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Harrison Township, MI I am a 41 year old mother of three. I started my own "Business, Organization and Communications Management" company when I was 29 years old.
I was never significantly overweight until my middle child, Jameson (aka "Jamie") contracted a rare seizure disorder and after 15 months of suffering, passed away in 2006. Watching my son suffer was the most heartbreaking, soul I am a 41 year old mother of three. I started my own "Business, Organization and Communications Management" company when I was 29 years old.
I was never significantly overweight until my middle child, Jameson (aka "Jamie") contracted a rare seizure disorder and after 15 months of suffering, passed away in 2006. Watching my son suffer was the most heartbreaking, soul disrupting event of my life. After a long-term hospital stay from the end of 2005 into January 2006, and subsequent 10 days at home on hospice, Jamie passed away on January 29, 2006 at 19 months of age. During his last several months I became very depressed and ate because" food was the only thing I could control." However, soon, "I could not control that". I gained over 50lbs. during his last hospital stay and more thereafter. The following spring I began my mental recovery from losing him by starting a fund to help children with special needs (Jamie also had Down syndrome) called "Jamie's Smiles" (for more information visit our website at www.JamiesSmiles.org).
In December 2007 my daughter, Sidney was born and her big brother Logan was thrilled! I was still struggling with my weight and at 5'11" and 230lbs. I knew that I had to make a huge change when I realized that I needed to either purchase size 20 or lose weight because the 18's were no longer fitting right and I was having back problems.
I started watching what I was eating and doing P90. I also love rollerblading so I started rollerblading whenever the weather allowed and jogging on the treadmill the rest of the time. I had lost 50lbs., but still needed to lose about 30lbs. more.
The Easter Bunny had brought my husband P90X the previous year so I decided to give it a try. I was TERRIFIED of it, but started out doing what I could and going from there. At first I could hardly make it through a workout. I was losing weight and watching my calories. I stopped looking in the mirror and just worked! Suddenly I did not recognize the woman in the mirror! I still cannot believe my results! My mental “residual self-image” is still significantly overweight and it shocks me whenever I truly “see” myself. I have lost 76lbs. with P90 & P90X.
I have been married for 17 years and my husband is super supportive. He loves that I wear bikinis again (he was a doubter at the beginning) and my son, now 10 years old, is my “biggest fan” whenever I reach a new goal or lose a pound he cheers! My kids now look at labels at the grocery store and put things back (like King Dons) when they see how many calories or how much fat is in them. We still always have homemade cookies in the house though…Everything in moderation!
After encouragement from my coach, Joy, I entered and won the “BeachBody Challenge” for August 2011 for my age and gender. I could not believe it! This really does happen to “real people”.
I am hoping that the judges choose me as one of four female finalists in the "Grand Prize Challenge" on May 1st so that I can compete in the Grand Prize voting online.
I just finished doing P90X2 and am back working out with P90X. I hope you will join me on a fitness journey to Live Well!
My Progress My fitness goal: Tone Up
Transformation story
When we lost my son, Jamie, in January of 2006 I was very depressed. At one point, my weight got up to 230 and I am 5’11” tall. I had lost and kept off 50lbs. over the past 3 1/2 years, but still had More ...
When we lost my son, Jamie, in January of 2006 I was very depressed. At one point, my weight got up to 230 and I am 5’11” tall. I had lost and kept off 50lbs. over the past 3 1/2 years, but still had the last 25lbs. to go.
In July 2010, I went to see a surgeon as the pain was getting too bad (I have a high pain tolerance and it was at a 10 on a scale of 1-10) and I needed cortisone-epidural shots in my back. I wore a brace for scoliosis in high school (3+ years) and the S-curve had worsened and degraded my spine - vertebrae and discs. I did not want surgery, but the one surgeon administered 2 rounds of epidurals to stave off the pain so I could look into my options/buy some time. They suggested a partial spinal fusion and said that that surgery would only hold off putting a rod in my back. They said if I did not have the surgery I would be in a wheelchair in 5 years. TWO doctors said almost exactly the same thing. I told them they did not know me very well and I was going to find an alternative.
I found a specialize chiropractor and they said I was the perfect candidate for "Manipulation Under Anesthetic" (MUA) which was almost 100% covered by my insurance. I ran all the options I had found by my general doctor and he said to go for the MUA. I had this in October 2010 and followed up with 18 weeks of physical therapy. The next week I started P90x. I also began an aggressive calorie counting/restricting program to lose the rest of the weight.
I have done the weight loss through working out with P90x and tracking calories through www.myfitnesspal.com and personal fortitude. I have not missed a single workout although I have had to do them out of order on occassion due to time constraints (different workouts are different lengths). Also, I am better equipped to "bring it" on some days than others, but at least I ALWAYS push play! I also do extra stuff like rollerblading when the weather and schedule permit.
I have been finessing how many calories is right over the past several months. It turns out that it depends on which workout I have the following day. When I have a hard cardio workout coming I need to up the calories slightly. When it is a weights related endurance workout I need more like the 1700-1800 calories.
In May 2011 at my checkup I had decreased the spinal curvature of my scoliosis as well which means permanent improvement for my back. I will remain with the chiropractor seeing him every 6 months for a year or 2 more. On an average day is 0.5-1 (usually better AFTER my P90x workout) and has not gotten above a 3 since I started P90x and then only for a couple of hours.
As of July 4, 2011, I am down 21 lbs. with P90x and 71 pounds to date. Four pounds to go!
Probably more than you wanted to hear but it is the story of my weight loss life... and hopefully permanently healthy, pain-free life!
Workout programs: P90X® - primary program 10-Minute Trainer® P90X One on One® Power 90® Running Weightlifting P90X2® Jogging Rollerskating/Roller Blading (Inline Skating) Soccer Walking Gear: P90X Chin-Up Bar Heart Rate Monitor | |
04/14/12 I just submitted my entry pictures for the Beachbody Grand Prize Contest. On May 1st, Beachbody will announce the 8 Grand Prize Finalists, 4 men and 4 women. I posted some of the new More ... 02/21/12 I am doing P90X2 and I am in week 2 of Phase 3. I have been doing "Doubles" several times most weeks with my husband as he started P90X and wanted someone to work out with. I do my More ... 10/17/11
As you may know, I submitted a transformation story that won August for woman and my age category in the Team Beachbody Challenge. Which brings me to my request, the quarterly More ...
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