Editor's Note: At LIVESTRONG.COM we are constantly inspired by the power of our users healthy achievements. Over the last month we've collected success stories from hundreds of LIVESTRONG.COM users. To learn more about sending your own success story, click here. This week, we're honored to share Betzi's story.
My Story:
In April of 2009, I weighed 245 lbs right after having my second child. This past Sunday I weighed in at 125. I am in a healthy BMI range for the first time since I was born and am up to a 120 pound weight loss!
My Turning Point:
Most people lose weight in order to look better. Obviously, I was disgusted every time I looked in the mirror and had trouble finding clothes that fit. The main reason I decided to lose weight, though, was due to how I felt. I had no energy whatsoever and suffered depression on and off since I was a teenager. I felt horrible after binging and was spending so much money on food. I was a negative influence on my children and found myself having to hide to eat. I had no self esteem or confidence. Life was completely miserable and I honestly did not want to exist. Something had to change.
A Past Life:
My life before consisted of eating and making excuses to lay around. Other than eating out, I shut everyone out of my life. I preferred to stay at home and had absolutely no social life. I felt embarrassed at how I looked and was so pessimistic I knew no one would want to put up with it. I was in no way physicallly active and always used elevators and fought for that closest parking spot. I was a lazy blob eating everything in sight. If I would go out to eat then I would immediately come home and eat some more. I was eating compulsively and eating tons of sugar. A large 1,500 calorie blizzard was nothing to me. I would frequently eat a gallon of ice cream, a bag of chips, or a batch of cookies as a meal. I often consumed a never ending glass of soda or lemonade filled with sugar and calories. I enjoyed eating out and was definitely one of those people "all you can eat" restaurants lose money from! 
My Support System:
Now I always like to tell people that there are NO excuses for not making a lifestyle change. If you want it bad enough, you will accomplish it on your own. This being true, it is helpful to have support throughout the process. I would like to thank the other members of my gym for their frequent compliments and motivation, my personal trainer who helped me get started, and my Group Fitness instructor who makes exercise so much fun. She works on strengthening our bodies but also inspires friendship within the group fitness room. It was actually my personal trainer who introduced me to the LIVESTRONG.COM. I was a little reluctant to commit to MyPlate. Now, I openly admit that I absolutely love the challenge of keeping track of my calories. I was amazed at all of the resources on LIVESTRONG.COM. I love the recipes, the calorie finder and the many of the informative articles.
My Biggest Challenge:
The hardest part for me was hitting plateaus. It was very frustrating at times watching the number stay the same on the scale knowing that I had burned more calories than I had consumed. I learned that this is a normal part of weight loss and it taught me the virtue of patience.
My Secret to Success:
Basically, I have found the key to dieting success to be counting calories. It is not easy, but it is very simple. It is a number game that includes creating a calorie deficiency through exercise and diet. I eat every three to four hours to keep my metabolism going and always make sure to eat enough. On my journey, I never dropped below 1,200 calories a day. I tried to always eat things that were low calorie as well as low in fat and sugar. I try to consume at least 90 grams of protein a day as well which has been interesting since I am a 5 year vegetarian. I have discovered many new healthy foods that I would never have considered eating years ago. I eat lots of salad, steamed vegetables, whole grains, yogurt, and fruit. I try to stay away from processed foods and have done a lot of experimenting to keep things tasty. I have started cooking for the first time ever which makes eating so much healthier. I do not give up foods; I make substitutions. I still love my ice cream and sweets so I limit myself to one low calorie/low fat ice cream treat a day and try to keep it under 200 calories. I have found Shakeology to be a great way to satisfy a sweet tooth as well! I have also committed to making daily meal plans and writing down EVERYTHING I eat. With my past, I realize this is something that just has to be a part of my life probably forever. I love to use the saying, "If you snack it-track it!" I have to hold myself accountable for everything I consume and this really seems to work for me.
I believe the most important part of developing an exercise routine is making it fun and always having variety. If you don't enjoy it then you will most likely not continue. I have found my passion to be Zumba, which is what will keep me going back. It is a great way to have fun and burn tons of calories! I also do many of the other group fitness classes at my gym, such as Bodypump, Total Tone, and Turbo Kick. I find that attending the classes makes working out more social and I always seem to work harder with an instructor there to motivate me. Sometimes I do my own routines and the treadmill but would much rather be in a class. When I started exercising I just began with taking my kids for a walk every day. As I lost weight it became easier and eventually I joined a gym. I worked a little bit with a trainer and exercised about an hour a day for 5 days a week. Now I have completely fallen in love with taking care of my body and am working out 1-2 hours a day 5-6 days a week.
A New Purpose:
Part of the reason I work out so much now is because I am beginning my own career in fitness and wellness. I am now an Independent Beachbody coach and have started my own business to help others achieve their fitness goals. I recently obtained my Zumba Instructor License and am working towards my certification with AFAA to be able to teach group fitness classes. Being able to help others reach their own weight loss goals is how I want to give back to all of the trainers and instructors who helped me. I hope to motivate and inspire others to feel better about themselves, get in shape, and find happiness in their lives. I used to be the most negative person I know so I am proof that miracles can happen. I am truly living for the first time in my life and so grateful I found my path and my own happiness while I am still young. I am now anxious to wake up in the mornings and make friends for the first time in years. I feel like I now have a life and most importantly, a purpose.
Continued Support from LIVESTRONG.COM:
LIVESTRONG.COM offers plentiful resources, including fitness and nutrition tips and an incredible way to stay accountable with food intake through MyPlate. MyPlate is a simple, user-friendly way to log calories, look up nutrition facts, record exercise, and commit to good health. When I had access to the internet at home I never failed to log in every day. Now I am able to use the mobile addition and can do some of the features from my telephone. I will continue to use these resources for weight maintenance.
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