No Better Time than Now
There comes a time where one has to analyze his or her own life and realize that if one is unhappy, he or she has to be proactive and do something about it. As a firm believer in that one creates his or her own happiness, I was the poster child for depression during my adolescence, high school, and early college years. I topped the scale at 205 lbs. – For a 5’4 female, that is a large amount of weight to carry around! I had low self-esteem, bad skin, and was heading down a very unhealthy road,
My oldest brother committed suicide when I was eleven years old and just starting to go through puberty. At such a young age, I was in my own personal hell where darkness overcame every waking moment of my life. I isolated myself from family, friends, and ultimately everyone around me because I was hurting terribly and felt alone in a cruel world that did not understand me. Slowly and surely, I buried myself in my room and immersed myself in food, everything from cookies, to cake, to fast food, to donuts, to soda, you name it, I ate it. After consuming this food, I was in this blissful, serene state of euphoria that was like a drug – I needed my fix to numb my emotional pain.
At school, I remember asking my peers if they had spare change so I could call my mom from a pay phone, when in reality I would walk to McDonald’s and supersize a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets extra value meal. I would go to grocery stores and spend my allowance on king-sized bags of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Goldfish, Cheez Itz, etc, and eat them in private. I would order fast food, eat, then immediately go to the next restaurant down the street. When I went clothes shopping, I could not fit into anything in the juniors department and had to go to specialty shops for my size (which was a 17).
My big “wake up” moment was when a girlfriend and I went to a metal show in Baltimore. All the men hit on her and referred to me as “the fat girl,” a name that became synonymous with me while growing up. Tired of feeling fatigued, unhappy, and unhealthy, right then and there I made a vow to lose the weight and make healthier lifestyle choices. Additionally, I realized that eating my soul away would not help me come to terms with my brother’s suicide – this was a demon I had to deal with head on.
Going into this weight loss journey, I knew the road ahead of me was difficult, but hey, NOTHING worth having in life comes easy! I joined a gym the very next day and started off slow, doing only 20 minutes of cardio three times a week and soon incorporated weight and resistance training to my routine. A few months later, I was up to working out 5-6 times a week which included 45 minutes of cardio and a full body weight training program. In approximately 14 months, I had shed 80 lbs., lost five inches off my hips, and was finally confident in my own skin. I was able to fit in to the cute clothes. That, my friends, is priceless!
I cut out all junk food, monitored my portion control, and increased my consumption of lean protein and omega 3 fatty acids. No more grazing all day. Salads are an important part of my life, as are fruits, vegetables, and most importantly, QUEST Protein Bars! Listen, I have tried every other protein bar on the market, all of which left me with upset stomachs and bloat, but Quest Bars were the only ones that tasted delicious and provided me with the best in health benefits. What I like most about Quest is that their products leave you full and give you energy for hours. I have seen my body literally transform from a slouchy posture to this built machine that is beautiful and capable of anything – My arms are toned, and I am able to wear clothes without feeling self-conscious. I am also enrolling in Mixed Martial Arts classes. Quest Protein Bars built me up to be a tank, and I am forever grateful to them for making me a true champion in life.
If you want to change, do it for yourself – You are in control and on a Quest to a new you.
You can find Wendi Bravman at:
