Transformation of the Day: Stephanie lost 145 pounds. A messy divorce served as the motivation she needed to start her journey. In 2014, she had gastric sleeve surgery. Then, In 2018, Type 1A Pancreatic Cancer left her with diabetes. In 2020, she restarted her journey, and she recently shared with us how she took action to reach her health and fitness goals.
What was your motivation?
For me, what started this journey was a messy divorce. My husband of 5 years, whom I was with for ten years, left me for a more overweight woman. I really didn’t want to be that female who was depressed and more overweight after a divorce. So, I decided to get my revisional surgery and start over.
I had the gastric sleeve in 2014 and only lost about 60 pounds before I became pregnant. I decided to have a revision Gastric Bypass in February 2020 due to GERD and my new diabetic lifestyle. I had type 1A Pancreatic Cancer in 2018, which made me an automatic diabetic with an insulin pump.
How did you change your eating habits?
With the surgery, I gave up sugar and ate smaller and smarter portions. I currently have a low-carb, pescatarian lifestyle and I’ve been very successful eating this way.
After my revision, I couldn’t digest pork and red meat very well, so I researched other ways to get my protein in without going vegan. Pescatarian/Low-Carb has been the best option for me for the last 20 months.
What is your workout routine?
I work out five days a week, focusing on my lower body and heavy weight lifting. I wanted to be healthy curvy, and not too skinny. So, I hired my cousin as a trainer to help with that goal.
What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 313 pounds, and my current weight is 168 pounds. My goal was only 180 pounds, but with this surgery, it typically determines the results you are going to get. Even on insulin, I still am losing weight…slower, but I’m losing.
What is your height?
I am 5’3″.
When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I began in February 2020, and it took a year to get to 180 pounds. Now at 20 months in, I am still losing weight. I have documented the whole process online, from the liquid diet to my skin removal surgery.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is not to compare my results with other people’s results. I also learned not to compare how fast they lose.
It’s about not giving up and staying motivated. The goal is to make it to the end. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, just get there! Being an insulin-dependent person, the medication makes it hard to lose weight, but I did!
What advice would you like to share with women who want to lose weight?
My advice is to stay strong and never give up! Keep the faith and keep your head up. You will have days that you don’t do well, but it doesn’t mean those days won’t pass.
Instagram: @stefanielaneb
Youtube: Stefani Elane
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