Amanda dared to lose 50 pounds: A LIVESTRONG.COM hero
Monday, June 30th, 2008Amanda never had problems with her weight growing up. She was one of those people who could eat whatever she felt like, and never seemed to gain any weight. But when she was 14-years-old, Amanda had her thyroid removed, because of concerns about a potentially cancerous cyst. The surgery’s after-effects were serious: Her energy level plummeted — and her weight did the opposite.
In Amanda’s own words:
I gained consistently over the next several years and by the beginning of 2007 I was weighing over 170 lbs. For the New Year, I signed up for a body shaping class. This 10 week challenge was to workout and make healthier eating choices every day. I lasted less than 2 weeks before dropping out.
In May, I went shopping for new clothes - at this point, I was looking for size 16 and tipping the scale at over 180 lbs. I had trouble finding sizes that large and walked into a plus size store. That was the moment that I really understood how much I’d gained. I’d never dreamed I’d be shopping there. So I said to myself that this was the moment that I had a choice. I needed to choose to be a healthy weight or to be a “plus size girl”
Amanda decided to make a major change in her life. She started by adding a daily breakfast to her routine — a fruit smoothie and string cheese. She also tried to make sure she a had a couple healthy snacks each day, like yogurt, fruit, and nuts. Her typical lunch became a homemade sandwich or wrap, usually with a side of cottage cheese. She made an effort to cut out soda and mostly stick to water.
I didn’t make much of a change for dinners and weekends at that point, but by eating more sensible most of the day, I eliminated the fast foods. I feel this change helped tremendously.
Just about a year ago, in July 2007, Amanda found The Daily Plate, which is now available as The Daily Plate on LIVESTRONG.COM. At that point, she was already back down to 170 lbs. She created an account under the username Aarie.
I began TDP by setting a calorie goal, then documenting my food intake and exercise. I made additional efforts to lose weight by taking walks with the dogs or getting on the treadmill a few times per week. I also started cooking more at home. For dinner, I’d usually eat the same foods as I did before, but smaller portions. I wasn’t perfect. Sometimes I’d have a “cheat” day or even a week where I slipped. But through the forums, groups, and friends that I made, I stayed motivated to continue my journey and reminded myself this is a life change, not just a “diet.”
In May of this year, Amanda had reached 130 lbs, the result of nearly a year of smarter food choices and an increase in her physical activity. That month, she walked down the aisle, wearing a size 6 wedding gown! Amanda says that she’s much happier and more energetic than she has ever felt before:
I can run without losing my breath and I even have less problems with seasonal asthma and allergies. I’m very passionate about what TDP has done for me. The tools, the community, everything. Some people don’t think diet and exercise can work because it just seems so simple. But that’s really what gets the weight off and keeps it off. It’s just something you need to stick to.
What’s most inspiring about Amanda’s story is that she makes her dramatic weight loss seem so doable. She certainly doesn’t make it sound easy — she had to make some serious lifestyle changes to her diet and routine — but her story really shows that the single hardest part is daring to succeed. Once she made the decision to lose weight, Amanda knew her goal, and she equipped herself with the tools and the mentality necessary to get there.
Amanda, congratulations. The entire TDP and LIVESTRONG.COM team is thrilled about your achievement. You should be extremely proud; not only have you changed your life for the better, but you’ve undoubtedly inspired countless others to follow in your footsteps.
