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| Mary "before" |
In July 2010, I was 23 years old and weighed 345 pounds. I realized that I needed to make some major lifestyle changes - I had just finished grad school, and decided that I needed to nourish my body the way I had with my mind.
So, I started eating better, eating less, and moving more - it started with walks around my neighborhood because it was all I could do, and my first weightloss goal was to lose enough weight to be able to use Wii Fit. I walked a few 5/8K races, and after losing 50 pounds, I started C25K. Since running my first 5K in January 2011, I have ran several other 5Ks, a few 8 and 10Ks, and completed my first half marathon in January 2012.
I lost 150 pounds in exactly 1 year, and maintained the loss for several months while transitioning from life as a city girl in Chicago into my new life in California's San Joaquin Valley, teaching French at one of the branches of the University of California.
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| Mary now |
I pulled a random winner for "The Swing!" book giveaway, and it was #207--Bridie! I will send you an e-mail for your mailing address, so I can pass it along to TLC Book Tours. Thanks for entering everyone--there were 323 entries in all!
I love Mary! She is sooo very awesome!
ReplyDeleteYou are awesome Mary what an inspiration
ReplyDeletehow amazing!! I lost 110 pounds from 18-20 and stories\perspectives like these really help me stay inspired to take care of myself. Love your blog and now Mary's! thank you!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an inspiring story Mary is...she doesn't look like the same person and I know she doesn't feel like the same person either. The difference in her is more than her looks though. I know her confidence has grown, along with her ability to do ANYTHING SHE WANTS. Losing weight represents freedom, and she has earned her spot on your team. GO MARY!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm a daily reader of both your and Mary's blogs. You are both such inspirations to myself and I'm sure to many others as well. I agree with the comment above that Mary has certainly earned her place on your Ragnar team. I'm really enjoying the glimpses into your teammates very much, though I enjoy your blog as a whole as well.
ReplyDeleteI like Mary already! I really needed this today, I was having a hard day with the mental side of my weight loss journey. I over ate at lunch and it jacked me all up. I know it sounds crazy but my mind is weird that way, if I mess up I'm in a funk all day. I've come a long way from throwing in the towel for a couple of weeks everytime I mess up and having to start over. Seeing Mary's story reminded me that it is a continuous effort and not every day will be perfect but I have to embrace each day as a gift and not wish for it to hurry and be tomorrow so I can start over and be perfect! I am chosing to make a healthy choice at dinner and move on. Hope you and the fam are having a good Saturday! : )
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing us to Mary. We've never met! ;) What an inspiration!! I'm headed over to devour her blog as soon as I hit "publish" on my comment! I can't wait until I can have before and after pictures of me like her's! I've lost 28 pounds and have 72 to go, and I know how hard she worked to get where she is - well, I have a small taste of it, anyway!
ReplyDeleteFluffy Girl - I loved your comment so much! I struggle in the same way. I mess up once and just toss the whole day in the garbage and continue to make bad mistakes for the rest of the day (and sometimes longer). It is a constant battle to just keep on going and not beating ourselves up about one bad choice. We'll do it!! We will!
Mary looks amazing! What a wonderful, inspiring story!
ReplyDeleteThese types of stories warms my heart!!! Congrats Mary!
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you Mary! I wanna be just like you!
ReplyDeleteI love Mary's blog! She was one of the first I connected with when I started my own blog a year ago. She is such and amazing person and now her outside can reflect her inside! <3
ReplyDeleteAwesome job Mary! Keep up the hard work!
ReplyDeleteI love Mary's story, her blog and her honesty. I can't wait to meet her and ask her about all of her tats!
ReplyDeleteI read Mary's blog and love her!!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely going to check out Mary's blog! I love inspiring posts like this!
ReplyDeleteThe name of your team could be "A weigh we go!" LOL
ReplyDeleteWay to go Mary! Another inspiration! Katie, I love your blog so much and finished reading your past posts for my me time (I've got 3kids 5 and under) since I started in feb. I've now lost 26 lbs! One thing that frustrates me is that the scale shows a jump up a few pounds the few days after doing hard cardio but not sculpting or wright training. Do you see a difference with running adding lbs over the cardio and weights?
ReplyDeleteMAry is awesome! I'm going to go subscribe right now!
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