My Fitness Transformation (Over 40 Pound Weight Loss)

On January 25th, 2014, I embarked on a journey that would be the decision that would ultimately change my life for the better. Up until that point, I struggled with my weight, I ate because of “happiness”, I ate because of stress, I ate to cope, I  ate because of boredom, and I ate because of lack of self-control. I distinctly remember going to my yearly check-up appointment in July 2013, stepping on the scale and being told that I was 192 LBS. While weight is not the only way to determine the quality of someone’s health, it was specifically detrimental to me because I am only 5’3″ (maybe really 5’2.6″). I was experiencing horrible knee problems (which I used as my excuse to stay away from certain exercises like squats and lunges), it hurt to walk up stairs, it hurt to crouch down, and forget about actually running on the treadmill–No Way! Not I! I almost began to settle on the fact that I would be confined to having to wear a knee brace for the rest of my life. Even after learning that I was severely obese for my height, I brushed it off on the outside but was crushed on the inside… So I ate. I ate because I was disappointed in myself for allowing myself to get so far gone and “ruining” my body. Do you know what the craziest thing is? THIS was not even my turning point. What finally woke me up and forced me to consider changing my life was the veryyyy sad fact that a few hours into 2014 (so right in the beginning of New Year’s Day) I got into my best friend’s car and… my jeans RIPPED! I could not believe it. My size 14 jeans that I swore I would soon be out of, became too small for me and ripped. I was literally devastated and now FINALLY realized that something HAD to give (& it clearly wouldn’t be my jeans lol).

Comparison of my side-view.