My weight loss story and struggles is why I started this blog in the first place and I would have NEVER imagined how much support I'd get from all of you and how many friendships I would make, both near and far. I felt like I should share my story again with all of you since it's the New Year and we're all stepping up our healthy eating and workouts! It's also a chance for me to reflect on where I've been. Although my transformation happened over 11 years ago, it's an ongoing journey...never ending. I still struggle and hopefully with our 2013 resolutions, with my husband by my side, we'll be able to reach and exceed our goals we have for the future!
Let's start with me,
In 2001 (pictured on the left) I was over 200lbs, a size 20, a foodaholic and completely inactive. I was 21, in college and although I was having fun with my friends, I was SO unhappy. Looking back at pictures, you could see it in my face. I was depressed and most nights ended with a look in the mirror and crying myself to sleep over what I saw.
It was a vicious cycle...I'd drive through McDonald's, grab 2 cheeseburgers a fry and a large DP. Most evenings I'd eat it before I even made it home and my drive was only about 5 minutes. I'd get home, feel awful and the cycle would start all over again. I'd eat although not hungry, just to mask the feelings, the hurt. It was awful. Although I made people laugh and smile, was the life of the party, I was hurting so much on the inside.
One evening after a night out with friends, I was changing into my pj's and happened to glance into the mirror. Whew, it was rough. I HATED what I saw. I cried and cried...and cried. It was a feeling I'll never forget. Even after 11 years, I still remember like it was yesterday and I know that's what pushes me to keep going and to never gain that weight back...EVER.
You've all read in "my weight loss story" at the top of my blog about how I changed and what I did, so I won't go into detail BUT I was intimidated. Walking into that gym for the first time was very overwhelming. At one point I went into the gym shower and started to cry. How could I let my weight get this much out of control. I struggled with weight most of my life.
I was always bigger than my friends and had to use humor and my personality to compensate for my insecurities. Good news: That worked for a LONG time. Now I was 21, a journalism major but so, SO unhappy.
Once I started losing weight and feeling so much better inside and out, my attitude changed. With the weight loss, healthy eating and lots of exercise...I finally felt GOOD. I felt like that person was always hiding inside of me but wasn't ever sure how to get it out. I had never felt this good. Ever. It was incredible. If you've never struggled with weight, sadly you may never know that feeling of the lowest low or the highest high during a great workout, but it's INCREDIBLE to say the least.
And to make a long story short, I taught aerobics for the gym, taught kickboxing and spin at my college, SHSU too! I loved it! I graduated with a 4.0 with a BS in exercise physiology and health education and was ready to make a difference! I worked a while in cardiac rehab, educating heart attack patients on diet and helped them exercise while monitoring heart rates, etc. Then I decided I wanted to help young people, so I became certified to teach health/physical education grades k-12! I loved it too! I loved helping the kids...all of the kids, find a love for exercise! I taught health/nutrition which is a HUGE passion of mine and helped them have fun while working out. I still run into kids that remember what I taught them...how cool is that! That's an awesome feeling.
And I guess the story picks up with my husband and his 100lb weight loss transformation,
It was the birth of my second son in 2009. My husband had reached 300lbs and was totally inactive. Even with me cooking very healthy at home and exercising daily, he wasn't feeling it. At all. He'd eat my food and then supplement with junk food constantly. He was addicted to soft drinks, probably 5-6 a day. I love him NO MATTER WHAT, so let's get that out of the way. There was never a time where I'd tell him he needed to lose weight, get healthy, etc. That has to be every person's OWN CHOICE. Nothing more frustrating then someone telling you what you need to do in regards to something so emotional, such as weight. NO WAY. He came home from work one day very upset. They had been fitted for respirators and as they took his blood pressure, it was sky high. I can't remember exactly but somehwere around 180/100. He was scared. They tried to keep him there during the physical to see if it would come down (because if it didn't drop, they wouldn't fit him for respirator) and it never dropped enough. They told him to come back and see his doctor. THAT WAS IT. He came home, looked at me and said, "tell me what to do and I'll do it"...and so I did and the rest is history!
Do you have a weight loss story you'd like to share with my readers? I'd love to share it and it'll keep us all motivated!
Email me at,
rissarose80@yahoo.com
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