Got a success story of your own? Send it to us at success.stories@huffingtonpost.com and you could be featured on the site!
Name: Robyn Spurr
Age: 38
Height: 5'6"
Before Weight: 190 pounds
How I Gained It: I was the poster child for emotional eating. Food helped me cope with the anxiety and insecurity I experienced while growing up. Feeling our negative emotions can be downright terrifying, especially as a child. It was so much easier to stuff them down -- right along with the pizza and ice cream.
Using food for comfort started early on. I can remember being crippled with fear as I stepped into my new kindergarten class -- the one for the "gifted" children. I just knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with the other kids. They would surely figure out that I didn't belong there. That I wasn't smart enough. Throughout the day, I would nibble on snacks I kept hidden in my desk. It made me feel better. Yes, in kindergarten.
Not much changed for the next two decades or so. I continued to turn to food even though I hated the way I looked and how I felt.
The lowest point for me was around the age of 21 -- the time when most kids are having a blast. I reached my heaviest weight, was wearing a size 16 and had begun to binge and purge. The bulimia lingered for nearly 10 years.
Breaking Point: I used to laugh when people would say they had an epiphany. But one day, I simply realized that fat didn't have to be my fate. I recognized that I could absolutely be the woman that I wanted to be; healthy, confident, fit, proud. All I needed to do was treat myself with the same kindness, love and respect that I gave to others -- and that's when the healing began.
How I Lost It: While there was a definite moment of enlightenment, it took years to unwind the negative behaviors and thinking. It really does take an army. I worked with a therapist, hired a personal trainer and became good friends with a woman who was a life coach (something I had never heard of before). I purged the negativity from my life and surrounded myself with people who were kind, supportive and inspiring.
My body is fit and healthy these days. Over the years I managed to lose nearly 60 pounds through clean eating, strength training and cardio. But more importantly, I'm fit and healthy on the inside now. Losing weight doesn't fix our problems. This is where I'm convinced we have it backwards and why so many people gain the weight back. We think reaching our goal weight will bring us the happiness we crave -- and when it doesn't, the weight begins to creep back on. Losing the weight for good is an inside job.
Several years ago, I left the corporate world behind in order to help other women find peace of body and mind. I'm currently an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Health Coach, Certified Weight Loss Coach and owner of Chickadee Weight Loss. I've been married to an amazing man for nearly 12 years and live in the beautiful state of Colorado. I bike, I laugh, I love -- and I no longer hide food in my desk. Life is pretty amazing now, but I wouldn't change a single thing about my past. It made me who I am today. I can't predict what lies ahead, but I know with every ounce of my being that helping other women navigate their own way to health and wellness is exactly where I'm supposed to be.
After Weight: 133 pounds
The Huffington Post publishes photographs as they are submitted to us by our readers.
Check out more of our inspiring weight loss stories below:
Loading Slideshow
Melody BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/14/i-lost-weight-melody-millary_n_3624422.html" target="_blank">Read Melody's story here.</a>
Melody AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/14/i-lost-weight-melody-millary_n_3624422.html" target="_blank">Read Melody's story here.</a>
Robert BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/09/i-lost-weight-robert-richardson_n_3604842.html" target="_blank">Read Robert's story here.</a>
Robert AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/09/i-lost-weight-robert-richardson_n_3604842.html" target="_blank">Read Robert's story here.</a>
Erin BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/12/i-lost-weight-erin-mcguire_n_3625280.html" target="_blank">Read Erin's story here.</a>
Erin AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/12/i-lost-weight-erin-mcguire_n_3625280.html" target="_blank">Read Erin's story here.</a>
Leigh BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/05/i-lost-weight-leigh-mount_n_3574535.html" target="_blank">Read Leigh's story here.</a>
Leigh AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/05/i-lost-weight-leigh-mount_n_3574535.html" target="_blank">Read Leigh's story here.</a>
Carin BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/02/i-lost-weight-carin-powell_n_3347207.html" target="_blank">Read Carin's story here.</a>
Carin AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/02/i-lost-weight-carin-powell_n_3347207.html" target="_blank">Read Carin's story here.</a>
Marc BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/07/i-lost-weight-marc-kohn_n_3600786.html" target="_blank">Read Marc's story here.</a>
Marc AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/07/i-lost-weight-marc-kohn_n_3600786.html" target="_blank">Read Marc's story here.</a>
Becky BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/31/i-lost-weight-becky-sigurnjak_n_3563138.html" target="_blank">Read Becky's story here.</a>
Becky AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/31/i-lost-weight-becky-sigurnjak_n_3563138.html" target="_blank">Read Becky's story here.</a>
Patti BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/29/i-lost-weight-patti-pollock_n_3563019.html?1375192063" target="_blank">Read Patti's story here.</a>
Patti AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/29/i-lost-weight-patti-pollock_n_3563019.html?1375192063" target="_blank">Read Patti's story here.</a>
Laura BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/26/i-lost-weight-laura-miller_n_3529373.html" target="_blank">Read Laura's story here.</a>
Laura AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/26/i-lost-weight-laura-miller_n_3529373.html" target="_blank">Read Laura's story here.</a>
John BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/24/i-lost-weight-john-m-brown_n_3496994.html" target="_blank">Read John's story here.</a>
John AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/24/i-lost-weight-john-m-brown_n_3496994.html" target="_blank">Read John's story here.</a>
Peg BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/19/i-lost-weight-peg-bradford_n_3474046.html" target="_blank">Read Peg's story here.</a>
Peg AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/19/i-lost-weight-peg-bradford_n_3474046.html" target="_blank">Read Peg's story here.</a>
Jacqui BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/22/i-lost-weight-jacqui-olsen_n_3497794.html" target="_blank">Read Jacqui's story here.</a>
Jacqui AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/22/i-lost-weight-jacqui-olsen_n_3497794.html" target="_blank">Read Jacqui's story here.</a>
William BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/17/i-lost-weight-william-pratt_n_3473943.html" target="_blank">Read William's story here.</a>
William AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/17/i-lost-weight-william-pratt_n_3473943.html" target="_blank">Read William's story here.</a>
Kate BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/15/i-lost-weight-kate-riley_n_3466355.html" target="_blank">Read Kate's story here.</a>
Kate AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/15/i-lost-weight-kate-riley_n_3466355.html" target="_blank">Read Kate's story here.</a>
Liz BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/12/i-lost-weight-liz-taylor_n_3466136.html" target="_blank">Read Liz's story here.</a>
Liz AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/12/i-lost-weight-liz-taylor_n_3466136.html" target="_blank">Read Liz's story here.</a>
Sally BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/10/i-lost-weight-sally-walters_n_3454928.html" target="_blank">Read Sally's story here.</a>
Sally AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/10/i-lost-weight-sally-walters_n_3454928.html" target="_blank">Read Sally's story here.</a>
Omar BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/08/i-lost-weight-omar-rangel_n_3416244.html" target="_blank">Read Omar's story here.</a>
Omar AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/08/i-lost-weight-omar-rangel_n_3416244.html" target="_blank">Read Omar's story here.</a>
Liz BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/05/i-lost-weight-liz-merriweather_n_3397136.html" target="_blank">Read Liz's story here.</a>
Liz AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/05/i-lost-weight-liz-merriweather_n_3397136.html" target="_blank">Read Liz's story here.</a>
Marqus BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/01/i-lost-weight-marqus-taylor_n_3383951.html" target="_blank">Read Marqus's story here.</a>
Marqus AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/01/i-lost-weight-marqus-taylor_n_3383951.html" target="_blank">Read Marqus's story here.</a>
Theresa BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/03/i-lost-weight-theresa-ahearn_n_3386139.html" target="_blank">Read Theresa's story here.</a>
Theresa AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/03/i-lost-weight-theresa-ahearn_n_3386139.html" target="_blank">Read Theresa's story here.</a>
Anthony BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/i-lost-weight-anthony-williams_n_3366966.html" target="_blank">Read Anthony's story here.</a>
Anthony AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/i-lost-weight-anthony-williams_n_3366966.html" target="_blank">Read Anthony's story here.</a>
Kassandra BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/24/i-lost-weight-kassandra-barnes_n_3367106.html" target="_blank">Read Kassandra's story here.</a>
Kassandra AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/24/i-lost-weight-kassandra-barnes_n_3367106.html" target="_blank">Read Kassandra's story here.</a>
Matt BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/28/i-lost-weight-matt-waterworth_n_3383704.html" target="_blank">Read Matt's story here.</a>
Matt AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/28/i-lost-weight-matt-waterworth_n_3383704.html" target="_blank">Read Matt's story here.</a>
Shawn BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/21/i-lost-weight-shawn-brown_n_3348554.html" target="_blank">Read Shawn's story here.</a>
Shawn AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/21/i-lost-weight-shawn-brown_n_3348554.html" target="_blank">Read Shawn's story here.</a>
Callista And Jason Puchmeyer BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/14/i-lost-weight-callista-jason-puchmeyer_n_3327895.html" target="_blank">Read Callista and Jason's story here.</a>
Callista And Jason Puchmeyer AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/14/i-lost-weight-callista-jason-puchmeyer_n_3327895.html" target="_blank">Read Callista and Jason's story here.</a>
Jeremiah BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/19/i-lost-weight-jeremiah-looper_n_3347440.html" target="_blank">Read Jeremiah's story here.</a>
For more on weight loss, click here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment