Prepare to be BLOWN AWAY (yes, all caps necessary!) by our Herbie of the Week's *incredible* story and transformation. Lindsay B. and I met a little less than a year ago (December 2012) via email, when Lindsay was still working toward her goal.
Her email: My question for you is what is the vegan version of Velveeta cheese? I want it! Oh, now I am down 104.4 from 279.8 to 175.4. Looking at these pics, even my hair is healthier. I have included a before and current pic for you! Craziness. (December 2012)
(Answer: The Cheddar Cheesy Sauce in HHC ! or the Everyday Cheese Sauce in EHH ).
Her accomplishments were already so crazy impressive that I begged her to let me share her story as part of the Herbie of the Week Series .
Extremely transparent from the moment she started her journey, Lindsay was more than happy to share it with us...with one catch: she had another goal she wanted to hit first.
Six months later, Lindsay sent me an update:
"Hey Lindsay! I'm so close. 9 lbs away. I ended up hurting my ribs last week so I've got to take a break from exercise for a few weeks. It's killing me, I love exercising. I'm hoping for them to heal quickly so I can get back to boxing! This is my most current photo, well here are a couple! The pants I'm in in the second photo were the pants I was wearing when I joined Weight Watchers. I fit comfortably in one leg! " (June 2013)
Words can't express my delight and excitement when an email bubbled up in my inbox a month later (July 2013) with the subject "I've hit my goal" .
You are an inspiration, Lindsay!!
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A year and a half ago, I decided that it was time to make a change. I thought that this change would be only physical, but it became so much more. I grew as a person, I learned who I was, I learned the true value of hard work, dedication and determination. I also learned who I was not and who I never should have settled into being.
I will never forget the shame I felt walking into Weight Watchers that Friday evening. I went on a Friday night because I knew there wasn't a meeting and there weren't going to be many people around. The number on the scale was between me and the lady behind the counter.
When I got on that scale and it read 279.8, it took my breath away. How had I let myself go so far? Over the next week, I followed a plan thinking that it would never work — but it did, and I lost 6 lbs.
A couple of weeks later I started exercising. Nothing crazy, I was doing yoga for 20-40 minutes and cardio in 10 minute increments, but I remember how hard I thought that was. 10 minutes, y'all...ha!
Then there was the night that I got in a fight with a bag of M&M's and after winning, I realized the power I had. I knew in that moment that I was going to win the battle.
And then came the day from hell at work. I had the worst day possible. A day like that would have sent me straight to Raising Cane's in the past, but my immediate thought was, damn it, I just need yoga. I was like, who said that?! What?
I had changed my behavior! Behavior that had been ingrained in me since childhood. I had learned that my stress was much better controlled with exercise than food. I grew a little that day.
(*Here's a video Lindsay did for La Boxing when she was down 137 lbs. You can also watch it on YouTube. )
I was welcomed openly by trainers and members and was challenged in a way that I never imagined I could be both physically and mentally. I knew that this was the place for me. The members are wonderful and the trainers and staff I simply cannot praise enough. I am grateful to have found something so extraordinary within what appears to be nothing more than the walls of an ordinary gym. New friends, support, challenges, big brothers. I am one lucky girl.
One and a half years, 18 short months later, and I'm at the end of the greatest part of the journey.
This has been the most challenging part: Coming to the place I have worked so hard to finally arrive at.
My initial goal was 140 lbs., but I felt unsatisfied when I reached it. I was unsatisfied because I wanted it to look a little different. I went to the doctor to get her opinion on going lower and she said I don't have any more fat to lose. I was so upset. I wanted her to say that I could go for 10 more pounds. It's been a few days and I am working toward being fine with the way I am in this moment because I know it will get better over time.
So here we are. I've made it to my goal!
I've lost more than 50% of myself, 141 pounds. My body has decided that my weight range is between 135-140, but more than a number on a scale, it's that I'm healthy and even on days when I don't always think it, I am whole. I'm not going to have that heart attack by the time I was 35 that I was so sure of. I can be active and enjoy the fun things in life. I don't ache upon waking or run out of breath doing simple tasks.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to turn my life around and I am thankful for all of those who helped me, lifted me up, loved me (even when I didn't deserve it or when I didn't love myself) and empowered me along the way!
LINDSAY, YOU ARE AWESOME. THAT IS ALL.