Marie lost 38 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Marie lost 38 pounds. Over the years, she realized that mental health issues were contributing to her emotional eating, yo-yo dieting, and weight gain. After the birth of her son, she decided to find a way to release the weight that would be both effective and enjoyable.

I started my weight loss journey in 2015. I lost about 60lbs and got in the best shape of my life. Unfortunately, it was short-lived. Due to mental health reasons, I gained some of the weight back. It wasn’t a good feeling physically. However, mentally it was worth it because I was able to let go of several toxic “health rules” I’d unintentionally set for myself. 

I became pregnant in 2019, and my weight reached a new high – 217lbs, to be exact. I found myself at the drawing board yet again to lose the weight I gained. This time, I vowed to do it in a way that is actually enjoyable. 

Starting weight: 217 pounds
Current weight: 179 pounds

What was your motivation? What inspired you when you wanted to give up? 
My motivation (at the moment) to lose weight and be healthy is my baby boy. He is VERY active, so I want to feel my best and have plenty of energy to keep up with him. I also desire longevity. 

How did you change your eating habits? What foods did you stop or start eating?
“Eat the way you desire to feel.” I made up this quote, and I believe in it 100%. If you want to feel good, have energy, and prevent illness, you should eat in a way that will help you achieve that goal. For me, that means eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, lean sources of protein, and drinking plenty of water. Just because you are on a weight loss/lifestyle journey doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy favorable food every now and then. I enjoy fried food occasionally, along with desserts, and guess what? I’m still losing weight!

What did your workout routine look like? How often did you workout?
In the beginning, I started out exercising 1-2 days per week. This may seem small to many people. However, as someone who recently gave birth, I knew I needed to take things slow. I firmly believe that one must start small and eventually work their way up in order to make a habit. 

I vowed to do workout routines that were enjoyable. 21 Day Fix Extreme, LIIFT4, and Fitness Blender were all workouts I did to lose weight. Fortunately, as I grew stronger with time, and now I exercise 5 days a week! 

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
I’ve learned to STOP focusing so much on how I look on the outside and START listening to what’s going on mentally (on the inside). Over the years, I found that I dealt with mental health issues that contributed to emotional eating, yo-yo dieting, and weight gain. Once I resolved certain things, I was finally able to lose weight, keep it off, stop eating my emotions, and desire to lose weight for the right reasons. 

What advice do you have for others who want to lose weight?
Take your time! Stop thinking you’re supposed to be at your goal weight in 6 months or even a year. It took a while for you to gain weight, so it’s going to take time to get it off. Practice being patient; it’s quality over quantity. 

You don’t have to be fed up to make a change. You can start right where you are. The time will pass anyway, so you might as well use the time to work toward your goal. 

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Website: www.flourishedfitandwell.com