Meet Lori! Weight Loss Super Star 100 pounds gone for 2 years!!

I am thrilled to add another weight loss success story to my list! Meet Lori, she has lost 100 pounds and has maintained that for 2 years! That’s amazing Lori!

Thanks for answering my questions!

1). What was your “Aha” moment when you decided you needed to do something about your weight?

About 5 years ago, I hit my all time high of 250 pounds. I have lost and gained a lot of weight over the years, but that number really felt so huge and concrete. It’s hard to explain, but I realized I could keep going to 500 pounds and it wouldn’t be hard. That was pretty scary to me. I didn’t jump right into weight loss right then, but I began reading more about nutrition and better eating, realizing that I just was not doing things the right way.

2). Had you tried to lose weight in the past – were you successful when you tried?

Successful at losing, yes. I never reached goal weight, ever, though. Then I would regain it back plus more.

3). How do you find time for yourself to concentrate on losing weight?

There is no choice but to make time. Period. Either I put myself first, or it doesn’t happen because no one else will do it for me.

4). What kept you going? Were there times where you wanted to give up?

Yes, I got frustrated. I lost pretty slow, and then I went on a horrible plateau that lasted for months. I really was eating too little, and then I ate too much and started to regain some weight again. It was a stressful time in my life and I made some unfortunate food choices, but I got back on track again. I just did not want to be fat anymore. It wasn’t a lot of fun for me LOL!

5). How has maintenance been, is maintaining harder than losing weight?

Well, it actually has been a little easier in some ways. I would like to lose 10 more pounds, but I think my body may have decided where it wants to stop. The hardest part of maintenance is that you have to find different goals to focus on. When losing weight, there is a concrete goal to reach. For maintenance it is really just a way of life that you keep doing. That’s the hard part. You need to find reasons to stay maintaining, as it can be easy to let yourself slide into old habits.

6). Did you exercise while losing weight, if so, what do you like to do for exercise.

Yes. Exercise is key for me. I used to hate it because I always went full out and would hyperventilate and just not enjoy it. I used to be an ‘all or nothing’ person. Once I realized that you could work up to exercise, it opened a whole new world of fun for me. I absolutely adore bike riding. My husband and I bike together and we have a goal to do a 100 mile ride (in 1 day) this summer. I also started running a couple of years ago, something I never thought I would ever be able to do. I did the Couch to 5K program and was so thrilled to actually learn how to run and build on it. The other thing that I think is crucial is strength training. I lift pretty heavy (no, you don’t get bulky) and am amazed at how strong I am and how it has reshaped my body (loose skin and all!).

7). What are some tips that helped you a long the way?

Getting rid of the ‘all-or-nothing’ mentality. Losing weight is not linear, and should never be judged by the scale alone. It’s also important to eat balanced meals and snacks. I like protein,fat, and carbs in my meals to keep me satisfied for longer. I also traded negative thoughts for positive ones, and that really helped me immensely.

8). Did you have people in your life that weren’t positive towards the changes you were making?

Everyone in my family has always been supportive of my weight loss, especially my husband! I am very lucky that way.

9). What was a typical eating day like when you were heavy?

We ate out a lot.
Breakfast would be a cinnamon sugar bagel with sweet cream cheese and a vanilla latte.
Lunch would be some sort of frozen meal (if we didn’t eat out).
Snack would be a caramel machiatto from Starbucks with a pastry.
Dinner would be eaten out at a casual dining place like Chili’s or On The Border. And it was never a thought to a healthy meal, but whatever sounded good. If we ate at home, it was usually something from the freezer that was ready to eat.

10). What is a typical eating day like now that you are eating healthier?

Breakfast is now oats cooked with a banana and topped with nut butter and jam.
Lunch is usually yogurt and granola with fruit or sometimes an egg/cheese sandwich with kiwi and baby carrots on the side.
Afternoon snack is a latte made with 1% milk and some dark chocolate
Dinner usually is chicken or some type of protein with sauteed broccoli and fresh strawberries.

I still have a bagel a couple times a week, but I choose light cream cheese now and usually a wheat or blueberry bagel. Bagels are something that I refused to remove from my life, I just had to learn how to work them in.

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Great job Lori!! If you would like to see what she’s up to, visit her blog and learn more about her life now that she has lost 100 pounds!