WOWZA! That's all I can say about this amazing and beautiful girl. It goes to show we all have our ups and downs but there is always a way to overcome our old habits and turn them into new ones.
Michelle tells us how she changed her life for the better!
How old are you and please can you share your health and fitness journey to date?
I'm 28 years old. I grew up a chubby child but after high school and college I blew up to almost
400lbs. I was a binge eater and ate ALL the time in secret. I would grocery shop for a week and then
cook meal after meal and eat everything I purchased for the week in the span on a few hours. I was
completely out of control and needed to make serious changes. I started by buying my groceries 1 day
at a time. I'd go every morning and only buy what I needed for one day to stop myself from eating
everything. I also started walking to and from work and doing water aerobics. Once the weight started
coming off I began to add more exercise such as Zumba and the stairs in my city. After a year I had lost
almost 140lbs. I then got sick for several months in a row and started gaining back some of the weight I
had lost. I gained back close to 40lbs and felt bigger than ever. After months of being sick I had my
tonsils and adenoids removed, as well as my nasal passages cauterized to help with my breathing. I took
my before pictures on April 25, 2013 because I had heard that I would likely lose weight from not
being able to eat after the surgery. I quickly lost the 40lbs I had gained back and used it as a push to get
back on track. I started going to the gym twice a day Monday to Friday and once on the weekends as
well as took up spinning, running outdoors and weight training. I made serious changes to the food I eat
and cut out carbs. As of today I am now 202lbs less than I was 2 years ago and in the 100s for the first
time in my adult life.
What types of foods did you used to eat as a kid and young adult? What's changed since then?
I was an extremely picky eater as a child and as a young adult. I was given a lot of options and if I didn't like the food something else would be made for me. Most of the time I ate carbs. CARBS all the time. BAD carbs. I ate pizza, Kraft Dinner, Hamburgerhelper, pasta, garlic bread, french fries, chicken fingers, chicken wings etc. If it did not include vegetables and was deep fried or breaded I ate it. Since then I have cut out the bad carbs (personal choice because I was addicted to them) I now mainly eat meat and vegetables, as well as some fruit and very little dairy.
Do you play any sports or what sports do you like watching?
I do not currently play any sports, but I used to play baseball and plan to get back into it next summer. I'd also like to start participating in more runs. I did a 5k this year and really enjoyed it. I was not able to run the entire time, but I did make it to the finish line and would like to do more where I can actually run the full 5k without taking any breaks.
What are your interests, passion and what makes you smile?
My friends and family make me smile. My interests and passions include the gym and working out. It
has become a VERY large part of my life and I've actually grown to like it. The biggest surprise was
how much I've begun to enjoy running. I used to hate it and think that if it wasn't involved in a sport
there was no point whatsoever to run. Now I go outside, the scenery is beautiful, I put my headphones
on and I just run. It's so relaxing and peaceful and one of the few times that I can just shut my mind off
completely and not think about anything at all.
What was the catalyst that sparked your lifestyle change?
The catalyst that sparked my lifestyle change was a number of different things. I was embarrassed to do things I enjoyed. I was afraid I would be to big to do things so I never bothered trying. I outgrew the largest sizes in the plus size stores. I was just out of control and if I didn't put a stop to it I don't know where I would have ended up.
What are some of your dreams/goals you hope to achieve over the next 12 months?
Within the next 6 months I would like to be at my goal weight. As a reward for myself I plan to go skydiving for my birthday. I'd like to be well on my way to building more muscle and perhaps working in some way to help others lose weight themselves.
What tips would you like to share with my readers about your transformation?
Don't quit would be my biggest advice. Everyone slips up, maybe gains back some weight, eats the
wrong thing, misses a day at the gym. It doesn't mean you are unsuccessful it just means you are
human. It's not going to happen overnight but if you continue to be honest with yourself and the work
you are putting in it will eventually happen and you will see the changes.
List your social media's if you would like people to follow you
Thank you so much Michelle for sharing your new and healthy lifestyle. You have truly demonstrated with commitment and change, anything is possible. Keep up the fabulous work!
Much love and friendship,
XxDani
