I had a lot to overcome—I had begun abusing food when I was about 8 years old. My mom was a registered nurse, so we had a lot of healthy meals, but when nobody was looking, I would sneak into the pantry for candy. Between middle school and my junior year of high school, I was wearing a size 22, and my peers were picking on me relentlessly. To cope, I ate. Food never told me I looked awful. During lunch hour, I would eat as much as I wanted—usually a personal-size pizza topped with sour cream and a side of fries loaded with cheese.
Photograph courtesy of Margaret Suther
Before my senior year, I decided I needed to lose weight. I cut out the processed food, limited my portions, and began doing cardio every day. By high school graduation, I had lost about 50 pounds and was wearing a size 14—the smallest I had ever been. It felt amazing. I was so proud and happy that I was able to mostly maintain the loss for the next 5 years—until I started having kids.
During my first pregnancy in 2005, I gained 85 pounds and my weight climbed up to 325. Shortly after my first son's birth, I was going through a nasty divorce. Once again, I turned toward the comfort of food and ended up gaining even more weight.
A year later, I met an amazing man who became my husband. We were blessed with two more kids: a girl in 2007 and another boy in 2011. For the next year, I put my family first and ignored my health and weight as I put all my effort into being the best mother and wife I could be. I didn't understand that to succeed, I needed to be the best version of myself.
Photograph courtesy of Margaret Suther
Finally, in February 2012, I knew I needed to turn my health around. I started by focusing all my attention on nutrition. I loaded up on veggies and protein at every meal, cut out soda and fried foods, and limited carbs to once a week.
Two months later, I had lost 10 pounds and never felt better. I decided to keep going with my healthy food choices, but now I was ready to rediscover exercise. I started walking my kids the half-mile to school every day. This was the perfect opportunity for me to get my body moving while spending time with my children. I also began lifting 5-pound weights three times a week; I did basic arm and ab exercises I found online. (Get a flat belly in just 10 minutes a day with our reader-tested exercise plan!)
Photograph courtesy of Margaret Suther
I avoided the scale for an entire year as I continued to walk, strength train, and watch my diet. I knew I was shedding pounds based on how my clothes were fitting, so I decided to weigh myself. I was absolutely shocked: I had lost over 85 pounds! I had never been that small in my entire life. The feeling was incredible, but something was missing. Despite losing all that fat, I didn't really have any muscle mass. I decided to challenge myself to strength train more. I didn't just want to be skinny; I wanted to be strong, too.
Now, 4 years after I started, I've lost a total of 115 pounds. I weigh 180, I wear a size 10, and my body fat has dropped from 50% to 23%. I'm so happy with my shape that it's led to a passion for fitness I never thought was possible. I'm still walking—sometimes running—and lifting weights every day, and I always plan my meals to stay on track. I have so much confidence in who I am now that I'm able to be a better role model for my kids. It's still a learning process for me, but I think that's what I love about this lifelong journey.
Photograph courtesy of Margaret Suther
My path also led me to pursue certification as a Personal Trainer and Sports Nutritionist, which I completed in December 2013. My goal is to help others who are struggling with their weight and self-image. I know what it's like to look in the mirror and be unhappy about what you see. I created a Facebook page where I'm available to answer questions and inspire others. I truly want people to know that turning your health around and transforming your life is achievable—especially without an expensive gym membership. Be patient, believe in yourself, and anything is possible.
