Terry lost 50 pounds

Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Terry lost 50 pounds. This 54 year old petite dynamo wants to inspire women in their 40’s and beyond. After years of trying to lose the weight and getting no lasting results, she found out that she was pre-diabetic and had high cholesterol. That was the turning point that lead her to eating clean, running and weight training. Now, she is a personal trainer and a certified nutritionist. Check out what she shared with us about her transformation…

I would love to share my story in hope of inspiring women in their 40’s and beyond. In September 2005 at 44 years old, I weighed in at 165 pounds. I was horrified when I saw myself in the vacation photos. After having kids, I had slowly packed on the pounds. Over the years, desperate to lose the weight, I had tried just about every diet, but got no lasting results. I would lose a few pounds, and after a few months I would regain all the weight plus a few extra pounds. Eventually, I had just decided to accept the fact that this was inevitable for women in their mid- forties.

My real ‘wake-up’ call came later that same year at my annual checkup when my doctor told me my cholesterol was high, and I was pre-diabetic. He suggested I begin a diet and exercise program because my weight was the contributing factor for these as well as the knee pain I was experiencing. I thought about the people I knew who were diabetic. I thought about the insulin shots (I hate needles). I thought about the fact that I wanted to be around for my kids and future grand-kids. I wanted to be able to have fun with them. This became my ‘WHY’.

I made a serious commitment to lose the weight. It took me about eight months to reach my goal weight of 115 lbs. I had lost a total of 50 pounds. During this time, I went through a divorce and some major life changes, but I didn’t give up. I relocated to start over and I began running every morning. I no longer had the knee pain and running made me feel great. I was much smaller, but I also wanted to add muscle definition and tone up, I just didn’t know how.

In 2009, I got certified as a Personal Trainer and asked for advice from a professional. It was quite the opposite of what I had been doing, but I took his advice. Instead of running 3-4 miles daily and eating only 3 meals a day, I began weight training 5 days a week and eating frequent, protein rich meals. I now run sprints for about 20 minutes, and my other cardio activities are fun stuff like Zumba and sometimes racquetball. I have transitioned to a clean eating lifestyle and I eat 5-6 meals a day; I avoid processed foods, sugar, dairy, alcohol, and sodas. I do prepare all of my meals in advance and always have a plan for when I’m on the go.

I just turned 54 years old in September. I am 5 ft. tall and my current weight is 120 pounds. Based on my lower body fat percentage, I have gained about 5lbs of muscle. I do measure my progress based on a ratio of body fat to lean muscle mass, and not just the scale weight alone.

Despite the major life changes, I have been able to press the “reset button” on my life. I am in better shape now than I was at 44. My cholesterol and blood sugars are back to normal, my knees are pain free and I take no medication. I have completed 2 four mile obstacle races over the past 2 years. That is something I would have never imagined doing. I have also experienced so many other benefits and I believe that adopting a healthy, fit lifestyle is the key.

My advice to others is to avoid dieting; it’s a short term solution that can create more problems in the long term. Seek the help of a Certified Nutritionist to help you create an eating lifestyle that is sustainable and promotes long term health and wellness. I do understand that everyone’s goals are not the same and what works for some may not work for others. It is important to create healthy habits that suit your lifestyle, so that you can maintain them. I am over 50 and I want women in their 40’s 50’s and beyond to know that it is possible to become fit, healthy, energetic, stronger, trimmer and fully alive in your body, mind and spirit as you age, despite all of the difficulties we are supposed to expect when we turn 40. As a Certified Nutritionist and Holistic Fitness Coach my goal is to educate, inspire and motivate others to create a healthy lifestyle, and live a vibrant, energetic life.

Terecita Sterling
sterlingtotalfitness.com
Instagram @Terry_Flexnfit (inactive)