Weight Loss Stories – Casey Lost 109 Pounds in 9 Months

Name: Casey
Age: 24
Family Status: Single
Occupation: Teacher
Hometown: Tyngsboro, Massachusetts
Height: 5’6″
Starting Weight: 266 pounds
Current Weight: 157 pounds
Current Waist Size: 28″

Casey’s Weight Loss Interview!

How much did you lose?
I lost 109 pounds in 9 months and a total of 5 pants sizes!

When did you become unhappy with your weight?
I was the chunky kid in school starting at about the third grade. Unfortunately, I never quite grew out of it like some kids do. I was always an active kid. I played soccer, softball and I was a dancer. But despite my activity, nothing changed and my weight eventually made me stop all my activities because I felt as though it hindered my performance, especially in dance.

What made you decide to lose weight?
I tried my first diet at the age of 12 and my weight has been up and down ever since. I was able to lose about 70 pounds once with extreme dieting and food restriction but I wasn’t able to maintain such a rigid lifestyle. So after my weight went up again I decided I needed to do something drastic so I could keep the weight off for the long run. I was young and needed to do it before I wasted any more of my life by making excuses for myself.

What were the most important changes you made to lose weight?
I made a tough decision at the age of 23 to have bariatric surgery. A month before my 24th birthday I went in for a vertical sleeve gastrectomy. I did not realize it at the time, but I had given myself the best gift I ever could and that was to finally get healthy and really be able to live my life for the first time without hesitance.

What was the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your weight loss journey?
One of the most challenging things during my weight loss journey was trying to be social. It seems that in our society all social events involve or even revolve around food and drinks. I really had to focus on the main point of being social and that was to interact with people and not focus on whatever food or drinks were available.

How long did it take you to start to see results?
My results pre-surgery were very, very slow but once I had the surgery it definitely came off a lot faster. I know surgery isn’t for everyone but for me it gave me the boost and the motivation to continue my lifestyle changes I had made and always knew I needed to maintain.

How long did it take for you to reach your current weight?
It only took me 9 short months to reach my current weight and I’m hoping within the next three months to lose a few more and reach my goal weight.

Did you have any issues with loose skin after losing the weight? If so, how did you deal with it?
After losing the weight I have a little bit of loose skin. I consider myself very fortunate since my body looks fairly normal.

How long have you maintained your weight loss and what are the most important factors for keeping it off?
I have still been losing as of late but I find myself approaching the point of maintenance.

What keeps you motivated to continue your weight loss success?
What keeps me motivated is thinking about all the great things I can do now that I don’t have the weight to hold me back. Back when I started the process I always visualized myself rock climbing. It has always been on my bucket list and I knew it wasn’t possible in my old body. But seeing how my body moves now I can definitely see myself exploring that activity and a few other adventurous things!

How has your life changed now that you have lost weight?
Having lost the weight, I feel so much lighter. Not just my body but my mind. I don’t think about my butt jiggling while I walk or if my legs look big in certain pants. I feel freer to just live life. I also feel that by losing the physical barrier I’m now allowing myself to be closer to people.

Do you have any advice for others who are trying to lose weight?
My advice for others who are trying to lose weight is to never lose hope. There are so many different options and resources out there to help now that nothing is impossible. If one thing doesn’t work, it’s not the end of the world. But what would be the end of the world would be if you give up on yourself. You are worth it and you need to remember that.

Casey’s Weight Loss Tips!

Weight Loss Tip #1:
Always make sure you drink plenty of water each day.

Weight Loss Tip #2:
When sitting down to a meal, always eat your protein first.

Weight Loss Tip #3:
Always take a multivitamin.

Weight Loss Tip #4:
Don’t completely deprive yourself. If you’re craving something then just have a little bit. You’ll do more damage trying to eat around it than if you just had a smaller portion of what you really want.

Weight Loss Tip #5:
Find a type of physical activity you enjoy doing especially if you’re not a gym rat. This is a fun way to make sure you keep moving, whatever it may be.

Casey’s Weight Loss Eating Plan!

What do you normally eat for breakfast?
Breakfast is usually a protein shake. My favorite is a small frozen banana, a cup of unsweetened almond milk, two scoops of chocolate protein powder and two tablespoons of PB2 (low-fat peanut butter powder).

What do you normally eat for lunch?
Lunch is usually two low-fat string cheese sticks, an orange and a 1/4 cup of cashews.

What do you normally eat for dinner?
Dinner usually consists of some lean protein and a veggie.

What do you normally eat for snacks?
Snacks are usually a low-fat Greek yogurt, some peanut butter crackers, more string cheese or a handful of nuts.

What type of nutritional supplements do you take?
I take a multivitamin with iron, a B-12, B complex and two calcium supplements every day.

Casey’s Weight Loss Workouts!

What do you do for weight training?
My favorite form of exercise is going to dance class. It feels so good to be back and see what my body can really do when I take care of it. I also really enjoy weight training.

What do you do for cardio training?
I guess dance classes count for cardio. I also like going for long walks and exploring new places.

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