Valerie lost more than 90 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Valerie lost more than 90 pounds. After losing a significant amount of weight with healthy eating habits and exercise, she decided to enroll in grad school to become a nutritionist. While facing some challenges, she regained some of the weight. She used the knowledge that she’s gained over the years to get back on track and release the weight. Check out her journey.

After graduating from undergrad and beginning my first “real job”, I decided I wanted to make a change. Now, I must be honest; the main reason I wanted to lose weight was to have more clothing options (I am a total fashion lover). I also noticed that I was beginning to feel flutters in my chest whenever I was doing anything moderately active (including
walking up a flight of stairs). I knew I had to make a change!

In January 2012, I joined my job’s “Biggest Loser” contest. This time, I just decided not to quit. About a year and a half later, I had dropped 117 pounds. I did this with consistent exercise and by changing my eating patterns.

For the first four months, I focused on counting calories, and then I began to focus on the quality of what I was eating vs. the calories. I saw major changes! These changes brought about a passion to become fluent in the language of nutrition. I decided to enroll in Grad School to become a trained and licensed nutritionist.

During this journey, I have faced some great challenges. Grad school is no joke! (Especially this program.) I found myself halfway beginning to gain some of the weight back that I had lost – 50 lbs. to be exact! Between school and other life hurdles, I found myself being stressed and putting myself and my health last!

One of the great things about my graduate program is that we have cooking labs incorporated into the program. One day, while in a cooking lab, I caught a glance in the mirror and got a huge wake-up call. That huge wakeup call was my gut poking out to the middle of the atmosphere. I had been feeling sluggish and feeling the weight weighing me down. I knew that I needed to change and begin implementing all of the knowledge I have gained into my life again.

I felt hopeless. I felt like there was nothing I could do about it, but I got a gentle reminder that I did it once and I could do it again. I began to put myself first again in April 2018 (after that glance in the mirror). I made my health a priority. From April 2012 to December 2018, I’ve lost 38 pounds of the 50 pounds I gained back. I plan to continue on this journey, striving towards my weight loss goals. Graduation is approaching, and I plan to feel and look like the Nutritionist I set out to be when first began this program.

What inspired you to keep going, even when you wanted to give up?
When I wanted to give up, I kept envisioning what I would achieve if I kept going. I couldn’t give up on the woman I was becoming. I had to keep putting myself and my health first, and not let “feelings” of stress, doubt, or a lack of discipline get in my way.

This second time around, I used all of the knowledge that I have gained during my graduate studies while attending Maryland University of Integrative Health. I have learned that the quality of the food I am eating is more important than the calories of the food.

Tell us about your workout routine?
For the past year, I have gone to boxing classes three times per week. I had gotten bored with the gym stationary machines. I also realized that my body was thoroughly drenched when going to the boxing classes and I love the sore feeling of progress.

Starting weight/Current weight
My starting weight was 317 pounds, and I currently weigh 225 pounds. I am 5’9”.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson I have learned is that life is full of highs and lows. There will be times when things will happen unexpectedly, and you may feel discouraged and lack motivation. Resilience is key. Always take time to heal, but try to avoid sulking in your pain. Get up and keep going. I find the exercise is a great stress reliever, and it can help shift your attitude in a positive way.

What advice would you like to share?
My advice will always be adapting the principles of dedication, consistency, and patience. You have to maintain discipline even when you do not “feel” like eating to fuel your body or when you do not “feel” like going to the gym. Your feelings have nothing to do with it. Consistency! You have got to KEEP GOING! Even when you feel like you cannot go on, you can!

Have patience. You may feel like you do not see any results, but it takes time for them to show up. You may put in work for a good six months before you see a drastic change, but it is so WORTH IT!

I also am looking to help my community and audience with weight and health concerns by giving cooking tutorials and posting tips and recipes on my blog. Once I graduate in May 2019 (Just a Couple Months!), I will begin my practice as a Clinical Nutritionist. Please check out my new channel for cooking tutorials on YouTube: Visiting Val.

Website: www.visitingval.com
Instagram: @VisitingVal