Big Reveal photography by Brian Pearse of Brian Pearse Photography
DOROTHY WILSON >>> NEARLY 50 POUNDS!
The past six months have been an incredible journey to a healthier me. My goal was to lose 40 pounds and then learn how to maintain my ideal weight. As of March 31, I have lost nearly 50 pounds (1.6 pounds shy of that!).
The keys to my success: Commitment and a great support system through my dietitian Joanna Allen of Garden Park Medical Center and Brendan Jones of Body Axis Fitness and Anytime Fitness Center.
If you say, “I’ll try” to lose weight, you’ve already missed your target. You must say, “I will” and do what it takes to stay on track. Secondly, choose wisely which program you’ll pursue. I chose Ideal Protein at Garden Park Medical Center because it worked best with my crazy schedule, making it easy for me to stay on course, and you get great results if you follow the instructions.
Marcia McDowell inspired me to do my phase 2 conditioning/weight maintenance program with Brendan Jones at Anytime Fitness. Brendan works with his clients individually and through classes like the Honeybees on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I love the camaraderie of working out with a no-pressure group and the new friendships I’ve made. It also was really important to have a trainer who could adjust the workout when my right knee wouldn’t cooperate. I am so thankful for my team!
AFTER
SPECIAL THANKS TO MY SPONSORS:
JENNIFER COX >>> 26 POUNDS AND 10 INCHES GONE!
When I began this journey, I was the biggest I have ever been and really had just let life get the best of me. I wasn’t making time for myself and it was taking its toll. At the beginning, I never really set a “number of pounds I want to lose” goal, I just wanted to change my diet, exercise and see results.
I also wanted to be able to go into any of our fantastic Coast boutiques and buy a smaller size in clothes! I would be lying if I said I never fell off the diet wagon or that my weight didn’t fluctuate throughout, but at my final weigh-in I was down 26 pounds and lost over 10 inches! I felt so good and my confidence was boosted beyond what it had been in a long time.
I could never have done this without the motivation and support of my family and friends and I thank you all for everything, but most importantly, I couldn’t have done it without the support of my team and sponsors. I will never be able to thank them enough for what they did for me. Not only were they super supportive and encouraging, I feel like I can call them friends now as well. Thank you to everyone for following my journey and I hope that if you can take anything away from my experience, it’s that you should never be too busy to make time for yourself!
AFTER
SPECIAL THANKS TO MY SPONSORS:
The Skin Studio at Garrott Dermatology
TORI BISHOP >>> UPS AND DOWNS, BUT SHED 50 POUNDS!
A simple idea with possibility turned into something life changing when I embraced this Healthier You challenge. When I thought of the campaign it was for selfish reasons because I thought if I had to publicly share my journey it would keep me accountable. I have failed so many times at losing weight and I was tired of the excitement of starting the journey and the disappointment of not seeing it through to the end.
Six months later this selfish idea turned into life changing reality. I began my journey at 340 pounds and it was painful for me to walk and was constantly tired. Six months later, with the coaching and support of my nutritionist dietitian, Miranda Hebert, I have shed 50 pounds to date. Through ups and downs and times when I got off track, she stuck with me. She even came to workout with me and has taught me so much about making wise food choices while still enjoying food!
I also have gained a whole new family — a Crossfit family. These people are some of the most determined and dedicated people I have ever met. The owner of my Crossfit gym, Ryan Webb, welcomed me with open arms. My fitness level was zero but my Crossfit family didn’t care. They cheered me on and challenged me.
A proper fitting bra may seem nonessential, but for a large busted woman, proper fit is critical. Jumping rope, running, etc., can be very uncomfortable without the proper bra. Foundations Bra Fitting came to the rescue and gave me a wonderful bra that has gotten me through the past six months of workouts. The owner, Melissa, takes pride in servicing her customers and making sure they have the ideal fit.
This health challenge also influenced my family: my husband has lost 30 pounds, my best friend joined Crossfit, and my children play like they are doing Crossfit at home.
The great news is my body doesn’t hurt anymore and I have so much more energy. This is only the beginning and I can’t wait to see where I will be in another six months!
AFTER
SPECIAL THANKS TO MY SPONSORS:
AISA TEMPLETON >>> 12 POUNDS GONE, 5-MILE RUN EVERY DAY!
When I started the Healthier You journey, my goals were to manage my stress level and to lose 15 pounds.
I engaged an amazing supportive team: Fitness One on One for personal training and nutritional support, Health Fit MD Aesthetics, Wellness & Weightloss for their medical weight loss and aesthetics services, OGX Fenix’s meal replacement shakes for easier and balanced meal preparation, and The Yoga Center to learn the restorative and meditative benefits of yoga practice.
Over the six-month journey, I learned weight loss isn’t just about what you eat and how hard you exercise. Constant mental and physical stress and insufficient sleep resulted in muscle injuries and created cortisol levels that wreaked havoc on my metabolism and willpower.
Health Fit MD also confirmed that my aging body had hormone levels that were less than ideal and could be contributing to my problems. So, with the help of my team, I incorporated smarter, better-balanced workouts, flexibility training, and bioidentical hormone therapy.
My takeaways? You must integrate mind, body and spirit to achieve better health, get rid of negative influences in your life, surround yourself with positive people and environments, seek professional guidance and NEVER GIVE UP!
AFTER
SPECIAL THANKS TO MY SPONSORS:
