Carmen lost 45 pounds

Weight Loss Story: Carmen lost 45 pounds.  This petite mom of two fought through the challenge of knee and back pain to reach her weight loss and wellness goals.  Here is what she shared with us about her journey…

My motivation for starting this journey was my two boys. I had gotten so heavy that even walking around the mall with them was a task. My knees and my back would hurt. In May of 2014, my husband got a job offer in Florida, so we moved from Atlanta to Florida. With his new job, I was able to stay home for the first time and not work for the entire summer. I think I fried EVERYTHING, everyday. My weight hit 230 pounds.

My first attempt to lose weight was around June of 2014. I decided I was gonna start, so I got up early and went for a 2 mile walk .I felt like I was gonna die. My knees and back hurt so bad. I decided that losing weight was too hard and I couldn’t do it.

In October of 2014, I said enough is enough. I joined the gym and started eating right. I cut out fast food and drinking Pepsi. Now, I only drink water and eat baked or grilled foods. I go to the gym 3-4 times a week. In the gym, I do cardio for 30-45 minutes and I weight train for another 30-45 minutes. On the days that I don’t go to the gym, I walk either around my neighborhood or on the trail at the park.

In October 2014, my weight was 230 pounds. My current weight is 185 pounds, for a total of 45lbs gone forever.  I am 5’3″ tall, so every bit of weight I gain shows.

The advice I would give to others is don’t give up. You are gonna fall off sometimes, but come back even harder. Focus on your “Why” and think about it every day. I try to inspire people who are on the same journey as me on my Instagram: @carmensfitness_journey