"How I Lost 130 Pounds" , From Yahoo!
susanswan
Posts: 1,194 Member
Found this on Yahoo this Am. Just more motivation for everyone! Click on the link below for the extra links to the story. Enjoy!
http://health.yahoo.net/articles/weight-loss/how-i-lost-130-pounds
Ann Davis, 45, a cardiologist in Naperville, IL, talks about the moment she started taking her own get-healthy advice to heart.
For years I didn't follow the advice I was giving my patients about losing weight and protecting their hearts. I was very overweight but in total denial. Little sleep and lots of stress during medical school, my residency and on-call shifts had led me to make bad food choices and skip exercise. A typical day of eating for me was no breakfast, pizza for lunch, a sugary pastry in the afternoon and a late-night fast-food dinner of a burger and fries. Deep down I knew my health was suffering, but I justified my habits by saying I was too busy.
In 2008, a number of physicians I knew who were all 50 years old passed away from a sudden heart attack. I couldn't help but wonder if I was next. "Get busy living or get busy dying" really started to ring true.
How I Lost 170 Pounds
Baby Steps Add Up
I was overwhelmed at the idea of cooking and planning meals with my unpredictable schedule, so I chose to do Jenny Craig (now called Jenny) to kickstart my weight loss for the first few months. I also signed on with a personal trainer for two sessions a week. I told her I knew how to treat heart attacks, but I didn't know how to lift weights! I walked on the treadmill for 15 to 20 minutes, and then we did a few exercises with small weights. After four months, I had lost 50 pounds and transitioned into making my own food. I focused on eating small, frequent meals throughout the day, made up of complex carbs, protein and fats (like a whole-grain English muffin with turkey and avocado slices for lunch). I started working out on my own, too. Change is hard, and at first there were days when I would struggle, but habits really do become easier the longer you do them (and dropping sizes is a great motivator to keep going). I began jogging for short bouts, and as my running sessions got longer, I signed up for and ran a 5K. This past fall I even ran the Chicago Marathon!
10 Reasons Your Body Thinks It's Hungry
Patient Inspiration
My weight-loss journey has made me a better doctor. I have a lot more energy, and I'm able to counsel patients in a more empathetic, passionate way since I know first hand how powerful diet and exercise changes are. As I'm advising patients on the habits they need to adopt, I weave in bits and pieces of my own experience, which really resonates with them.
I'm a busy working mom who hadn't been exercising or eating so well—when they see that I did it, they know they can, too.
20 Ways to Burn More Fat
My Best Tip
Eat breakfast. I've noticed that trim people always eat a substantial but healthy breakfast (about 400 calories) to get their metabolism going. One of my favorites: oatmeal with almonds and fruit.
3 Reasons to Quit Soda
My Stick-With-It Secret
I knew that if this new life was going to last, it also needed to involve my husband and two sons (ages 9 and 6). I didn't want all of us to think, Oh, Mommy's on a diet, because that would make healthy living seem like a short-term thing. Not only was I setting a good example, but having my family join in also meant I was more likely to stick with it. My sons learned to read food labels along with me, and my husband took up running.
http://health.yahoo.net/articles/weight-loss/how-i-lost-130-pounds
Ann Davis, 45, a cardiologist in Naperville, IL, talks about the moment she started taking her own get-healthy advice to heart.
For years I didn't follow the advice I was giving my patients about losing weight and protecting their hearts. I was very overweight but in total denial. Little sleep and lots of stress during medical school, my residency and on-call shifts had led me to make bad food choices and skip exercise. A typical day of eating for me was no breakfast, pizza for lunch, a sugary pastry in the afternoon and a late-night fast-food dinner of a burger and fries. Deep down I knew my health was suffering, but I justified my habits by saying I was too busy.
In 2008, a number of physicians I knew who were all 50 years old passed away from a sudden heart attack. I couldn't help but wonder if I was next. "Get busy living or get busy dying" really started to ring true.
How I Lost 170 Pounds
Baby Steps Add Up
I was overwhelmed at the idea of cooking and planning meals with my unpredictable schedule, so I chose to do Jenny Craig (now called Jenny) to kickstart my weight loss for the first few months. I also signed on with a personal trainer for two sessions a week. I told her I knew how to treat heart attacks, but I didn't know how to lift weights! I walked on the treadmill for 15 to 20 minutes, and then we did a few exercises with small weights. After four months, I had lost 50 pounds and transitioned into making my own food. I focused on eating small, frequent meals throughout the day, made up of complex carbs, protein and fats (like a whole-grain English muffin with turkey and avocado slices for lunch). I started working out on my own, too. Change is hard, and at first there were days when I would struggle, but habits really do become easier the longer you do them (and dropping sizes is a great motivator to keep going). I began jogging for short bouts, and as my running sessions got longer, I signed up for and ran a 5K. This past fall I even ran the Chicago Marathon!
10 Reasons Your Body Thinks It's Hungry
Patient Inspiration
My weight-loss journey has made me a better doctor. I have a lot more energy, and I'm able to counsel patients in a more empathetic, passionate way since I know first hand how powerful diet and exercise changes are. As I'm advising patients on the habits they need to adopt, I weave in bits and pieces of my own experience, which really resonates with them.
I'm a busy working mom who hadn't been exercising or eating so well—when they see that I did it, they know they can, too.
20 Ways to Burn More Fat
My Best Tip
Eat breakfast. I've noticed that trim people always eat a substantial but healthy breakfast (about 400 calories) to get their metabolism going. One of my favorites: oatmeal with almonds and fruit.
3 Reasons to Quit Soda
My Stick-With-It Secret
I knew that if this new life was going to last, it also needed to involve my husband and two sons (ages 9 and 6). I didn't want all of us to think, Oh, Mommy's on a diet, because that would make healthy living seem like a short-term thing. Not only was I setting a good example, but having my family join in also meant I was more likely to stick with it. My sons learned to read food labels along with me, and my husband took up running.
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Replies
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this "involving your family" piece is more important than i realized. i thought "i'll just set an example", but my husband has taken up the gym attendance in such a focused, serious way that it challenges me to stay with it. my habit in the past has been to reach some milestone (10 lbs lost or one month solid gym attendance or running 10 miles), then falling completely off the wagon. with Bill showing me the consistancy he has for the gym, it has kept me on track. now if i take a day off (rarely) i know i'm getting right back to it the next day, because Bill is still going too. great story u posted. thanks for sharing it.0
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This is a great post!0
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