told me that in order to get my health under control I needed weight loss surgery.

My issues:
40% body fat (I kept lying to myself and using "Athlete" when testing)
High blood pressure
High triglycerides
Low HDL (LDL of 30 so no complaints)
Borderline anemic (MCH/MCV borderline low)
Completely out of shape

I had a gym membership which I had started 2 years before
I had gone as LOW fat as I possibly could
I overate low fat high carb snacks thinking I was eating healthy

Reading Mark's Daily Apple about diabetes lit a bulb for me
The point that really hit was #1 about how excess carbs/glucose was a major contributing factor to triglycerides
I might have given it too much credit but it got thru where other comments hadn't

I made changes and improved

Then I got lazy and complacent
I gained weight and fat
My A1c went up
I started making excuses to avoid going to the doctor because I didn't want to hear how bad I was doing