Melissa lost 26 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Melissa lost 26 pounds. Being an empty nester, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism and unhealthy eating habits led to weight gain. A family photo gave her the wake up call she needed. She got results by working with a trainer and nutritionist. Check out her story.

Age: 44
Height: 5’5″
Starting weight: 221.9 pounds
Current Weight: 195.4 pounds
Weight Lost: 26.5lbs
Starting Dress Size: 12
Current Dress Size: 10
Representing: Richmond, Virginia

My husband and I became empty nesters two years ago (my youngest son is a Junior in college). I based my life around my children, so I had plenty of time to eat more when they moved out. I knew that I gained weight because my clothes were getting very tight and it was challenging to find something in my closet that would fit. Although I routinely had to try on several outfits before heading to work, I refused to buy a larger size.

My weight gain was the result of experiencing empty nest syndrome and not paying attention to what I was eating. I also had high blood pressure and hypothyroidism. My metabolism is very slow, which means I needed to work harder than someone with a normal metabolism. I stopped excercising and the weight piled on.

Our sons (ages 19 and 27 years old) are dedicated to the gym. They mentioned that my husband and I needed to start working out. My husband blamed not having enough time in the day and I blamed my weight gain on the side effects of having hypothyroidism. My youngest son was visiting from college and I was playing with my grandsons. We took a couple of pictures and when I saw them I couldn’t believe I’d gained so much weight! This was the heaviest I’ve ever been.

I immediately started researching ways to lose weight. I came across videos of inspirational stories from people who joined Fitness on Fire. I was a little hesitant because the last thing I’ve tried was working out with my oldest son who is a sergeant in a jail (he trains people to reach their weight loss goals). There was a conflict with our schedules, so I couldn’t workout with him and, frankly, I don’t think I was ready at the time. After completing my research, I contacted NutritionistGuru aka. Nia. I liked that she did not sugar coat my current situation or what I needed to do to become successful. I received a response within minutes each time I contacted her and/or the program’s trainer, Fire. I liked that they held me accountable and encouraged me to call them anytime. I knew this was the program for me!

I stopped eating at fast food restaurants and started eating more foods that nourished my body, such as vegetables, fruit, chicken, turkey and fish. I drink lots of water and eat granola bars, 100 calorie snacks for portion control and something sweet once per week. I also prepare my food at home instead of eating out. This has helped tremendously!

My workout consisted of one hour of resistance training. Sometimes, I’d workout for one hour and 30 minutes, and I even did 2 hours a couple of times. I followed the workout regimen given to me by my online trainer. He explained that this routine was best suited to help me achieve results, reshape my body and drop the body fat. For the first 30 days, I worked out with no days off. After that, I did 6-7 days per week.

I started the program on February 10, 2017 and started to see changes by February 20th. I initially noticed changes in my face and then my clothing started fitting better. I lost 26.9lbs from 2/10 to 5/10, but I also lost lots of inches. I am still on my journey. I wanted to feel healthy, fit into my clothes again and weigh 165 pounds again. Thanks to Fitness on Fire, I will continue my journey until I reach my goal. I’ve tried losing weight on my own in the past with smoothies, the 10 day cleanse, paleo diet, etc. Fitness on Fire works because they are such a great support system. They were there when I had questions and held me accountable.

Advice: If you want to lose weight, consistency is the key. Excercise even when you don’t feel like it. Weigh yourself once every three weeks and track your progress based on how your clothes fit. Losing inches makes a big difference!

Instagram: @Melissami39