When I wanted to lose weight, I was serious about the goal.
I never thought much about exercising when I was in high school.
When I came home from classes, my mom wasn’t home. I sat in front of the TV with a box of cereal and a book. When I finished with my homework, I ate dinner. I had a snack before bed and I rarely saw my mom until the next morning. My eating habits became a coping mechanism for the emotional problems in my life. I started gaining weight very quickly and I was 250 lb in the 10th grade. When I finished high school, I was close to 400 lb. I was in a car accident and the car had to be cut open to have me extracted from the vehicle. The doctor told me it was time to make some changes. She gave me the name and phone number for a personal trainer that worked with the hospital. I didn’t have a ton of money for a personal trainer, but the doctor worked something out with the insurance provider so I could see the personal trainer for a month at no charge. The personal trainer and fitness instructor gave me a lot of great advice. He recommended exercises and strength training that would allow me to see results quickly. He helped me come up with a nutrition program and diet that allowed me to eat the foods I wanted, while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After a month of free help, I continued to pay a small fee so I could see the personal trainer weekly to discuss my progress.