How This Teacher Stopped Being in Pain and Lost 80 Pounds  

Before: 230 lbs
After: 139 lbs

An Italian beef sandwich, cheese fries, and a chocolate shake: That was once the go-to lunch for Jen Punda. The Bolingbrook, Illinois, resident watched her size slowly climb—a 10 in high school, a 14 in college, and, after the birth of her first child, a size 18. "I had no idea about calories, and I didn't care," the now-31-year-old teacher says. "I blocked out the consequences of what I ate." At her heaviest, 5'3" Jen weighed 230 pounds.

After her second pregnancy aggravated an old back injury to the point that she needed surgery, Jen resolved to make some life changes. Physical therapy two or three times a week was Jen's entry point, and soon she was walking and running regularly on the treadmill. Over the next few years, Jen shed a total of about 80 pounds, and in November 2014 she accomplished her goal of finishing a half-marathon. 

RELATED: What Happened When I Stopped Telling Myself I 'Couldn't' Run

Here's what Jen says helped her achieve her weight-loss goals:

Drink up. "Staying hydrated really does keep cravings in check. I bought a 32-ounce water bottle with hash marks on the side and try to drink it down to the halfway mark by 9 a.m. and the rest by lunchtime. Then I refill."

Ditch the guilt. "If you deprive yourself, you'll feel deprived. Sometimes, when someone brings doughnuts to work, I cut one in half and enjoy it with a friend."

Crank the tunes. "I always listen to music while I run. Try something with a strong, quick beat, like 'Hey Mama' by David Guetta or Pandora's Dance Cardio station."

RELATED: How to Save 15,000 Calories This Month

To read more about Jen Punda's amazing weight-loss journey, pick up the October 2015 issue of Women's Health, on newsstands now. 

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