Weight Loss Transformation: Luis Lopez

You can never quit!

Starting in March 2013, my girlfriend and I decided to invest in our future. We made the choice to begin a new, healthy life. The journey wasn’t easy, and at times it wasn’t very fun. But together we were able to accomplish goals that went far beyond anything we’d ever imagined.

We began by making goals that we felt were attainable. Sick of losing the battle with our weight and health over the past few years, we shot for a conservative 10lbs. At the time, I weighed in at my all-time heaviest: 282. After losing the first 10, we were so proud of ourselves that we felt it was possible to do again, so we shot for another 10. We kept that up for as longs as we could. Times got tough and the weight wasn’t always dropping, but we kept up the battle.

Unwilling to fail again (like we had in the past), we took baby steps. At first we did our best to limit our caloric intake. By counting calories we quickly learned that when you eat healthy, you’re able to eat much more. If you eat unhealthy fast food, the calories go by quickly and you’re not full. We counted calories for a bit and gradually began exercising.

We started going on walks and riding our bikes around town. Since we’ve both always loved playing tennis, it was a fun way to get even more active. After a few months of tennis, we built up our endurance and desire to continue to stay exercising… and that’s when I began to run.

I started off slow and easy, running a few miles each time at a nice, slow pace. Sticking to it, I ran 3 times a week. As time went on, my endurance built up and so did my desire to keep on going. Nowadays I continue to run 4 miles 3 times a week at a fairly quick pace. When I began I’d have never imagined that I’d be running 7.5min miles, four miles at a time. By keeping it simple we were able to accomplish so much.

I decided to stick with the classics, what I like to call the Ups: push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups. I work out my upper body on cardio days by doing push-ups and pull-ups. On non-cardio days there are a few different abdominal routines we like, then follow that up with some squats to get the legs in. We also both really enjoy the outdoors and our lighter bodies now make it much more enjoyable to go for hikes! We continue to hike on weekends as a way to stay active, to burn calories and enjoy ourselves at the same time. Roughly 14 months later, I had lost a tremendous 93lbs! I was at my all-time low… 189! That’s even lower than my high school wrestling weight!

Two years since our journey began, we’ve both been able to stay healthy and fit. I’ve gained a few pounds back, currently weighing in around the 205 range, but that’s hopefully some muscle mass because I’ve really been pushing the strength training, which includes my regular intake of Quest Bars and shakes!

Quest Bars have truly been a godsend to both of us. You don’t get 90lbs. overweight unless you really like food, especially foods of the tasty variety. Unfortunately, most of those foods and snacks aren’t healthy for you… and that’s where Quest Bars came to the rescue. We’ve been able to supplement daily meals with Quest Bars, which provided us with the essential protein that’s necessary for muscle growth and weight loss while still being able to enjoy delicious, tasty flavors that we really do love.

Throughout this whole process, we’ve grown and have learned very much along the way. A few things did come up throughout our journey that may be helpful to others…

• Don’t give up! There are going to be days, maybe even many days, where you just feel like giving up. You can’t and you shouldn’t.
• At least in our case… fad diets never worked.The only diet that worked for us was a healthy diet, plain and simple.
• There are countless different methods of losing weight or becoming healthier. There isn’t one way that works for everyone find what works for you and stick with it.
• If you have a partner or friend that is willing to embark on the journey with you then by all means do it. It was much easier for us both when we knew we could depend on each other for motivation and support.
  
• Remember this is a battle and you need to have a warrior mentality. You can never quit! Winners never quit, and quitters never win.

Team Quest – We are here for you! Share your transformations and triumphs with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or email them to us at [email protected]. Remember that these transformations took hard work, discipline and a plan. Quest products are a delicious component of, and not a substitute for, an exercise regimen and effective diet. The Quest Community is always there for you if you need help, inspiration or motivation!