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Kimberly Weaver, before and after her lifestyle transformation
Resolution Inspiration: Kimberly Weaver's Weight-Loss Success
Now that we’re more than a month into the New Year, are you finding it harder to stick to those resolutions you made with such good intentions? Do you need a little inspiration to help stay with those healthy changes you started in January?
To help keep others on track, MultiCare Employee Kimberly Weaver, RN, shared her story of how she lost over 50 pounds and went from a size 16 to a size 4:
I know how it is to be in denial about your life and your weight. I don’t think I even realized how bad things were until I changed and looked back at pictures of myself. I remember one time when I went shopping and was trying on clothes and got upset because I thought the mirrors in the dressing room made me look so fat. I walked out of the store angry...it was all the mirrors’ fault. I look back on that now and laugh. The mirror was telling me the truth but I just refused to believe it.
I guess you could say I finally woke up. My body told me it was not just time to change my body but to change my life as well. I found a gym that gave me the support I needed to be successful. I changed jobs to something I had a passion for and that didn't stress me out so much. I hired a trainer and started seeing results. I started feeling energized and happy. I met friends who were on the same journey as me. I was hooked.
I couldn’t do much when I first started exercising. I basically did modified push-ups, squats, weight machines, dumbbells and lots of cardio. A little seemed like a lot at that point. I also started doing classes like boxing and boot camp. I found support in going to the classes because it helped being around other people and an instructor who was there to push me.
I started doing fitness competitions, which helped keep me motivated. Today I am able to clean 200 pounds and dead lift over 325 pounds and when I started I couldn’t even push my own body weight off the floor.
One thing I’ve learned is that there really is no "too busy" to exercise. I don’t always have the energy after work to go to the gym but I do, I make it a priority in my life. After I exercise, I am happy I did it and I feel better. If I didn’t go I would feel terrible. I know I can gain the weight back at any time and I am not going to let that happen. I remind myself everyday who I used to be, how unhappy I was and how great I feel now, and that just keeps me going.
As far as eating goes, I was never successful "dieting" because it didn't teach me how to live. It didn't focus on being healthy. This is a way of life for me. I focus on eating to be healthy and working out to be fit. I get up every day striving to be better. I pay attention to how everything I put in my mouth makes me feel good or bad. I make sure I eat well balanced meals with protein, carbs and healthy fat. I eat every two to three hours, which helps keep my metabolism going, keeps me burning calories throughout the day and helps prevent me from getting too hungry.
I have kept my weight off now for over 3 years. This is my life now and I am never going back.
Posted on Feb 13, 2013 in Women's Health, MultiCare Profiles, Healthy Living
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