Got a success story of your own? Send it to us at success.stories@huffingtonpost.com and you could be featured in our I Lost Weight series!
Name: Heidi Riess
Age: 43
Height: 5'10"
Before Weight: Over 385 pounds. This is the highest weight I remember, but I know I gained weight after.
How I Gained It: I started gaining the majority of my weight after a family tragedy at the age of 14. I would often hide in my room eating large quantities of food to help me deal with the loss of a family member and the pains of being a teenager. Through the years, when dealing with any kind of stress, this behavior would just intensify. I would eat salads and grilled chicken in public, then binge on fast food, ice-cream, chips or anything I was craving that day in private. I was a person of extremes.
Breaking Point: I work for the USPS, and my job is very physical. It involves a lot of bending, twisting, pushing and lifting. I was in pain, so I made an appointment with a doctor. The doctor's solution was to just write me out a prescription. I know people who have developed addictions to pain medication, and the thought of that frightened me. I always knew that I had to be honest with myself and face the fact that the pain I was feeling was because I was morbidly obese. I never had the prescription filled. Instead, I joined a gym, and my whole life changed.
How I Lost It: My weight loss has been a slow process with many ups and downs. It has taken me over four years to lose the weight.
In the first year, I lost over 50 pounds simply because my job changed. During the second year, with the help of my personal trainer, I shed not only another 50 pounds but gained strength and self-confidence. Then, I had a year during which I lost nothing, despite exercising five to six times a week. Even though I had increased my activity level, my eating habits were still out of control. I would go from one extreme to the other: I'd eat only natural foods, and meticulously weigh myself and count my calories. But if I had even one bite of what to me was "bad" food, I would start bingeing, saying, "Just this last time, and then I'll never have so-called 'bad' food again."
On March 28 of this year, my trainer and I had a heart-to-heart. I said, "I think I give good advice, I just don't follow it." He told me to follow one of those things for a week and see how I felt. Every day I would start with a positive affirmation, even if I didn't feel it was true. By the end of the week, I felt great. I started thinking about words and how powerful they are and how changing a few of them could make all the difference.
I no longer say I "can't" have something. I can have whatever I want, and sometimes I choose to and sometimes I don't -- and that is okay. I no longer say things like, "I was so bad yesterday because I had a piece of cake," nor will I say I was good if I didn't. Food shouldn't have any morality attached to it, nor should we define ourselves by our food choices. I started introducing those previously-banned foods back into my diet with this new mindset. And since then, I have lost an additional 65 pounds.
What I have gained is immense. I no longer feel the need to binge. I have gained the knowledge that it is okay not to be perfect, that just because you decided to have ice cream doesn't mean you blew your diet. I learned to be more forgiving and to love myself more each day. I started following Facebook pages with positive messages and fell in love with their common-sense approaches to fitness and weight loss. I now eat enough calories to support my activity with a slight deficit for weight loss. I restrict absolutely nothing. I enjoy food, but no longer use it as an emotional crutch. I am happier than I have been in years.
Current Weight: 220 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
Tanisha BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/02/i-lost-weight-tanisha-williams_n_4193043.html" target="_blank">Read Tanisha's story here.</a>
Tanisha AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/02/i-lost-weight-tanisha-williams_n_4193043.html" target="_blank">Read Tanisha's story here.</a>
Jason BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/27/i-lost-weight-jason-gerstenberger_n_4124189.html" target="_blank">Read Jason's story here.</a>
Jason AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/27/i-lost-weight-jason-gerstenberger_n_4124189.html" target="_blank">Read Jason's story here.</a>
Lisa BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/04/i-lost-weight-lisa-taylor_n_4177529.html" target="_blank">Read Lisa's story here.</a>
Lisa AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/04/i-lost-weight-lisa-taylor_n_4177529.html" target="_blank">Read Lisa's story here.</a>
Cory BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/29/i-lost-weight-cory-cantrell_n_4164693.html" target="_blank">Read Cory's story here.</a>
Cory AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/29/i-lost-weight-cory-cantrell_n_4164693.html" target="_blank">Read Cory's story here.</a>
Stephanie BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/22/i-lost-weight-stephanie-kariott_n_4150660.html" target="_blank">Read Stephanie's story here.</a>
Stephanie AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/22/i-lost-weight-stephanie-kariott_n_4150660.html" target="_blank">Read Stephanie's story here.</a>
Andrew BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/25/i-lost-weight-andrew-phillips_n_4108426.html" target="_blank">Read Andrew's story here.</a>
Andrew AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/25/i-lost-weight-andrew-phillips_n_4108426.html" target="_blank">Read Andrew's story here.</a>
Amanda And Keith BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/18/i-lost-weight-amanda-keith-flick_n_4177405.html" target="_blank">Read their story here.</a>
Amanda And Keith AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/18/i-lost-weight-amanda-keith-flick_n_4177405.html" target="_blank">Read their story here.</a>
Cayla BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/i-lost-weight-cayla-duncan_n_4150839.html" target="_blank">Read Cayla's story here.</a>
Cayla AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/i-lost-weight-cayla-duncan_n_4150839.html" target="_blank">Read Cayla's story here.</a>
Caitlin BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/15/i-lost-weight-caitlin-flora_n_4097197.html" target="_blank">Read Caitlin's story here.</a>
Caitlin AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/15/i-lost-weight-caitlin-flora_n_4097197.html" target="_blank">Read Caitlin's story here.</a>
Robert BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/13/i-lost-weight-robert-e-jones_n_4086137.html" target="_blank">Read Robert's story here.</a>
Robert AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/13/i-lost-weight-robert-e-jones_n_4086137.html" target="_blank">Read Robert's story here.</a>
David BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/11/i-lost-weight-david-kari_n_3964342.html" target="_blank">Read David's story here.</a>
David AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/11/i-lost-weight-david-kari_n_3964342.html" target="_blank">Read David's story here.</a>
Barbara BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/04/i-lost-weight-barbara-marie-cuadrado_n_4084935.html" target="_blank">Read Barbara's story here.</a>
Barbara AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/04/i-lost-weight-barbara-marie-cuadrado_n_4084935.html" target="_blank">Read Barbara's story here.</a>
Steve BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/06/i-lost-weight-steve-weirich_n_3880757.html" target="_blank">Read Steve's story here.</a>
Steve AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/06/i-lost-weight-steve-weirich_n_3880757.html" target="_blank">Read Steve's story here.</a>
Kim BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/01/i-lost-weight-kim-phillips_n_4070257.html" target="_blank">Read Kim's story here.</a>
Kim AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/01/i-lost-weight-kim-phillips_n_4070257.html" target="_blank">Read Kim's story here.</a>
Stephen BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/30/i-lost-weight-stephen-pagano_n_4039494.html" target="_blank">Read Stephen's story here.</a>
Stephen AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/30/i-lost-weight-stephen-pagano_n_4039494.html" target="_blank">Read Stephen's story here.</a>
Vanessa BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/25/i-lost-weight-vanessa-safie_n_4002852.html" target="_blank">Read Vanessa's story here.</a>
Vanessa AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/25/i-lost-weight-vanessa-safie_n_4002852.html" target="_blank">Read Vanessa's story here.</a>
Levoris BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/28/i-lost-weight-levoris-anderson_n_4070122.html" target="_blank">Read Levoris's story here.</a>
Levoris AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/28/i-lost-weight-levoris-anderson_n_4070122.html" target="_blank">Read Levoris's story here.</a>
Tommy BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/21/i-lost-weight-tommy-smith_n_4003034.html" target="_blank">Read Tommy's story here.</a>
Tommy AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/21/i-lost-weight-tommy-smith_n_4003034.html" target="_blank">Read Tommy's story here.</a>
Jaime BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/23/i-lost-weight-jaime-coakley_n_3976666.html" target="_blank">Read Jaime's story here.</a>
Jaime AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/23/i-lost-weight-jaime-coakley_n_3976666.html" target="_blank">Read Jaime's story here.</a>
Brian BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/18/i-lost-weight-brian-mclaughlin_n_3920707.html" target="_blank">Read Brian's story here.</a>
Brian AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/18/i-lost-weight-brian-mclaughlin_n_3920707.html" target="_blank">Read Brian's story here.</a>
Desiree BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/14/i-lost-weight-desiree_n_3962225.html" target="_blank">Read Desiree's story here.</a>
Desiree AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/14/i-lost-weight-desiree_n_3962225.html" target="_blank">Read Desiree's story here.</a>
Hann BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/11/i-lost-weight-hann-sipin_n_3922446.html" target="_blank">Read Hann's story here.</a>
Hann AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/11/i-lost-weight-hann-sipin_n_3922446.html" target="_blank">Read Hann's story here.</a>
Alexandra BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/16/i-lost-weight-alexandra-ramos_n_3948060.html" target="_blank">Read Alexandra's story here.</a>
Alexandra AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/16/i-lost-weight-alexandra-ramos_n_3948060.html" target="_blank">Read Alexandra's story here.</a>
Jeramy BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/07/i-lost-weight-jeramy-turner_n_3895473.html" target="_blank">Read Jeramy's story here.</a>
Jeramy AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/07/i-lost-weight-jeramy-turner_n_3895473.html" target="_blank">Read Jeramy's story here.</a>
Krista BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/04/i-lost-weight-krista-guerrero_n_3880348.html" target="_blank">Read Krista's story here.</a>
Krista AFTER
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/04/i-lost-weight-krista-guerrero_n_3880348.html" target="_blank">Read Krista's story here.</a>
Carrie BEFORE
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/09/i-lost-weight-carrie-moran_n_3900111.html" target="_blank">Read Carrie's story here.</a>
For more on weight loss, click here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment