I wanted you to meet my friend Danielle who was gracious enough to share her story. I asked her to do so because she has really been such an inspiration to me. She makes me know that what I am working towards is possible to achieve with focus, determination and perseverance. The route she took was not a quick fix, nor was it easy…but she did it and is still doing it. She is the poster child for all of us who are in the struggle and who are working HARD towards reaching our goals. As you can see she didn’t just talk the talk but she walked the walk, a very long, hard walk to get to where she is today. Danielle thanks for sharing your story and for being an example of what can be accomplished when you put your heart and soul into what needs to be done. Here is her story in her own words. I love you girl!
386 POUNDS!!! What happen? How did I let this happen?? I have always been overweight and I get it. I eat wrong and I get that too. But 386 pounds? I cannot stop crying. This is ridiculous!!!! I am too young for this, and I am still baffled by how I got to this weight, this weight of 386 pounds! It doesn’t even seem like I eat that much. Hell I can remember days where I was hungry all day…386 pounds, this is “get air lifted out the window” weight. This is “sitting and doing nothing but eating all day” weight. This is almost 400 pounds weight. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?? I have to deal with this ASAP!!!
This was my journal entry on July 12, 2007 I literally cried the entire day after going to the doctors and seeing that my weight had gone up to 386 pounds!! I am still floored by that number. This was the first day of the rest of my life. You see I have always been a big girl and I don’t mean fat I mean big. I remember starting 9th grade at 6’2 and 225 pounds which for my height put me about 30 pounds overweight. So for me, I don’t have the story of “I was thin all my life and gained the freshmen 15 in college” or the “I had children and gained weight and just haven’t gotten it off”. As far back as I can remember I have been big. But that was all about to change, but I was not sure how.
At the time I had no clue how I was going to get the weight off, it seemed as if for the most part of my life I had been on some type of diet. I mean if it was linked to weight loss I did it…from pills, to starving, to all veggies, no carbs, no sugar, nothing from a bag or box, vomiting, binging, vegan, no dairy. You name it, I have tried it, but yet I sat at that very moment replaying my entire dieting history in my head at 386 pounds! As this crazy weight loss after school special played in my head I decided to begin writing a book and the first chapter was Note to Self: “You can’t get somewhere different if you continue to take the same route” and so the weight loss journey began.
I called my doctor the next day in tears. Yes I was still crying a whole 24 hours later. So safe to say I was pretty much traumatized by the 386 pound thing. I asked my doctor what I needed to do. I needed to get this weight off and get it off ASAP! After about 30 minutes she was able to calm me down and get me to come back into the office. We sat and talk and she gave it to me straight no chaser. She said look, I have been seeing you for over 4 years and have seen your weight continue to go up and nothing you have done has been successful. The bottom line is you need to learn how to eat and what to eat. You need to look at your portions and you need to exercise. Duh, I knew that! I had a degree in public health. But hello, how do I do it?
Hahahaha yeah, I know it sounds crazy but I knew what to do but I didn’t know how to do it. My doctor suggested Weight Watchers and at this point I was desperate so I went. My first week I lost 8 pounds so I was feeling like I could do this. My second week I lost 5 more pounds! I was hype! I continued with Weight Watchers and I joined a gym and made nutrition and fitness one of my top priorities. I continue on this journey and now at 250 pounds (down 136lbs) I feel great!
My goal is to lose my last 50 pounds in 2012 and as I think about July 12, 2007 when I took that first step that got me here I am confident that I will make this goal because now I know what I need to do and I know how to do it!
Danielle, thank you again for sharing your story. My goal this year is to lose 100 lbs. and I too know I can do it because like you, I’m going to take what I already know how to do and put it into action!
Much Love ~Stacey
msgabewe says
Awesome Story!!!!
Blossoming Butterfly says
Hey Stacey thanks for allowing ur friend to share her story. As she has been an inspiration to u, u r an inspiration to me:)
Stacey Strickler says
Hey Blossoming (and might I add…Beautiful) Butterfly I love that! So glad you enjoyed reading Danielle’s story! Each of us has our own personal journey to take, but the destination is the same. Thanks for your words of encouragement. I decided to go public with my journey for 2 reasons: 1) for accountability 2) to inspire others. I was thrilled to death to read your comment. We are in this health and fitness thing together
Much Love!