The original item was published from October 5, 2020 10:21 AM to October 5, 2020 10:33 AM
"How I lost 223lbs on my own! In 2001 I was at my heaviest weight. A weight I never thought I’d see. I was over 400lbs and the scale kept going in the wrong direction. My moment of change happened when I was at my cousins Golden Anniversary party and had on a black blazer and a white top underneath. I was dancing up a storm and of course sweating as if I was in a storm and suddenly got very ill. The problem wasn’t what I was wearing but rather the fact that I was too embarrassed to take the blazer off. Too embarrassed at what I was covering up. I ended up suffering from heat exhaustion. At one point, I collapsed into a chair and needed cold water and my asthma inhaler to breath. The next morning, I said enough. I was NOT going to have people see me like that again. Not knowing how or what my first step should be I went out and bought a case of slim fast and joined a gym. Slim-fast was the big rage then. I used that for breakfast and lunch and made a healthy dinner. I used the Slim-Fast for just a short time and used common sense for the rest of my journey. You see.... even going to doctor was embarrassing. I knew what he would say, and I didn’t want hear it again. I didn’t want to hear how much healthier I’d be if I lost weight. I knew that. I was heavy...not stupid!
My journey has been a complete lifestyle change and one that I wouldn’t ever change again. My future journey is one of health and activity. I think it’s important for people to know that even though stress is a major part of our lives we alone put the food in our mouths. We can control that. Once we understand that a weight problem is as much a mental issue as a physical one, we can start to understand how to take that first step to better health. Everything starts with baby steps.
If my story can reach one person who in turns gets the motivation to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle, I would be so happy. Because it can be done! I’m living proof.
And for me.... the journey continues."
Nominated by Glenn Lyse