The Wake-Up Call That Finally Motivated Me to Lose Weight

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[caption id="attachment_55273" align="aligncenter" width="620"] The Wake-Up Call That Finally Motivated Me to Lose Weight Photo: Twenty20[/caption]

Even if you know that losing weight works best when you adopt small, attainable changes, taking that first step toward improved well-being is tough. So tough, in fact, that many men and women need an “ah ha” moment — an experience that makes them realize they don’t just want a lifestyle makeover, they need one.

Whether you have been trying to drop pounds for years or told yourself you’d start fresh in the new year, it’s possible your wake-up call is now. Just remember that not everyone needs a difficult experience to force them to finally slim down. The journey is a personal one — and one that takes patience and persistence every day. If you need an extra push to make 2017 your healthiest, happiest yet, channel the dedication of these ladies and gents.

8 Weight Loss Wake-Up Calls to Help You Commit to Fit

Kristen Bloom's Wake-Up Call

1. When the thought of future health problems sets in…

At the age of 32, Kristen Bloom spent a week in the hospital after undergoing surgery for appendicitis. Weighing 204 pounds at 5’1”, she realized she never wanted to have to go to the hospital again. “I said, ‘OK, this is such a miserable experience. Even though [appendicitis] isn’t a weight-related issue, someday there will be one,’” she told Daily Burn.

While she recovered, Bloom researched how to get healthy. She decided to dedicate half of her hour-long lunch break to walking, five days a week. “I remember that first 30-minute walk, my calves were burning, I was breathing heavy and I was sweating like crazy,” she says. But she stuck with it for a whole month, and “after 30 days it was like, ‘I can do this.’” All it took was a new perspective on life — and a few small steps toward a better, healthier future.

2. When everyday tasks become a burden…

Alicia Taylor tried several restrictive diets when she first set out to slim down. She’d limit her calories or carbs and took pills in an attempt to accelerate fat loss. And whenever she tried to launch a regular exercise routine, she’d abandon it a few weeks later. Then, one day — weighing 158 pounds at 4’10” — she could no longer put on her shoes. “I couldn’t do a lot of daily things…I felt like I was 90,” Taylor says. That’s when she signed up for Daily Burn’s True Beginner program. And she hasn’t stopped exercising and trying new programs since. “I started feeling much younger and energetic,” she says.

When the scale plateaued after 12 weeks, Taylor started making some diet changes, too. She quit dining out and started meal planning. Now, after losing more than 50 pounds, it’s no longer about the scale number, but how great she feels. “I feel like doing things...like going outside. I have the energy to actually get up and take care of my home,” she says. Daily habits, now made easy.

3. In memory of a loved one…

After years of struggling with disordered eating throughout her teens, Katarina Herrera got pregnant at 19 and couldn’t shake the post-baby weight. Nor could she stop her habit of frequently eating burgers, barbeque and fast food. Then her grandmother passed away and she got a major wake-up call. “I kept the clothes she bought me because I wanted to hold on to them, but they didn’t fit,” Herrera says. That’s when she knew it was time to get healthy — for her son, too.

Herrera signed up for Daily Burn and committed to regular workouts. She also made a few solid food swaps like having baked chicken and veggies instead of breaded chicken and mashed potatoes. A little over a year after maintaining a regular workout routine, Herrera reached a lean 114 pounds, down from her heaviest weight of 185. Now, she not only fits into a smaller size, she’s also happy with how her body looks. “I’m very proud of my thighs and my legs in general,” Herrera told Daily Burn, noting she loves how toned her muscles look when she walks or does squats at the gym. Talk about a confidence boost.

4. Doing it for the kids…

Running around with kids should feel like a fun, care-free activity, right? Not for Sean McKinley, who had a health revelation when he was playing with his four-year-old daughter. “We were running outside trying to fly a kite and I realized I couldn’t run around very well,” says McKinley. “Just realizing I had gotten to the point that I couldn’t run with my daughter anymore was a wake-up call.”

Starting his weight loss journey at 320 pounds, McKinley kicked off a slim-down plan by signing up for Daily Burn’s True Beginner program. He had to modify most of the movements, using a towel for stretching and a chair for balance. But that didn’t matter — he was just proud he finished a workout. He also added more fruits and veggies to his meals, subbing them in for larger portions of steak and processed foods. Fifteen months later and 100 pounds lighter, he can keep up with his kids again.

5. When walking becomes a pain, literally…

Dina Shingleton used to skip breakfast almost every day, only to eat a bagel and popcorn for lunch and devour large dinners later. As her weight crept up to 188 pounds on her 5’3” frame, she began feeling pain whenever she stood up. “…I was having a year-and-a-half long bout of plantar fasciitis in the bottom of both of my feet,” she says. “It was miserable, every time I would get up, I was hobbling.” To avoid the dread of simply taking steps, she decided it was time to take control of her body.

A former fad dieter, Shingleton started focusing on clean eating instead of attempting to restrict certain foods. She quickly shed 10 pounds. Then, she signed up for Daily Burn and continued to progress through each program, upping the difficulty each time. She loved seeing each workout get easier as she moved more. Now that she’s put in the hard work to shed 30 pounds, there’s no turning back.

6. When a picture’s worth a thousand words…

Overweight for most of her childhood, Randi Fields bought her first diet book when she was just 13 years old. But it didn’t produce the results she was hoping for. Fast-forward through high school, and Fields graduated weighing 250 pounds. It wasn’t until she saw a photo of herself, on a cruise months later, that she finally felt compelled to develop a weight loss strategy.

An ad for Daily Burn convinced her to sign up and despite feeling sore after her first workout, she kept pushing forward. She also started a food journal and began cooking more. Eventually, Fields signed up for a half-marathon — and scored seventh place. Besides gaining a toned physique from her efforts, her mood also improved. “My mental and emotional state has changed so much. I was always angry. Little dumb things would make me mad. I was tired, I was blah,” Fields recalls. “But as I progressed, I was happier and had a pep in my step.”

7. When the doctor calls…

Nothing says “make a change” quite like a scary doctor’s visit. And that’s exactly what forced Alex Clary to get in shape. A few routine tests revealed he had “through the roof” blood pressure and “out of control” cholesterol. Despite taking medication, he realized he needed to move a lot more and eat better. He didn’t know where to start — until he saw a commercial for Daily Burn. After signing up, Clary found out he couldn’t shed pounds without ditching huge portion sizes. Soon, he started seeing the scale number decrease, which only motivated him to keep going.

Clary went back to the doctor in the summer of 2014, after starting Daily Burn in January. The doctor said, “I don’t even recognize you,” Clary recalls. His health had markedly improved. By March 2015, Clary had lost 75 pounds.

Stacy Cole Daily Burn Success Story

8. A trip of a lifetime…

It may sound cliché but it’s true: Slipping into a bikini can provide some serious weight loss motivation. For Stacy Cole, it was wearing a swimsuit for her 10^th wedding anniversary celebration in the Caribbean that convinced her to take care of her health. And the simple changes she made stuck.

Cole had previously thought her weekly mile-long jogs and occasional lunchtime walks and kickball games were enough to keep her fit, but she quickly realized she needed to step up her fitness game. Daily Burn fit the bill. She loved being able to follow the trainers on screen and experienced promising results. As for her diet, the changes were all about attitude. “…I’m not calling it ‘a diet,’” Cole told Daily Burn. “As soon as you do, that’s when you fail. If I cheat, I feel guilty, then I’ve failed…and I’m not gonna do that anymore.” She made simple food swaps, like having a veggie omelet instead of sausage for breakfast, and an apple or green beans for snacks instead of chips.

Well into her weight-loss journey, Cole found out her parents had diabetes. That’s when she knew she made the right decision to get healthy. “Yeah, of course I wanted to look cute in a swimsuit,” she says. “But there’s so much more to this whole process. You don’t even realize it.”'

Note to reader: The content in this article relates to the core service offered by Daily Burn. In the interest of editorial disclosure and integrity, the reader should know that this site is owned and operated by Daily Burn. Daily Burn users who worked out for 30 minutes or more at least five times a week for 60 to 90 days reported an average weight loss of about one pound per week. For those seeking to lose weight, keep in mind that extreme weight loss can be harmful to your health if done improperly or too suddenly. Always talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise or weight loss program.

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