Krystal lost 159 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Krystal lost 159 pounds. This proud wife and mother felt that her weight was in the way of her living life to the fullest and enjoying special outings with her family. She started making small changes that built up to create a healthier, new lifestyle. Check out what she shared with us about how she transformed.

My motivation was my two daughters and my husband. I did not have the energy, nor the desire, to do a lot of the things that could bring enjoyment to our lives because of the weight. I really wanted to enjoy our family vacations and days at the amusement park or water park, but I didn’t. A lot of years slipped by due to issues with my weight and my insecurity.

So, I started my weight loss journey with small changes, such as cutting carbs, sodas and sweets. I limited my intake with a lot of things I was eating, but don’t get me wrong. I have a sweet tooth out of this world. I love cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream, but I can’t live on that stuff alone. There’s nothing wrong with having small amounts of these things, but when you are trying to lose weight you cannot allow yourself to have it. Once you get to your desired weight, you can introduce sweets and treats back to your diet, slowly and in moderation. Eating a lot of carbs will slow down weight loss, so I did away with many carbs completely. I started to snack on vegetables, fruits and nuts. Even when I go out to a restaurant, I switch out carbs or high starch things for vegetables and salads. I ate a lot of meat; beef, chicken and fish. I’m not a pork eater at all.

When I started to work out, all I could do was walk because of my size. I started off by walking 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week. I would walk even more if I had the energy. Then, I increased it by 5 minutes until I got up to 45 minutes. I invested in a Fitbit and I started off with the goals of walking 6,000 steps a day. I ended up walking 12,000 steps today. My Fitbit encouraged me. Even if I did not walk that much throughout the day, at night I would get in front of the television and walk in place until I met my goal. I remember one night that I did not reach my goal and I was like, “Forget it. I’ll just make up the steps tomorrow.”, but something in me would not rest. I had to get out of the bed, go to my front porch and walk 4000 steps before I went to bed. Subconsciously, I could not sleep knowing that I didn’t meet my goal. It is a real challenge to me that I absolutely enjoy.

My starting weight was 389 pounds and my current weight is 230 pounds. I’m 5’6″ tall. I am trying now to lose 40 more pounds to reach the weight goal that I set for myself. This journey took about two and a half years and I’m still going.

My advice: You didn’t gain the weight overnight and you’re not going to lose it overnight. Be patient. Take time to treat yourself right, physically and mentally. Do this truly for no one but yourself. We are all different. The eating habits or weight limits that work for another person may not work for you. You have to find a way of eating that fits you, your schedule and your family. You have to find a workout routine that fits your schedule and your family. You can pull bits and pieces from the successful stories of other. You can use this information to customize your own story. Don’t beat yourself up because somebody else’s workout routine or diet is causing you to struggle. Create your own lifestyle and carry on with your journey.

Never give up and never look at it as a diet. Look at it as a lifestyle change. These actions are things you’re going to have to implement throughout your life to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Diets are temporary. Lifestyle changes will stick. Your new lifestyle may even start to be picked up by family members, loved ones, your children or your husband. You will become an inspiration to them.

Instagram: @wife_mother_ceo