Finally, in January 2013, I decided to get serious. I set a goal to lose more weight, and this time I was ready to maintain my weight loss for life.
I was determined to do this in a healthy way—no crazy diets or pills—so I did a complete turnaround with my eating habits. I started paying close attention to my portion sizes, I changed all of my grains to whole wheat, and I started eating more veggies and fruit. I had a very bad relationship with eating fast food on a regular basis, so I stopped having it daily. I would occasionally enjoy dinner out, but I'd still try to make smart choices. (Take back control of your eating—and lose weight in the process—with our 21-Day Challenge!)
Photograph courtesy of Lindsey Briand
The hardest part was cutting back on sweets. In the past, I'd try to eliminate them entirely, but it always seemed to backfire with an inevitable binge. This time, I decided it didn't have to be all or nothing. I'd enjoy sweets when I wanted them, but stick to a recommended serving size.
I went back to walking. At first I could walk for only a few minutes at a time, but I made sure I was out there every day doing the best that I could. What really kept me going this time was the support and encouragement of my family, and the fact that I decided to document my transformation with photos. Like everyone, I wanted to see quick results, and sometimes it's hard to notice the small but important changes that are happening in your body when you look in the mirror every day. Having a photo to look back on helped me realize that change was happening, even though it wasn't overnight. It was a great way to stay motivated and stay on track with my goals.
Photograph courtesy of Lindsey Briand
After 8 months of walking and losing about 30 pounds, I decided to add running to increase my weight loss progress. By summer of 2014, I had lost another 20 by exercising and eating healthy. At that point, I was so incredibly proud of how far I'd come. I'd even completed a half marathon on my treadmill, which is something I'd always wanted to do.
I finally realized how eating and exercising work together to keep your body healthy. Properly fueling your body is a crucial aspect to losing weight, and when you exercise it's an added bonus to keep your body strong.
By the start of 2015, I had lost 100 pounds with eating healthy and continuing to exercise every day. I felt amazing—my energy was up, I had more confidence—but I was also dealing with loose skin. In February 2015, I had the opportunity to have a panniculectomy, a procedure that removes loose skin below the belly button. The recovery process has definitely been challenging, but I'm happy that I did it. It certainly doesn't give me a free pass to stop my healthy eating and workouts, but at this point, I'd never want to give them up because they make me feel like the best version of myself.
Photograph courtesy of Lindsey Briand
Losing the weight has definitely been an uphill battle, but more importantly, I had to take the time to love myself again. I found that the mental aspect of this entire journey played a big role in my transformation. I know now it's so incredibly important to truly love the skin you're in no matter what, and to always remind yourself how beautiful you are.
Now fitness and health are part of my life. When I first started this journey, I usually would exercise on my own. Today I've realized that having friends and family who support you really makes a difference in your journey. I've met so many new people through local fitness classes, my Facebook page, and the running club I recently started. It is such an amazing feeling to have people you can talk to about your triumphs and successes, and accept you for you. And I love that when my son gives me a hug now, my belly doesn't get in the way.
