No One Said It Would Be Like This
Posted by Karina on Sep 28, 2010 in Testimonials | 23 commentsI started my weight loss journey about four years ago. I had been in Amsterdam on vacation and felt like crap the entire time. Not because of the “space cakes” or the freezing weather, it was because I had topped out at 293 pounds. Here I was in one of the coolest cities on the planet, and I couldn’t enjoy it because I was so unhealthy. When I got home, I knew I had to do something or life on this awesome planet would pass me by.
I started by changing the types of food I ate and the quantity I consumed. I joined a gym and started walking on a treadmill. I could only walk for 15 minutes per day during the first couple of weeks. I would add a couple of minutes to my walk each week until I was walking for an hour 5 days per week. Over time, I eventually came to jog for an hour. In one year, I lost 80 pounds. I was so happy and felt better than I ever had in my life. Then everything came to a screeching halt.
While I was working hard to become healthy, my marriage deteriorated. My now ex- husband couldn’t accept my new lifestyle and disconnected from me. I didn’t understand why he was so disillusioned. After all, I wanted to be healthy for him too. I did everything I could, but it wasn’t enough and we divorced.
After a few months of being single, my weight loss stalled at 86 pounds. I visited my doctor. She felt I had lost enough weight to get a partial tummy tuck. I was lucky enough to retain a very talented plastic surgeon and the approval of my insurance company! When I was at Enloe being prepped for surgery, other doctors and nurses came to see me and asked to shake my hand. They wanted to congratulate me on my weight loss. I was thinking, “Cool, but what’s the big deal?” My surgeon explained that they were proud of me for losing weight the old fashioned way and not with gastric bypass surgery. They subsequently removed 10 pounds of fat and extra skin from my tummy (I have the most awesome scar!) Three months later, I had breast reduction surgery. My body had taken on a completely new shape.
After the surgeries, I didn’t have one piece of clothing that fit me. Not even one pair of underwear. I had to replace everything! Shopping was not as much fun as you think. I had no idea what size I was or which stores I could shop at. It was difficult and frustrating. (To this day, I still don’t know what size I am. I will be doing my laundry and wonder “whose panties are these,” or “someone else’s pants got mixed in with my stuff.” I swear they randomly change the sizes on clothing just to make you want to buy more.)
After I started feeling stronger, I went to visit my brother Ted in Rocklin (some of you have met him.) He had taken phenomenal care of me during and after the surgeries. When he opened the door and saw me, he started crying. I asked him, “Do I really look that different?” He nodded and it finally hit me. I started REALLY looking at myself in the mirror. “Who the hell is that?”
I had lost 96 pounds now and I really started enjoying what I looked like and how I felt. Unfortunately, most of my friends did not share in my happiness. I went from being the biggest girl in the group to the smallest. I could wear clothes they couldn’t. I started getting attention from the opposite sex. I wanted to go out dancing, hiking, anything! I no longer wanted to bond over a double stack of onion rings and sit on my ass. Just like my ex-husband, my friends started disconnecting from me one by one. They told me I had changed and being around me made them feel bad about themselves. WTF?!?!
I decided to try my hand at dating. I figured it would go well since the majority of my friends throughout my entire life were guys. What was I thinking?! I met and dated guys who were mortified when they found out I used to be heavy. They would step away from me like they would catch some kind of “fat” disease if they got to close. I have also dated guys who would take one look at my legs, usually when I was wearing heels, and say, “I think I need to go the gym and work out for a while before I go out with you again.” WTF?!?!
I spent the next year trying to figure it all out. I was confused and angry. I hadn’t lost any more weight. I was lonely. Everyone seemed to be treating me differently. I kept thinking to myself, “It can’t be the weight loss, something else must be going on. Maybe I am crazy?”
I told my brother how completely lost I felt and he told me to get my ass to Norcal Strength & Conditioning. I was so scared!!!!! When I walked through the front door, I was hit with a wave of positive energy. After meeting with Nicki, I knew it was the place for me. I have had the privilege of getting my ass kicked on and off for the past year and a half now, and the confidence, mental strength and improved health I have gained are invaluable. The words, “I can’t do that” are no longer in my vocabulary. Life’s challenges are easier to deal with and my fear factor has gone way down. When I am feeling bad, I head to Norcal. When I leave, I have a lightness in my head and heart. According to my doctor I am one of the healthiest people to ever walk through the door, and I have Norcal, the trainers and my gym mates to thank for it.
So here I am at 41 years old: 105 pounds lighter, single, dating (kind of,) living alone, making new friends and recently unemployed. Most days I have no idea what I am doing, but I do know this: If someone offered me a duffel bag full of $10 million, and in return I would have to gain the 105 pounds back, I would light the bag on fire and not so politely tell them to fuck off.
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Wow Amy! You are beautiful! Thanks for sharing your story, its amazing and a big encouragement to me.
Keep it up!
I’m speechless Amy. Thank you for sharing your story; it is truly inspiring. You are such a beautiful person and we are so lucky to have you down here at NorCal! You are constantly impressing us, and it is always a pleasure to have your smiley face in class! Great work Amy:)
Wow Amy what a great story. Very inspirational and I feel the same way about getting my ass down to Norcal if for nothing else than the good feeling I know I’m going to be leaving with. Keep it up keep it up you are doing GREAT.
WOW!!!
Amy and I go all the way back to the third grade and have seen each other through some very tough times. Amy, I am extremely proud of what you have accomplished!
Very proud of my little sister! And a big Thank You to everyone at Nor Cal S & C for being so inspiring and helpful on Amy’s journey!
Amy, you are just amazing to me. Stunning attitude towards life, working out, and health. I love to have you in class, you are always happy to be there, which makes teaching super fun.!!!!!!! Thank you so much, I know it took a lot of courage to put it all out there like that!
Way to go AMY!!!!!! That is an amazing testimonial!!!!! Way to be tough through out all the things you went through! What an inspiration! Thanx for sharing your story!!!! I’m in awe!
awesome amy!! thanks for sharing your story, you are always a blast to work out with and i can see you pushing yourself every class you go to-awesome inspiration!
Wow Amy, thanks so much for sharing your story. I love seeing you at the gym – your dedication shines through in every work out and your amazing attitude is contagious! : )
Everyone has said it…WOW AMY! Your journey these last 4 years makes for an inspirational story that will motivate and encourage people more than you will ever know. Be proud of yours results, dedication and strength (mental and physical). Thanks for sharing!
One word…BADARSE!!
Amy you are a total ROCKSTAR! I’m so happy you listened to your brother Ted and made the decision to walk through our door. Your transformation is amazing and we absolutely LOVE the energy you bring to the gym!
Wow Amy! You are incredible. I am so inspired! Thanks for sharing your story.
Amy, that’s just awesome…you went to Amsterdam?
I kid, I kid.
I heard you guys chatting about the post in class tonight and thought I’d check it out. I would have never guessed. That’s flat out inspirational! I’m sending this link to my mom, who also wants to make some positive changes in her life.
Congratulations on making a time consuming, life changing commitment to yourself and sticking to it. Just amazing.
Wow Amy, you are amazing and your story is an inspiration to us all! I feel honored to be working out alongside such a kick ass chick!
Amy that’s you? If you had shown me a before picture, I would have NEVER guessed that was you. DAAAAAAAAANNNNNG girl do you EVER look so good!!!!! I say you’ve lost about 10 years with your pounds too! I love the new you!
OK, I’m confused. Why wouldn’t you take the $10 million, gain the weight in a year+ and then just go back to Crossfit? You already know how to lose the weight and you’d have $10 million in the bank?
Think about it.
Loving the energy you bring to the gym.fendi replica
Wow, Amy…You don’t even look like the same person! You look about 20 years younger!
Good for you for losing the weight. Keep kicking butt and striving to be the best you can be!
YOU ROCK AMY
Amy
Firstly congratulations on your great work. As someone who has dropped 80lbs I can relate to the feeling you have about burning the $10m (that would buy a lot of coaching at Norcal though so do think it through if you ever get a real offer!) You’d be clear of it in 12 months – not a bad salary!
Ken Wilber, the philosopher, once said that a great sign you are evolving is that you have fewer and fewer people to be with on Saturday nights! Not because you are unattractive but that you 1. can’t stand the same old BS and 2. your evolution asks a question of your “friend” that they are unwilling to answer.
I have had a similar experience with people I thought were friends. It hurt at the time as it would sound that it hurt you but I am reassured that I am happier than I have been for years (decades maybe) and that I am now making new friends with the same values I now have – self respect, care, passion…
Congrats again for doing what you needed to and good luck with the continued training.
Best wishes,
Jonathan.
Wow! COngrats! That is truly an amazing story. You look really, really different.
I agreet with the other posters on here that often the hardest thing about making a change in diet is the social aspect. Just like the author of the post said, a lot of people just want to bond over a plate of onion rings or something.
- Mark