Before: 247 pounds
After: 143 pounds
Height: 5'2"
Age: 46
Kim Morris had been overweight ever since she was a child. She was able to shed pounds in her 20s and 30s, but she always gained it back. It became even more difficult to focus on her diet when she went back to school in her 40s while working full-time. “I didn’t have the time or energy to eat healthy. I was stopping at McDonalds on a regular basis; I would drink 2 liters of Mountain Dew in a day,” she says. (Search: Calories in soda)
The Turning Point
The persistent health issues that ran in Kim’s family, including diabetes, heart problems, and bladder cancer, were her eventual wakeup call. “I was turning 45 and I realized I wasn’t getting any younger,” she says. “I decided that if I didn't do something to alter my body, I wouldn't be able to avoid the same health problems that my mother, grandfather, aunts, and uncle have had.”
Drop your sugar, drop your weight with the Diabetes DTOUR Cookbook
The Lifestyle
Right away Kim cut soda, most fast foods, fried foods, and a lot of bread from her diet, while incorporating more fruits, vegetables and lean proteins at the same time. She lost 15 pounds within the first month of her weight loss plan. (Video: 4 Ways to Cut 100 Calories)
She also hired a personal trainer and began going to the gym 6 days a week. Two days each week Kim worked with him, and she exercised independently on the other four: “My trainer told me to try to do a half hour of cardio, and I would do twice what he said.” Her routine combined time on the treadmill and elliptical machine as well as crunches, assisted chin-ups, and other exercises her trainer taught her. (Related: Supercharge Your Workout Routine)
The Motivation
As a lifelong lover of clothes (she’s got three full closets), Kim has stayed energized as she’s watched her dress size shrink. “Seeing the new me emerge has been great,” she says. “And now it’s fun to go shopping. I can get into the stuff I’ve seen all the other women wearing. It’s an accomplishment.”
Additionally, Kim keeps a weight goal in her cross-hairs. “I am a few pounds away from my ‘satisfaction goal’ of 140 pounds, although I would ultimately like to get down to 130 pounds.”
Get your weekly dose of motivation when you sign up for a Fitbie newsletter!
The Reward
Kim’s most satisfying “new me” moment came when she was able to fit into size 8 jeans for the first time in her adult life. “I also have a lot more energy. It’s not hard to do things the way it was—I don’t get out of breath tying my shoes. Plus, I’m dating again!”
Kim’s Tips
Do it for yourself. Kim’s weight loss efforts finally turned a corner when she decided to lose weight for herself, instead of to please someone else. “I used to lose weight and gain it back, but this time I did it for myself. I didn’t do it because someone didn’t want a fat girlfriend or I thought that was what my husband wanted.”
Exercise is a means to an end. “Even if you don’t have fun exercising, it’s worth it. I’m not a big fan of exercise, but it [helps me] stay at the weight I’m at and [makes me] feel good. Just think of it as one of those things you have to do—pay taxes, die, and exercise.”
Up Next: The Best Weight Calculators
