September 2014 Fitness Success Story – Carol

Carol: I’m Carol, originally from Graham, Texas, a small town two hours west of here. I moved to Irving when I got married about 5 years ago. I had a very sedentary life. I always told myself that I wanted to lose the weight but I never actually did anything to try to lose the weight.

I gained a lot of weight after I had my first daughter so that’s where more desperation came in and depression. I was gaining the weight, I wanted to lose it but wasn’t doing anything so I would gain more weight. It was just a cycle that I couldn’t get out of until finally I decided to commit to something and it’s been a blessing ever since.

I started slowly, just cutting back on the amount of caffeine I would drink. I would drink a bunch of soda throughout the day and just realized, looking back at the end of the day, Wow, I had about 6 sodas in a day, and I wasn’t drinking much else other than that, so that was one of the things that I cut out first.

I started slowly taking it back from 5-6 sodas a day to 3-4 sodas a day and then kept cutting back and cutting back. My lunch breaks were reduced. I was used to an hour lunch break and now I only have half an hour so I had to plan my lunches a little bit more.

If I needed to go somewhere and eat it would have to be something quick an usually the fastest thing is, of course, fast food so that was also not good. So I stopped going and eating out during lunch.

Then really not much else. I would walk my dogs. I had an elliptical that I bought at home; it stayed collecting dust for about two years. I slowly got on it but it wasn’t enough for me. I couldn’t motivate myself to get up and get on it. I even tried putting it in front of a television so at least I could watch TV but it didn’t work.

What’s really helped is committing to New Wave Fitness [Women’s Boot Camp] and going Monday, Wednesday, Friday…

I wasn’t skeptical, I don’t believe. I knew for me it was more mental–just get it in my head that I have to lose this weight. Once I started going [to boot camp], the pounds started dropping. So it was really a kick start for me as far as realizing what I could do, what I couldn’t do.

The first free workout session I realized how out of shape I was and how bad it was. I was always heavier but I was at least able to move around. When I had gained so much weight, I was just huffing and puffing up the sidewalk, but I kept with it.

carol_1250With boot camp, I set my goal for 50 pounds over a course of 6 months. I started in May and I’ve lost 37 pounds. I’ve lost 6 inches off my waist and a few inches off my hips. I don’t have the exact number but it’s quite a few so I’m really excited about that!

I went from a size 24 to now a size 16/18 that I fit comfortably in. I went from a 3X shirt to an XL, or 1X shirt, so shopping has definitely been exciting. I’m trying not to do too much shopping right now even though it’s hard because I’m like, These clothes fit now–I don’t have to shop in the plus section, I can shop in the extra-large junior’s section.

It’s really exciting because I haven’t been down to that size since high school and I’ve been out of high school for a while.

Hut: And you still have goals to continue.

Carol: Oh yes,  yes. My BMI, I’m considered super obese. I want to at  least be height-weight proportionate. I started with 50 pounds but ideally I want to lose 100 pounds.

I always think back to my first session with Jason and the different things he had me try in the first week of camp and how little I was actually able to do. My friend had told me about this Mason twist that Jason really likes to do and I couldn’t balance. I couldn’t  do it.

I have more control over my balance. It’s amazing to look back and realize how much resistance I have. The planks are getting a lot easier. I can go for a lot longer. I don’t feel tired at the end of a workout; I feel like I want to keep going and I do keep going. There are other exercises that I do throughout the day that have really been a part of my life this summer.

I’m so much happier. My daughter is one of the loves of my life and hearing from her, “Oh, Mommy, your tummy’s so big!” and now hearing, “Man, Mommy, where did your tummy go?” it’s been great. I’m able to actually play with her and not watch her play. I’m able to keep up and keep going.

That’s been the biggest thing for me, I think, is just having the energy to be able to get up and go with her because she’s 4 and she runs around all day. I was just sitting behind just watching her play. I didn’t want that for her. That’s not how I want her to grow up. I want her having memories of us playing together, not of her playing and me sitting out. That’s why I keep going, is for my daughter.

Hut: You got it. That’s your motivation.

Carol: That’s my motivation.