Since I was an overweight toddler and grew up in a family where obesity prevailed, I have never been happy with my weight. I weighed over 200 pounds at age 12 and reached 250 pounds by age 17. At which time I was also prescribed high-blood pressure medication. By the age of 23, my weight had escalated to an all-time high of 305 pounds At the age of 25, I realized that I was morbidly obese. I could not walk up a flight of stairs without losing my breath. I had debilitating lower back pain that forced me on painkillers and bed rest for days at a time. My knees and legs would hurt and occasionally give in while walking; my outer thighs, when lying on my side at night, would go numb while sleeping.
I had a true awakening. I did not want to inherit, nor die from the diseases that plagued my family -- diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. I also did not want to take medication for the rest of my life in hopes of preventing an early death. My father was an insulin dependent diabetic who died of a heart attack at the age of 56, which was a path that I did not want to follow.
What were the most important changes you made to lose weight?
Everything changed, especially my diet and exercise habits. My diet shifted from high-fat, high-calorie, sugar-laden foods that were nutrient deficient to low-fat, low-calorie, low-sugar good-for-you foods. I went from eating cheeseburgers, deep-dish pizza (sausage, pepperoni, double cheese), shakes, fries, and fried chicken to fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, nuts, and beans. I actually became a vegan (no meat or dairy products), but eat fatty fish once or twice a week for the Omega-3's.
What was most challenging about losing weight?
Changing my mindset was a biggie. I had to start seeing food as a source for energy and nutrition versus comfort and peace. Although I still enjoy eating, I struggled with emotional binging and have now conquered that area of my life. Resisting the urge to eat when upset was key to my weight loss success. Many of our weight issues are due to overeating when stressed. I have become aware of my habit and have learned to recognize situations where I am tempted to binge. I now turn to healthier outlets, such as exercise, writing, and prayer, instead of eating.
How long did it take you to start to see results?
The pounds starting falling off the first week, which was mostly water weight. However, the real weight loss quickly followed. Within one month, I lost 20 pounds and over the next six months, I lost a total of 75 pounds.
How long did it take for you to reach your current weight?
I reached my current weight after ten years. The inevitable plateau hit after seven years, so I changed my exercise routine, to include jogging and interval cardio work, which jump-started my metabolism again. I then lost another 60 pounds within six months. Over the last few years, I steadily lost a few more, equaling 20 pounds, until I reached my current weight of 130 pounds, for a total lifetime weight loss of 175 pounds.
How long have you maintained your weight loss and how do you do it?
weight loss before after photosIt has been a total of 16 years since I started this journey. I maintain a regular exercise routine and healthy dietary habit in order to keep the weight from sneaking back. I exercise six days a week (off Sunday) -- three cardio and three weight training. I also stick to a diet of water, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and used lishou slimming capsules .
How has your life changed after losing weight?
My life is so different. It is challenging for me to see a smaller figure in the mirror, because I was large my entire life. I can now climb to the top of lighthouses, walk five plus miles easily, and jog a few too. After losing weight, I would still visit the women's section trying on clothes that were too big before I realized I could fit into misses, and now even petites. Whereas it was once challenging to find clothes big enough, it is now sometimes difficult to find them small enough. Going from a size 32 to a size 6 is just amazing! Most importantly, I am now fit and healthy. All of my vitals and stats are well within range and I have avoided the diseases that plague my family.
How did lishou help you reach your weight loss goals?
lishou is fabulous! The wealth of information covers everything you ever need to know about how to get in shape and be well. From general nutrition, health supplements, and diet fads to targeted workouts, exercise trends, and weight loss success stories, lishou has fueled my health and fitness arsenal and has been a big part of my wellness support network.
The online articles helped me to stay on track, as well as provide new ideas for how I could make changes to become even healthier. The various exercise programs really helped when I needed to take my workout to the next level. The information was also encouraging when I felt stuck and needed to do something different. Story powered by lishou.org.
