My perspective changed the day I watched my dad die. It was 2010, and I had recently had my second child when I got the call. He had a massive heart attack at 4 AM, and I went with him to the hospital, where he flatlined. They worked on him for 20 minutes but couldn't revive him. He died at 8 AM. He was only 54.
When my dad was lying shirtless on the table, I got a good look at how big he truly was, which crushed me. My heart sank further when I saw the cause of death on his autopsy report: obesity. His death could have been prevented.
I knew there was nothing I could do to bring my dad back, but I could do something to prevent an obesity-related death in myself—and others. I vowed to not only to lose weight, but also to get healthier.
I had two more pregnancies after my father died. After my fourth baby—my daughter—was born in 2014, I knew it was time to get serious about improving my health and losing weight for good. At the time, I weighed 278.
With a few bad habits to break, I focused on tackling one thing at a time. First, I started walking with my kids. Those walks got longer and turned into the occasional hike. Then one day—only 8 pounds into my weight loss—I decided to teach a boot-camp class at a local football field. I could tell some of the people who came thought I was crazy (who was this 270-pound girl teaching boot camp?!), but I didn't care. I wanted the camaraderie, and I wanted to help other women exercise. I loved teaching the class, and I think it planted a seed in my head about my future calling.
Photograph courtesy of ashley barnes
The next two habits I needed to tackle were soda and fast food. When I was pregnant, it was just easier to go through the drive-thru. There were periods when I stopped at McDonald's three different times in one day. I started cutting that down to a few times a week, then to a few times a month, then never. I'm proud to say I haven't eaten at McDonald's in 5 years. I took the same approach with soda, slowly cutting back until I eventually quit it completely.
Another big breakthrough for me was trying intermittent fasting—which I still do today. I eat only between 11 AM and 6 PM, and I fast the rest of the day. This is pretty easy because I'm asleep for 8 of those hours. When I eat, I stick to clean, unprocessed foods that are high in protein, such as protein shakes in the morning, chicken salad sandwiches or peanut butter on graham crackers at lunch, chili with pinto beans for dinner. I also drink tons of water. This approach has worked amazingly well for me.
Photograph courtesy of ashley barnes
But I think the biggest shift happened mentally. As I made the changes in my lifestyle, I kept telling myself: "You are worth it. Keep going. Take it one step at a time, and one food choice at a time." I also kept remembering what obesity did to my father, and how it took him away from his kids and grandkids.
As of today, I have lost 92 pounds. My original goal was 100, but my body fat is way down and I feel great. I no longer need to be so focused on the number on the scale.
Photograph courtesy of ashley barnes
I've also taken my anti-obesity crusade to the streets. I recently opened a gym in my hometown of North Richland Hills, TX, called Let's Get Fit Studio. It's a place for women to work out and feel empowered, no matter what their size or shape. There are plus-size classes reserved for women with 50 or more pounds to lose. The classes—which focus on both cardio and resistance—have fun names, like Cellulite Assassins and Superwoman Shred. Instead of using boring gym machines, the studio is full of tires painted purple and pink. (These colorful tires also serve as useful resistance tools). I wanted to create a positive safe space for women who have a lot of weight to lose. I've been there—I know how hard it is, and I think it's very important to create a tribe of women on a similar weight loss path. I want to help these women feel awesome while they work out, and to be awesome when they walk out the door and take on the world.
As I continue with my weight loss journey and help others do the same, I like to think my dad is watching—and I know he is proud.
