Motivational Weight Loss Story: Woman Taking Charge

It’s time for another Motivational Weight Loss Story! This one is from my cousin, Miranda. She’s dealt with a lot in her life, and with many obligations to keep her busy, she still managed to achieve the amazing transformation that you’ll see below. She’s an absolute inspiration.

Hello fellow readers!

My name is Miranda, I am a 25 year old mother and an open book. I’m one of the lucky few who get to call the incredible Laura, my cousin. I’ve been reading ‘Becoming Beautiful Today‘ since the beginning so when Laura asked me to share how I found a healthy and happy version of myself, I jumped at the opportunity. Let’s dive in!

I have struggled with weight my entire life, but the reality of my health issues didn’t hit home until the spring of 2015. I mean sure, I knew I was over-weight and I didn’t love how I looked, but I always played the “I don’t care, I eat what I want and enjoy the one life I have, sans restrictions” card; but it was all a facade, just a front, covering for real emotions and laziness.

I do not like to lift heavy things; I didn’t want to put any type of effort into anything, and I was not ready to give up sweets… Pastries are my weakness, cake, chocolate, donuts, sweets of any kind really.

Then in 2014 I met my woman soulmate (meaning, that one friend you were destined to meet exactly when you did for some reason or another), Carlyn. I’m not even slightly over-exaggerating when I say that she is the strongest woman I have ever met, and I have the utmost respect for her.

2014: Carlyn walks into the office, the new hire. What a Barbie doll… I do NOT have the energy for this girl, I can tell already. I was not excited for the daily reminder that I looked like a bag of crap no matter how hard I tried when this blonde Barbie was all put together; charming everyone with her pretty smile and perfect nails. That’s the kind of bitter woman I was, and I didn’t see a problem with it… I sure do now. This woman would not give up, she was determined to be my friend for some reason, unbeknownst to me. Perhaps it was just so she didn’t have an uncomfortable work environment- whatever it was I am forever thankful. Carlyn cracked through my miserable exterior. I was hitting the deep, gloomy part of a bad patch in life. I found myself closed off and just generally grouchy; it took some time for me to open up, but once I gave her a shot we clicked instantly. It’s funny how sometimes that perfect person strolls into your life at the perfect moment.

2015: Carlyn and I were both unhappy that both of our weights were going steadily up! (Unlike my bank account..) We needed a change; so we made a plan to workout together at her house. We would take before pictures and our measurements. We had workout journals and bought ourselves each a set of ten pound dumbbells. We decided we would workout at her house every day after work… The day finally came. I will never forget how awful I felt having my before pictures taken (not to mention the lack of planning – I wore flesh coloured underwear!) but, looking back, I’m very glad we took before pictures. I review those pictures regularly just to remind myself where I was and how much not only my physical body has changed, but my emotional state and mental stability as well- something I didn’t even realize was a problem at the time.

The first two months of working out were difficult. I’m thankful I had someone to do it with because on the days I didn’t want to, she was right there to motivate me, and remind me why I was doing it. I turned to social media to help keep me accountable and I loved the positivity I received from everyone! It was that extra push I needed!

After month two I believe, I was feeling good and it started becoming easier for me to make smarter choices when it came to food. I never went on a diet, I just limited my bad food and stopped eating after nine pm. I upped my water intake and I eventually bought an old treadmill to put in front of the television at home. Instead of sitting to watch television at the end of the day (and probably stuff my face with food I didn’t need) I would walk and watch tv, then I started to jog, then run and the weight melted off. I lost fifty pounds between the beginning of spring 2015 and October. I had found confidence I didn’t know I had, more energy, a better sleep – the list goes on and on!

December 2015: I received a true gift. Life. I was pregnant with my son, Waylon. The light of my life and the perfect reason to fight for a happy, healthy life. I had multiple miscarriages and troubles previously, so when I found out I was pregnant I quit working out because I was terrified to lose him. In hindsight I probably would’ve been fine to continue on, but better safe than sorry! Although I do have some stretch marks from my pre-baby weight battle; I was very lucky and didn’t get a single stretch mark from pregnancy. I gained forty pounds by the time Waylon was born and lost twenty-five the day he arrived. Today Waylon is 20 months old and my weight has yo yo’d a bit trying to find my rhythm with a child. I’m currently one 170lbs/77kg right now, with the ultimate goal of reaching and sustaining a healthy, 130lbs/59kg. I hit my lowest weight this past summer; hiking and enjoying nature with my boy had me at 150lbs/68kg, which was ten pounds lighter than my pre-pregnancy weight, but I got a little too comfortable over the holidays and am now working my butt off to reverse that slip up.

That’s the gist of it. 210lbs/95kg of grumpy to 170lbs/77kg of happy. I won’t stop living a healthy life. I don’t want my tiny human to grow up thinking it’s okay to be lazy. Succumbing to laziness leaves you living a half-life, and life is just way too wonderful to not live it to its fullest!

Xo, M

She’s amazing, and I can’t express how proud I am of her. Follow her on Instagram at @thecakemom to watch her journey, see her beautiful baby boy, and drool over the amazing cakes she makes!

If you missed the last Motovational Weight Loss Story you can read it here, and if you have your own story that you’d like to share, you can get in contact with me here!