GUEST POST: You CAN Do It!! Part Two, Sarah G.

Sarah G. Before: 208lbs            After: 138lbs  

 I was always the girl with the fake confidence. I could walk into a room and act like I owned it, but inside I was always afraid. I never felt like I was overlooked by people or anything like that, but I never felt like I really stood out. And, one night, on a first date with a very sweet man, I realized I did not feel comfortable in my own skin—I couldn’t be myself. I didn’t feel pretty or girlie (things you want to feel when you are on a date with a good man). I never saw this man again, and I knew why. It wasn’t because I was overweight, but because I wasn’t happy with who I was. I decided then and there that I was going to finally do something about my weight. My mom had always given me excuses for why I was overweight (“I had bad genes” or “I was big-boned”) so I had resigned myself to that life. I never was one who “struggled” with my weight, because I never tried to do anything about it. I was lazy, plain and simple; and I was okay with that life. Until that night, on that date, when I realized there was more to life than what I had settled for.

 I had ordered some cardio kickboxing videos a year prior to this date, but had never opened them. I didn’t want to be the “fat girl” at the gym, so I finally opened the videos. I started doing 30 minutes a day, 5 days/week. I started being more conscious about what I was putting into my body, and started doing research into what I should be eating. After 8 months, I was down 70 pounds. I felt amazing! I was actually living life. The confidence that I started feeling was genuine. I actually felt girlie and pretty, for the first time ever in my life. There were no more comments like, “You have such a pretty face if you would just lose weight”. I finally started feeling noticed in life, and I found that I was putting myself out there a lot more. Due to the new confidence, I have made so many amazing relationships with people who enjoy the same fitness activities that I do.

             I have found that those relationships are vital to me staying healthy and keeping the weight off. Once I had reached my goal weight, I no longer had a goal to strive towards, and found the weight creeping back on. Next thing I knew, I had gained 30 pounds back, in a year’s time. This was unacceptable to me, but found that, even though I was still working out consistently, I was getting lazier with my workouts, and my motivation had dropped. As I started building new “fitness relationships”, I started working out in new ways and creating new fitness goals for myself. I have now lost 20 pounds of the weight that I had gained back, and as I continue to strive to new fitness goals, the weight keeps going down. I am learning how to set continuous fitness goals, so I always have something to strive for and having people to be accountable to is so key to my healthy lifestyle. However, through all of my struggles in this weight-loss journey, I have learned a lot about myself; the most important being that I truly am a strong woman and only I can decide how I want my life to be. When I choose to be proactive in life, and choose to surround myself with people who support this version of me, it is only then that I truly am living my best life. 

Matt R Before and After 

I got started after being tired of being the "funny fat guy". I was 23 and had had enough. I cleaned up my diet to consist of clean protein, good carbs, and veggies. No more soda, sweets, etc.

I worked out for years off and on, but got more serious. I started running with a friend of mine and hit the gym harder than I had before. Before I knew it I wasn't a "fat guy" anymore. It wasn't the easiest thing at first, but was worth it! All together I've lost a little over 80 lbs! Shortly after losing my weight I became a personal trainer to help others like me achieve their goals.