Melissa's story.

Hello!

Blog buddy Melissa just emailed the following to weightisenough@helloross.com. I can't post every email I get, but I will post many. Send yours and you may just see it here! If you don't, send it again!

I love how she sent a "before" & "during" picture as opposed to an "after" pic. We are a work in progress, peeps!

What stage are YOU at?

:)

Ross

"Hi Ross and blog buddies, here is my story.

I am a 43 year old woman who has struggled with her weight since high school. An extra 10 lbs became an extra 30 and the extra 30 became an extra 60. Through the years I have gone up and down and I have kept weight off for years at a time, but then something triggers me and I go back to my bad eating habits and refuse to excercise. Last year I found my self hitting very close to 200 lbs. I am only 5.1, so that translates into that really sexy word....obese! Don't get me wrong; I was still smoking hot, but very uncomfortable and having aches and pains. I wanted to feel good, live a long healthy life and wear high heels again!

I had a friend who started working out with a personal trainer. Her trainer started a bootcamp and charges such a reasonable fee, how could I not do it? So I started eating healthy, keeping a food spreadsheet and then joined the bootcamp with my friend. Before I knew it I was really into working out. Bootcamp is several times a week and then on the off days I would take a spin class or workout at the gym or do a little run walk routine. I also work only 2 miles from my home so I started walking to work several days a week. Today I completed my third 5k race and I was able to actually run the whole thing. I came in last...but first in my book for not stopping at all!!

I prefer not to weigh myself. I know where I started and I weighed myself at the 6 months mark. I had lost 43 lbs at that point. A healthy slow weight loss. I don't want to focus on the numbers. I enjoy my new way of life and I am also working hard on knowing what triggers me to go back to my old ways and working through those emotions and feelings while still being good to myself! Because I deserve it. We all do.

My advice for what is worth. Find a friend to join you in the journey. When I don't feel like working out, my friend grabs me and we are out the door and visa versa. Don't weigh yourself often. If you reduce your calories and increase your movement you are guaranteed to lose weight. If you feel like you are slipping up talk about it. Tell someone. Don't keep it a secret. Sometimes just saying it outloud gets you back on track. Never have bad internal dialogue. You are a foxy and gorgeous person no matter what you weigh! Find a goal to head towards. Mine started when I found out I was going to fashion week in NY. You can be fat in my part of the world, but you cannot be fat at fashion week! For crying out loud, Rachel Zoe was two rows in front of me!

I've attached a before and during picture. Because I'm not at the after stage....not quite yet. Feel free to use them if you are able and edit my story as you see fit. And yes....you can't see them, but I am wearing some fierce heels in my current picture!

Melissa"

Email YOUR story to weightisenough@helloross.com!