Global success! My first before pic!

CherylP67

I started out here for the third time on May 2. I am a nurse and I had a nursing student work with me for her Senior Practicum. I went to her pinning ceremony and her parents took this picture of us and tagged me on Facebook. This picture is what made me open my eyes to how much I'd let myself go.



I was probably a size 16, I had taken to wearing the loosest 14's I could find, I was 198 pounds and 5'5.

Here is the before mirror shot.





I started on 1200 calories and obsessed about food because I was starving, I had no energy to exercise, that lasted a week.

I ran across a thread on success stories about pear shaped women and their results. I'm an hourglass, not a pear, but I love pictures. There was a 40 year old woman in a bikini with the most amazing transformation I'd seen. She talked of TDEE and lifting heavy in her success story, so I went into full research mode.

I started gradually increasing my calories to my TDEE-20%, I had great results and lost 2 lbs a week. I was walking and doing 30DS. I only did 11 days of 30 DS and didn't force myself to walk. I sat around and dreamed of the days I would be able to heavy lift. You see, I'm going through a divorce and I'm the sole supporter of 2 teens.

This was my birthday, in August. Around this time I was feeling good, 30ish pounds gone and look how baggy those size 10 pants are in this picture.



I still kept wahing to myself that I wished I could afford to get fit. I had an epiphany; I WAS MAKING EXCUSES. Running is free, body weight is free. I started the C25k for about the seventh or eighth time. I decided to really focus on my form and go slow. Did you know that if you have a proper foot strike and keep your head up and shoulders back that you can run with no pain, side stitches, or feelings of impending death from respiratory failure?

I kind of like running the first week, by the third week, I was hating my rest days. I wanted to run as much as I used to want an entire bag of Reese's Pieces. During this week, I signed up for a 5k in October and vowed to run the entire thing. I went and got properly fitted for running shoes; if you get the proper shoes your feet won't kill.

An amazing opportunity came up to join a gym through my employer, $30 a year to join a gym with free weights! I signed up. All my research led me to the decision that Stronglifts would be the best beginning program for me. I went to the gym, ready to start. I looked at the free weights and became intimidated. I went to the personal trainers office and talked to them about my plan and asked about a trainer to show me proper form. They just happened to be running a winter get fit special, $50 for 10 half hour sessions. You read that correctly.

I've started working with my trainer on body weight exercises and proper form on my lifts. My trainer is AMAZING. I haven't formally started Stronglifts yet, but when I do, I'll be 100% ready. My trainer is a 50 year old who lifts heavy and she is thrilled to work with me. Every session she tells me how exciting this is for her.

Last week I did the W5D3 20 minute run, I still get teary thinking about how it felt when the coach lady from the App said you can call yourself a runner now.

Today my run was walk 5 minutes, run 25, then walk 5. I really wasn't feeling the love towards it; I got to bed late, my allergies are bad.... MORE EXCUSES. I put my inner whiney brat down for a nap so I could get on with this run. As my 5 minute warm up walk was ending I felt dread. I pushed through, because I AM a runner! A few minutes in I had sore legs, the coach from map my run said 1 mile, pace; 11.34 minutes per mile, 5 of that was walking! I got motivated and as I was crossing the street, I saw my shadow, without a big fat belly and with a pretty, concave lower back area. I liked what I saw of me and I was completely empowered at that moment. Nobody has done any of this for me but me!

I finished my run.

My 5k is in exactly 1 month from today. My goal is to run entire 3.1 miles. I didn't give time goal, but thought under 40 minutes.

Today, not feeling it, with 11 minutes of walking included in final time, I did 2.97 miles in 36 minutes.

I DID IT, for me.

There is a MFP fitspiration thread in motivation section. I was inspired by it so I decided to take my pic as I was (allergy eyes and all) after my run and post it, with my inspiration. Here it is.



Sorry this is long. My success is global because it's a body, mind, attitude shift.

Watch this space for my future successes!

We are all capable of living the life we want, we all have the power, I promise!

bubaluboo

Fabulous transformation! You have every reason to be proud of your success.

soniabogonia

You are so inspiring! Thank you for sharing your story with us.

Sometimes we face small obstacles that stop us from achieving our goals, but if we really want something we can overcome any perceived obstacle.

You look great!

Chevy_Quest

This is one of the most inspiring stories I have read in a long time. What an incredible transformation.
What motivates me is your obvious discipline and committment.

Hooray! :drinker: :flowerforyou:

CherylP67

Thanks for the kind words, Chevy, having motivational and awesome friends like you is a huge part of how I got to this point!

Soapstone

I love how fitness-oriented your post is- and you look really amazing! I started at the gym just about a month ago now with the goal of getting down to 145 from 193. I wanted to look good in a bathing suit and be able to buy average size women's clothes comfortably, instead of shopping plus size and looking lumpy in everything I put on.
After a month in the gym, I've lost 10 lbs. While I still want to get down to 145, my primary focus has shifted to running goals, and learning proper lifting form. The feeling of accomplishment of reaching each goal I set for myself is now at LEAST as important as the scale/how clothes fit. I never expected that I would really begin to LOVE my workouts; at first I saw it only as a means to an end. And today is my rest day, and I HATE it too!

Congratulations on your new lifestyle, reaching your personal goals, and yes, you look fantastic- healthy and happy!

meowlymary

love your story!! Congrats on all the hard work.

KathleenKP

I love your story! You have made an amazing transformation - it looks like you have lost considerably more weight than your number says. And your mind change is an even bigger deal. Your post-run photo is perfect...you look like a "real runner" in it. That was great idea to take a photo after that particular milestone run...I wish I had thought to do that as well.

weightedfootsteps

Loving your story!! You are a success!!! I'm so happy for you that you reached such a milestone...You have everything going for you now!! Don't let anything hold you back

learnerdriver

wow!! thanks for sharing your story and good luck with your 5k

yusineddy

Loved reading your story, awesome success!!!

seanevan10

Awesome story and transformation!!! Inside and out! I am so excited to know there are more people out there feeling great about working out and adding in weights as I am doing the same!!! Good luck to many more successes!

CherylP67

Thanks everyone!

It's awesome when you want to exercise because you enjoy it.

I can't believe it's me posting this. I used to tell everyone that if you see me running you'd better run too, because the zombies are chasing me. I've always been lazy and only did exercise as a means to an end. I used to come home after work and eat mindlessly, now I either run or do something constructive.

Mrs_Padgett

Awesome job!

melfitnesspal13

Thanks everyone!

It's awesome when you want to exercise because you enjoy it.

I can't believe it's me posting this. I used to tell everyone that if you see me running you'd better run too, because the zombies are chasing me. I've always been lazy and only did exercise as a means to an end. I used to come home after work and eat mindlessly, now I either run or do something constructive.

Love your story!!

cmrn08

Great job!!! You will blow your goal out of the water on race day! You should be soo proud of yourself!!!