She Stopped Fooling Herself and Got to It
My weight had really gotten up there. I was wearing size 26 and pushing 300 pounds. Because I had battled weight problems most of my life, was afraid of becoming too thin and not being able to protect myself and not being able to handle how men ogled me, or had been listening to my agents tell me I needed to gain weight for a particular role, I’d end up gaining the weight right back and always more than what I lost.
I began telling myself that maybe I was destined to be fat and that I should learn to live with it. I even fooled myself into believing that I could get used to it, but what I could not believe or get used to is that I was destined to be unhappy and unhealthy. And that’s what made me realize I needed to do something. This time I wanted it to be different.
I interviewed a few trainers, started collecting information on nutrition and began preparing my mind for a lifestyle change. It was confirmed for me by one trainer that if you are a self-motivated individual and already moderately to very active, you don’t really need a trainer. However, it doesn’t hurt to have an exercise partner.
I began my exercise program by just walking and stretching three days a week. Then after some time, I increased to five days a week. As for my eating habits, I just started to cut back. I didn’t really stop eating any foods in particular; I just didn’t eat as much. Many times my body did not want to participate, but I kept reminding myself how important this was for me and how much I wanted to be healthy. So I’d drag my butt out of the house and get to it.
My encouraging and motivating exercise partner helped a great deal during those rough times, especially when the scales showed I didn’t lose a pound, although I had been working extra hard.
Now my exercise program consists of every sports activity that I enjoy. I am a size 14 and nowhere near 300 pounds. I am happy, and I know without a doubt that I am healthier and more fit than I have ever been. This past year has not been easy, and I am learning new things every day.
There is the saying, “Old habits die hard.” I have come to the realization that the habits don’t actually die, but we work at getting them under control, and that is exactly what I am continually struggling to do. As far as my diet is concerned, each day, I work at changing my eating habits (portion control), learning more about nutrition, and I work hard at maintaining my exercise regimen, even without an exercise partner.
I am not saying that this is easy, au contraire. What I am saying is that as long as I accept that this is a lifestyle change, and I work hard at it every day, I know that I am headed in the right direction.
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Vital Statistics
Name: Ellia English
Age: 30+
Occupation: Actress
Height: 5 feet, 4 inches
Old Weight: 290
New Weight: 190 (right)
Time It Took to Get There: 13 months
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Losing weight is as individual as gaining weight. Do you have a story on how you got in shape and stayed there? If so, we’d like to hear from you with a 500-word essay listing what worked in terms of diet, exercise, encouragement and support as well as your emotional and physical changes.
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