Weight Loss Stories – Felicia Lost 118 Pounds in 11 Months

Name: Felicia
Age: 44
Family Status: In a relationship
Occupation: Mortgage banking
Hometown: Galion, Ohio
Pounds or Inches Lost: I lost 118 pounds!
Height: 5’5″
Waist: 27″
Starting Weight: 255 pounds
Current Weight: 137 pounds

Felicia’s Weight Loss Story!

I have been overweight my entire life. My father passed away when I was 9 years old and my mother “eased” my pain with food. Instead of learning to deal with anything, I turned to food for comfort. Over the years, I continued to pack on the pounds. By the time I graduated from high school, I was pushing 200. After moving out on my own and getting a job, the bad habits continued. A busy work schedule added to the excuses of why I couldn’t eat better and exercise more since there simply was no time! I fell into a routine of long hours, coffee, cigarettes and fast food. Convenience was the key.

After almost 20 years of that, and reaching 297 pounds for a brief period, I decided that was not a good thing. I managed to get myself back down to 255 pounds, but I just couldn’t ever seem to get below that. That was my “normal” weight for many, many years. My doctor had me on “pre-diabetes” medicine. I never understood why I had to take it, as I was not diabetic. The side effects were no fun either. Finally, a couple of years ago, I decided that I needed to make a change. I was working from home, so the “time and convenience” thing went right out the window. I started to watch what I ate and joined a gym. I got up and went to the gym and put in my half hour on the cross-country trainer machine every day. I drank more water. I watched what I ate. I did that for about a year and had no improvement.

And then it happened , I fell in love! I have to say, I didn’t set out to lose weight, I set out to live a more healthy lifestyle. Since I had found this new happiness, I wanted to be around for a long, long time to enjoy it! My new love is a vegetarian, recycles, very petite, and eats healthy (low or no-fat, sugar-free). She also runs an Arabian horse rescue. In the process of learning to cook for her, I also learned about respecting the animals and the earth more. I had already been a recycler, but she taught me more about respecting everything. I started eating whole foods, everything made from scratch, and working with the horses, chickens and dogs on the farm. I started cleaning pastures daily.

Having been working 10 hours a day in front of a computer and then moving to my recliner to look at the TV for another 6 hours daily, this was a big change in my lifestyle. We gave up television a year ago. The cable bill increased, so we just dropped it. We don’t really have time to watch it anyway, and if it was costing too much, there really was no point in keeping it. I spent (still do) most of my time outside, getting natural vitamin D (which I had previously been deficient of) loving on the horses. The animals teach you more than you would think. They rely on you for their food, their water, cleanliness. They can’t get their own feed, they can’t muck out their own stalls, they can’t wait if it’s raining or snowing . THEY RELY ON YOU! They are totally dependent on you. It’s much more different than a dog or a cat. Not to mention, if they aren’t getting enough exercise, it is unhealthy for them as well. Walking the horses, riding the horses, all of that is excellent exercise for me, but also for them. They are just as much in need of exercise as we are!

Learning all of this, and living it, is a wonderful experience. As the months went by, pounds started to drop off, and they came off easily! I hadn’t set out to lose weight, but I have to say, I liked it! It became my new way of life. We make everything from scratch, no fast food, little fats or sugars (except natural healthy ones), watch portion sizes, exercise and drink plenty of water. Those are the keys for me. After 10-11 months, I had lost 110 pounds. That’s about where I am now (down 118 pounds), after 6 months. I have gone from being morbidly obese to “normal” which is something I NEVER thought I would be. I’ve even been called “skinny” several times! I went from a size womens 28 to an 8 petite! I can cross my legs like a lady now, and it doesn’t hurt after 30 seconds! I went on an airplane and did not have to have an extender for the seat belt! I can use a regular towel when getting out of the shower, instead of an extra large bath sheet. I have gone from a mens XXL shirt to a womens medium (or small depending on how it runs).

There are so many things that I can now do, that I haven’t been able to in over 20 years. And you just don’t realize these things until it happens. I never thought I would achieve this goal. I always had an excuse. I thought, “Well, I eat better than most of my friends, and I go to the gym every day, and I drink lots water, I just can’t seem to lose the weight. I must be meant to be this size.” I really did believe that. There HAD to be a reason, it couldn’t have been that I wasn’t doing something right! Well, I’m here to tell you, I wasn’t doing ANYTHING right and making excuses was at the top of the list!

It did all boil down to me. And I finally decided to make that change. I realized that I wasn’t only hurting myself by making bad decisions, I realized I was effecting others as well. By being morbidly obese, I was always at the risk of hurting or inconveniencing the ones that I love. If something happened to me (a fall, broken bone, heart attack, stroke, diabetes), that would have an effect on others, and those are things that I have control over! How arrogant, inconsiderate and selfish of me to slowly kill myself and expect my loved ones to help me, take care of me and mourn my loss when I finally succeeded in it!

So, here I am, after not quite a year and a half, 115 pounds lighter, 100% healthier, in love, living a dream! I am no longer on any medications, I am able to do things I never thought I could do before. I can play with my animals for longer periods of time. I have learned that not only do I LOVE to hike, but it’s wonderful exercise as well! My body responds to the things that I put into it, and I have learned how to listen to my body as well. I have much more respect for everything in this world. From the foods I eat, to the way I dispose of my trash, to MYSELF! Not only does my new lifestyle afford me a longer, healthier, rewarding life, but the way I treat the world also helps others and the earth as well.

Felicia’s Weight Loss Questions & Answers!

When did you become unhappy with your weight?
I have always been unhappy with my weight.

What made you decide to lose weight?
I fell in love and didn’t want to die prematurely.

What were the most important changes you made to lose weight?
I cut out fat and sugar, watched portion sizes and exercised.

What was most challenging about losing weight?
Nothing really, it came off very easily.

How long did it take you to start to see results?
Less than a month

How long did it take for you to reach your current weight?
Just around 11 months.

How long have you maintained your weight loss and how do you do it?
6 months.

How has your life changed now that you’ve lost weight?
I’m now completely off medication, I’m able to do things that I’ve never done before, I can wear clothes that are “normal” and the clothes have a normal price tag too!

How did ShapeFit help you reach your weight loss goals?
I actually just discovered ShapeFit.com and think it’s great!

Felicia’s Weight Loss Tips!

Weight loss tip #1:
Cut out fat and sugar.

Weight loss tip #2:
Portion sizes.

Weight loss tip #3:
Drink water.

Weight loss tip #4:
Exercise!

Weight loss tip #5:
Believe in yourself.

Felicia’s Weight Loss Eating Plan!

Breakfast:
Two egg white omelette with peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, tomatoes, with a piece of lean sausage, dry wheat toast or potatoes with onions and a piece of fruit.

Lunch:
Hummus pita with carrots, spinach, mushrooms, onions, peppers.

Dinner:
I call it the “kitchen sink” salad. It includes everything in there! Whole wheat pasta with red sauce, sauteed veggies thrown in and some black beans for protein.

Snacks or Mini Meals:
Fruit and veggies (all I can eat, all day long) and tons of water.

Felicia’s Weight Loss Workouts!

Weight Training:
Pushing a full wheelbarrow!

Cardiovascular:
Mucking stalls and pushing wheelbarrow. I also do Dance Party USA after our salads with dinner. The dogs love it and it’s fun.

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