Transformation of the Day: Lori lost 58 pounds. With her future family in mind and with a desire to avoid serious medical issues, she decided to take action and change her lifestyle. She found the accountability and encouragement she needed in group exercise classes. Check her story.
My motivation to release weight bad always been a fear of medical problems. While I’ve never have been diagnosed with anything, in the Summer of 2012 I was in a car accident that left me immobile. Because I wasn’t working at the time, since I was on summer break from my teaching job, I decided to utilize the gym at my development and use Zumba videos on YouTube to give myself something to do.
Whenever I felt I wanted to give up, I thought about my husband (who was my boyfriend at the time), and the future I wanted for us. I knew we’d marry at some point, and I wanted to be as healthy for him as I could be, without worrying about him having to take care of me in the future.
I’ve never used any programs or diet plans. I have done a bit of trial and error to work out my eating habits. A major catalyst that helped was cutting out meat and most dairy. Occasionally, I will have salmon, but I don’t eat yogurt, cheese, milk or butter. Most of the healthy fat in my diet comes from nuts (like almonds), olive oil and avocado. I added many more fruits and veggies. Also, I’ve become a huge fan of juicing.
My workout routine varies based on the exercise class schedule at my gym. I’ve found that I need a group setting for encouragement and accountability. I also do a lot of free weights and cardio on my own. I often utilize what was done in the group training classes during my own workouts to keep it fresh and avoid plateauing. If I’m having a bad day or when I’m feeling particularly sore or tired, I utilize my step counter on my phone to get at least 10,000 steps in for the day. I make sure I’m moving at least an hour or two each day, especially since I have a job where I’m sitting quite often. I work out every day in some way.
My starting weight was 292 pounds and I currently weigh 234 pounds. My height is 5’4″. My journey has taken about four years, including weight gain and life occurrences that made it hard to stay focused along the way. I have been the most persistent and focused over the last year. Turning 30 years old in 2015 really encouraged me to push more for the sake of my future children. I hope to start a family in a couple of years. No weight loss surgery involved.
My advice for others is just to make your goals part of your day somehow. Remember that it is for you at the end of it all. Working out before work has been the most important change I made over the last year of my journey. Now I start my day off doing something for myself before giving all of my energy to others.
Instagram: @writewhereithurts
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