Escaping The Prison Of Her Body

With help from her brother, she lost hundreds of pounds.

Have you ever complained about how hard it is losing 5, 10 or 15 lb? What about 20 or 30? Here’s a new perspective or, shall I say, a reality check on what some people face when trying to get fit.

Imagine not being able to walk across the room without extreme pain, not fitting in a chair or, worse, breaking it as you sit down. Imagine not being able to fit behind the steering wheel of your car or through aisles of stores. Imagine approaching every curb and uneven surface in fear that you may not be able to take the step up. Now imagine being a single mom of four children who rely on you.

For Holly Rose, the combination of pain and losing her ability to fit in the world was a catalyst to do whatever it took to get out of the virtual prison her body had become.

Over 400 Lb And Desperate

At 417 lb, Holly knew she had to do something to get her life back. With her brother at her side (Lee Jordan, featured last month), Holly found a way to conquer 220 lb of fat that kept her from the life she dreamed of living.

Holly stayed motivated by having various phases of the plan her brother mapped out for her. “My brother has guided me along the way, always switching things up so that I never get too stagnant or bored in the area of exercise,” says Holly. Reevaluating the plan as needed, and keeping things fresh and new yet not overwhelming was key to her success. It took Holly five months to go from 30 seconds of exercise a day to 5 miles, but the small daily changes produced lifesaving results.

Holly and her brother Lee have lost more than 500 lb combined! With the help of her brother, kids and friends, Holly has successfully broken the prison walls of fat that once trapped her.

We’ve all seen the inspiring stories on “The Biggest Loser,” and I can tell you firsthand that they are amazing, but what’s more amazing is two family members who have lost over 500 lb on their own. No camera, no fancy equipment, no celebrity trainers or nutritionists. They did it 30 seconds at a time, day by day.

Holly now weighs 195 lb and has just completed her first 5K. If you want to read the most inspiring blog ever, go to 300poundsdown.com/2013/02/mission-possible-my-1st-5k.html.

I’m one tough trainer, but when I read it, I had tears in my eyes and the widest smile. This one rivals every one of my “Biggest Loser” stories.

Holly’s Top 3 Workout Tips

• View exercise as part of the mental game. Seeing success is largely a mental battle, so each time you complete a workout, it builds your confidence that you can do what you put your mind to. Use this as you try to combat overeating.

• Keep things fun. If you get bored or in a rut with your workout, your mind and body both suffer. Plateaus set in and you lose motivation. Keep your workouts interesting.

• Exercise first thing in the day. Don’t allow other things to crowd out your exercise time. Do it first thing in the morning so it’s a top priority.

Holly’s Eat-Smart Strategies

• Cut out sugar as much as possible. Sugar is a huge driver to overeat for me, so as soon as I cut it out, I regained control over my food intake.

• Know your triggers. Always identify which foods trigger you to overeat and keep them far away.

• Always be prepared. Plan out your menu as much as possible ahead of time and always keep a few healthy snacks on hand.

Holly’s Daily Sample Menu

Meal 1: protein shake

Meal 2: hard-boiled egg

Meal 3: chicken with grilled vegetables

Meal 4: Quest Bar

Meal 5: Fish with salad

*Herbal tea/coffee and water during the day

Kim Lyons, NASM CPT, PES, CES and Prenatal Specialist, is an internationally known fitness trainer who worked on “The Biggest Loser.” For more information about Kim, visit kimlyons.com.

Image courtesy of Holly Rose.