I Dropped 50 Pounds and Became Addicted to Running

Before: 189
After: 137

The Lifestyle
As a kid, I was always really active. I was never super skinny, but I played a lot of sports like tennis and gymnastics. Plus, I had that awesome teenage metabolism; I never had to think about what I ate. When I went to college, I was at a normal weight, but I wasn't in any organized sports—and I definitely didn't really know how to work out in a gym. The concept of unstructured exercise was foreign to me, so I wasn't working out at all. Then, like a lot of college students, I discovered beer, takeout, and all that fun stuff that's not good for you at all. That's when I started to pack on the pounds.

After I graduated college, I was pretty unhappy with my weight and how I looked, but I didn't even know what to do to start losing weight. So I just thought, "Well, I'll just keep doing what I've been doing," and kept going to happy hours and out to dinner with my friends. I did start working out, but I still had no clue what to do. I would get on the elliptical and not add any resistance or take a cycling class and fake turning up the intensity as much as the instructor told us to. I didn't want to feel like the girl at the gym who was huffing and puffing while everyone else was keeping up.

The Change
As time went on, my weight started to bother me more. For example, I was shopping at a vintage store and really wanted this pair of jeans. They were just a little too small to button. So, I told myself, "Okay, I'll buy these now, and I'll make them fit." A few weeks later, I went on a trip with my friends, and I noticed that I took up more of the plane seat than I should have. The final straw was when one of my friends asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding in Aruba. I was 26, and I wanted to wear a cute bikini without hiding under a cover up. I wanted to really enjoy the trip and the wedding—and that included feeling confident about how I looked. At the time, I weighed 189 pounds.

When I decided to get serious about losing weight, I met with a trainer and told him I wanted to lose around 30 pounds. And he said, "I think you need to lose 50." I was kind of shocked but decided to go for it. He immediately prescribed a new diet for me. Basically, he cut out grains, dairy, and ramped up the amount of fruits, veggies, and protein I was eating. The hardest thing about my new eating habits was cutting out dairy, but I told myself that making this drastic change would be worth it. Since I'm kind of an all or nothing person, it really worked for me. Surprisingly, doing a complete overhaul all at once made it easier to stick to my diet because I had simple guidelines to follow.

I was also doing strength training twice a week and cardio three or four times a week. At first it was so hard; my trainer had me doing what felt like nearly impossible high-intensity interval treadmill workouts. But soon, I fell in love with running and started entering races. When I finished a 5-K about two months into losing weight, I was so proud of my time, which was just under a 12-minute mile. Afterward, I decided to go after the Army 10-Miler—and I even signed up for the Disney half marathon. Just two months before that race (about one year after I'd set out to lose 50 pounds), I hit my goal weight of 137 pounds.

The Reward
Running races has been one of my biggest rewards. I've done marathons, half marathons, and a few triathlons. It's been such an amazing way to show myself what I'm capable of. I learned I can be really disciplined and stick with the training, and it's also helped me stay motivated to stay in shape. Training is not easy, but it's worth it. Since losing the weight, I've become a certified running coach. I'm also going after my personal training certification.

Theodora's Tips
Make fitness fun. When I first started losing weight, running was a crucial part of my weight-loss plan because it didn't feel like work to me. It still feels like play.

Make your workouts a social time. When you have weight-loss goals, it's nice to see your friends without going out to dinner or drinking.  I like to go on runs and take fitness classes with my friends. Spending time with them while doing something good for my body is the best kind of multitasking.

Ban perfection. With fitness and food, you don't have to be perfect all the time. Eating very healthy 24/7 or doing your hardest workout every time you go to the gym isn't possible. You need some easy days, too. When you try to be perfect, a lot of the time, it ends up backfiring. You have to be realistic.

--

Theodora Blanchfield, 31, stands at 5' 5" and lives in New York City.

More from Women's Health:
What 200 Calories of 10 Different Foods Looks Like 
9 Weight-Loss Tips for Crazy-Busy People 
6 Healthy Foods You’re Probably Overeating 

1. Prev:5 Hopeful Tips for Shedding ALL of Your Pregnancy Weight
2. Next:How to Lose Weight When Your Genes Are Working Against You