Down 101 pounds! Met my goal!

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  • Hello Friends,

    Well, I made it. This morning when I got on the scale I weighed 134. I started out at 235 almost exactly a year ago. The date was June 15th, 2010. Today is June 13th. As so many others here have said, "I am so glad that I started a year ago and didn't wait".

    Many of you know most of my story, but for the goal post I will retell a little of it. I was never overweight as a child. My mother was very strict with what we ate. That didn't work out the best for me because as soon as I went to college in the early 80s, and had a meal plan, I would pig out. I finally felt free as though no one was going to tell me "stop eating, you're going to get fat". Then we would drink beer and order late night pizzas, (it started out because my roommate and I were in love with the delivery guy). When I started college I weighed 125. I gained about 40 lbs. in 2 years. I got married a few years after graduating and starved down the 40 lbs. That was the first time I had tried to lose weight.

    I gained most of it back within about 5 years. I weighed around 165 at that time. I thought I was as big as a battleship. So funny how our perception changes. I remember vividly how this time around, on my way down the scale, I was overjoyed at seeing 165 lbs. When I got pregnant with my first child, I weighed around 150. After delivery, I weighed 190 and seriously never lost another lb. I didn't gain much with my second child, only about 19 lbs. but I was still huge from my first. After my third child, I shot up again, and weighed around 240, my highest ever.

    I was told I had early onset Parkinson's Disease in 1999. I have had 4 brain surgeries since that time to help control symptoms. I don't want to bore anyone with the details of my illness, I would just like to say that since losing my weight, my symptoms have markedly decreased. I have included a few pictures, some from this month (June 1st) when I had my last brain surgery.

    I ran a half marathon yesterday. I have run 3 halfs so far, and I have already signed up for a full marathon on Dec. 4th. I start training for that 18 weeks before on Aug. 1st. (Yes, I ran the half marathon 11 days after a craniotomy). Amazing huh? Even with my Parkinson's, I have never felt better in my life. I eat mainly organic produce. About 75% of my diet is made up of food that grows in the ground. I love it. I was addicted to sugar and processed crap foods. I would have never believed that I would so enjoy real food that our bodies are meant to eat. I was the epitomy of a sugar addict. So, I am living proof that anyone can do this. I completely avoid my trigger foods and will always as long as I want to keep my new size 6 wardrobe. I started at a size 18W.

    Well, if you have read all of this, congratulations for not falling asleep and thank you. Best wishes to you all.

    Rhonda


  • Wow! Congrats. What a great story! You are an inspiration!
  • Congrats Rhonda! Wow! Incredible story and great pictures.
    Please join us in the maintainers' forum.

    Where in Texas are you? I am transplanted Texan from Houston.
  • Amazing!! Congratulations!!
  • Thank you ladies! Michele-I am from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I am really excited to be able to post in the maintainer's forum!!
  • You have done an amazing job. Congratulations.
  • Simply amazing!
  • AMAZING! You should be soo proud! Good luck on your full marathon!
  • COngrats that is truly amazing and inspiring!!
  • YOU are genuinely an inspiration. Congratulations on meeting your goal. SO proud of you.
  • Wow, congratulations! Your story is very inspirational, thanks for sharing!
  • Congrats!! You are such an inspiration!! This morning when my alarm went off for me to get up and go running, I wanted to turn it off and go back to bed. Then I said, "Um, excuse me, did you have brain surgery this week?" and I told myself, "Um, no." And then I told myself, "Even if you had surgery, Rhonda didn't use that as an excuse!" So I got up and ran. Cause if you can do what you did going through all of the stuff you went through....well, there is no plausible excuse that I can come up with to not do what I need to do. You just pretty much destroyed all of the excuses on the planet.
  • You are such an inspiration!! I am so proud and I am sure your children are too!
  • Congrats. If I can be half as strong as you, I have nothing to worry about!!! Sending hugs!!!
  • Congratulations! You are an amazing inspiration; thanks for sharing your story and your success.