Losing the weight. My friend Julie’s weight loss story.

Everyone has a weight loss story and it’s important to share these stories so others can be inspired, motivated and know they are not alone. Today, I am sharing one of my best friend’s story with you. Julie and I met in high school, she was a sophomore and I was a senior sitting in a sophomore class. We instantly gravitated toward each other and from that day forward we were great friends. We fell out of touch because of a stupid argument after I graduated, but we reconnected 5 or 6 years ago…and continued to this point now. She has an amazing story; a story that I identify with as sat down to edit it.

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Julie and I in high school my senior year, 1999!

Please take the time to read Julie’s story of determination, yo-yoing and weight loss below:

As far back as middle school, I can remember being heavier than most of my classmates. I developed a thick skin to protect myself from the fat jokes I heard regularly and became the stereotypical “funny big girl.”

Throughout grade school and college I slowly gained weight. I’d drop some weight with the latest fad diet, but it always came back, and then some.

Disney, Summer 2008

Disney, Summer 2008

By the age of 25 I was at 270 lbs. and a size 22. Living in Orlando, working long hours as a restaurant manager at Disney, I ate mindlessly; I ate because I was happy or sad or angry. The bottom line is that for any reason whatsoever, I ate.

I remember thinking of myself as heavy, but I don’t think I realized just how bad it had gotten until I went to the doctor when I was sick. After discussing my illness, the doctor said he wanted to take some time to discuss my weight. I didn’t realize all the added health risks that the extra weight on my body posed. At that point I was pre-diabetic, considered severely obese based on my BMI, and regularly experienced hip and knee pain.

The week after the doctor visit, a man approached me at work and struck up a conversation. After a few minutes he said the real reason he wanted to talk to me is because he had seen me all week during his vacation and thought I was a beautiful girl, but that my weight was slowly killing me.

Now had some stranger said this to me before the trip to the doctor, I would have probably gotten upset and eaten a carton or two of ice cream that night. But this time was different; it was like everything was pointing in the direction of a life change.

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I started 2009 on Weight Watchers and really learned a great deal about nutrition and just how badly I had been eating. By May I had lost 30 lbs. and I was feeling awesome! I would walk a couple of miles at night and do lightweights at home. But after May, I opted to leave Weight Watchers because I felt like I could do it on my own. (I’m some expert after a couple of months, right?)

Without a disciplined plan, my weight stayed the same. I would work out maybe once a week and eat somewhat healthy, but I still regularly cheated on my diet. I signed up to run 5, 10, and even 15K races just to prove to myself that I was in shape enough to do them. I would train for a couple of weeks prior to each race, struggle through, but then go right back to not working out. My weight yo-yoed within a 20 lb. range.

With no clear focus on exercise or healthy eating, a stressful job in which I was surrounded by food, and no real motivation, time went by and my weight stayed the same. By 2011, I was 215 lbs. and feeling defeated. I realize now that it was easier to feel defeated, to complain about my weight and use it as an excuse, than it was to make a change.

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One hot weekend

One hot weekend

It was a hot weekend and I was supposed to spend it with my best friends in Mississippi. That didn’t quite happen. I prepped my food, filled a cooler, packed the car with my best friend and godchild and we set off. But there was a problem: traffic. The traffic was horrible and we stayed in place for so long we had to turn around and head back to Texas. Sitting in traffic is not the best place for a 2 ½ year old cutie. What did I pack in my cooler? Watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, carrots, honey dew, chocolate milk…

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Look inside our pantry

Look inside our pantry

Can you please tell me exactly what you ate and did to lose the weight?  That’s the number one question asked at We Beat Fat.  I constantly say this but what worked for us may not work for you.  It never hurts to try though.  Also, we didn’t do anything fancy.  We basically stopped eating at all those fast food joints, cut out the soda and started eating real food. I thought this would be a good time to show you the stuff in our pantry. The pantry isn’t exactly organized but it works.  Don’t pass judgement on us!  People…

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Facing the fear

Facing the fear

In life there are rule followers and rule breakers. I’ve always been a rule follower. I was a good kid that hardly broke the rules and if I did happen to break the rules, I felt terrible. I punished myself! It’s always good to follow the rules but I also think it’s put me on a path to only want to follow rules and think about the consequences. It’s stopped me from being a risk taker. I’ve lost all this weight which has really forced me to get to know the “new” me. I do feel like I can do…

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FAQ: My workout routine

FAQ: My workout routine

I’ve been getting a lot of e-mail and messages about my food and my workout routine. This morning I thought I would talk about my workout routine and how it’s changed from the beginning our journey to now. I want to first note I am not a doctor or expert on the subject and if you are planning on taking up a exercise routine or diet you should consult a physician first. The first day we went to the gym, I hopped on the treadmill for thirty minutes and no incline. I just walked at a pace that was good…

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Sharing our story on Huffington Post Live

Sharing our story on Huffington Post Live

Last night we had the opportunity to be on Huffington Post Live to talk about our weight loss experience. We’ve been getting a lot of requests to be on tv lately and I must admit this kind of makes me uncomfortable. I’m still really self conscious and haven’t settled into my new skin yet. Last night I felt like we were on a panel with a bunch of media pros! Everyone on the panel had such amazing stories and it was just fun to talk to them about their experiences. It is always great to have someone say exactly what…

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I run because…

I run because…

Today is National Running Day!  What a great day to celebrate running and why people choose to run. I’ve never really talked about why I run so this gives me the perfect opportunity to tell the world.  In 2013, I’ve run five half marathons, two 10Ks, one 10 milers, one 5K and logged many miles on the road in my free time.  This year I became a runner! I run for many reasons.  I run because I never thought I would be able to because of my weight.  I never thought I would shed the weight and be able to…

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Conversations of a weight loss plateau at Torrey …

Conversations of a weight loss plateau at Torrey Pines Reserve

It’s sad to say but the trip to San Diego is over. We’re currently on the plane flying home, so this is good time to blog. We had a great amazing time while we were here and met some really great people. We had a chance to share our story which is something we didn’t anticipate. It’s funny how our shirts attract people and we just end up talking to everyone. It’s super great to be in a position to tell our story and inspire others to accomplish ANY goal they might have in life. Friday morning Willie and I…

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We just did our cardio at the airport

We just did our cardio at the airport

I have to say inflight wifi is probably one of the best things ever. I am writing this post on the airplane. How freaking cool is that? What can I say? I’m easily amused. Willie and I have been super excited to go to California (to run) and just to go on a vacation. Little did we know getting there was going to be such a problem. For some reason, our flight to Dallas was delayed which caused us to miss our connecting flight to San Diego. I have never missed a flight in my life. But that is where…

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Everyone wants to know what we eat for …

Everyone wants to know what we eat for lunch

*This post is not sponsored or paid for by any entity.  It may seem like we are pushing Healthy Choice meals here, but we’re not.  This is just something we found and loved on our weight loss journey.  You will always be notified before reading a post if it is paid and/or sponsored. This is the most frequently asked question from blog readers and every day people. I wish I could share something amazing with you, but just don’t have it to share.  I cook two meals a day most days and lunch really isn’t one of those meals.  I…

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Fear caused a momentary lapse

Fear caused a momentary lapse

Fear is a crazy thing.  It will make me second guess my choices, it will make me afraid to take a risk, it will hold me back in life. Fear always creeps up when I’m feeling the strongest to cast a shadow of doubt over my life.  I’ve been trying to figure out why I’ve been going through such a roller coaster lately with pretty much everything and it all comes down to fear!  Fear is a bad thing.  I remember being little and not being afraid of anything.  I went through life being my bravest self; becoming an adult…

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