“Last year I lost 100 pounds”

(I’ve never had a guest post on SR before, but I think Liz’s story is incredibly inspiring and motivating for all… hope you enjoy!)

Hey Skinny Runner readers!  My name is Liz, and I blog about all things fashion on It’s Unbeweavable.com. Topics also covered-travel, my dog, my cute boyfriend, reality tv and shoes…clearly not in order of importance. 

While I mostly hangout in the fashion blogger corner of the interwebs, I’ve been reading healthy living blogs on the down low for a while now.  The reason I read so many of YOUR blogs?

Last year I lost 100 pounds. Typing that still feels so weird!

I never felt like I was overweight. I was thin growing up and never thought I’d have to worry about my weight. Awww, denial is so fun!   I’m a (too?) confident girl with excellent fashion sense, and I knew how to dress, how to do my hair and makeup so I would always look put together. 

Looking back, I’m pretty sure I spent those hours curling my hair everyday in an effort to keep the attention away from my body.

Underneath all the hairspray and expensive clothes was a very unhappy girl.  I was working 14 hour days in the demanding fashion P.R industry and barely had time to breathe, let alone eat a healthy meal or exercise. 

I would starve myself at the office all day, only to pick up take-out on the way home and eat…and eat…and eat-preferably Irish Nachos, which are fries covered with cheese and chives (oh look a vegetable) and dipped in ranch dressing. So, I mean, obviously they’re ahhhmazing.  I didn’t think too much about it-I had a busy social life, dates every weekend and a dream job. But something was missing.

I focus a lot on being the best version of myself-the best friend, the best girlfriend, the best daughter.  I believe in living my best life, and always try to make the most of what I’ve been given.  I wasn’t doing that AT ALL, and talking the talk but not walking the walk was starting to wear on me. 

Was stuffing my face with chemicals, fake food and junk really me at my best? No, no it wasn’t. Plus, I felt like crap…and that’s just not a good look on anyone.

I started slowly, and began working out with my friend who owned a personal training company.  I thought I was going to blackout when I ran across a football field.  I couldn’t do one "girl" pushup. I was embarrassed, frustrated and yet OH SO DETERMINED.  When he showed me the photo that I would use months later as my “before” image, I thought I was going to cry. But I knew I could only get better.  And I did.

I began thinking about everything that went in my mouth. (TWSS). If it wasn’t a whole, “real” food, I simply didn’t eat it.  If it had refined sugar or flour in it, I politely declined.  I broke my addiction to these kind of foods and I stopped buying my beloved Peanut M&Ms.

I started cooking for the first time in my life because existing on chicken and broccoli got old fast.  I learned how to make eating fun, but healthy.  I read everything I could, online and off. 

In Defense Of Food by Michael Pollan was a huge game changer for me, as was the documentary Food Matters.  I tried to not focus solely on just losing weight, because I wanted to feel as amazing as I looked.  If it didn’t do my body good, it didn’t go in my body.

I kept sweating.  First with Jillian Michaels, shredding in my living room.  When that became too easy, I hired my personal trainer friend.  I invested money into myself because I am worth it, which was also a hard lesson to learn. 

He taught me perfect form, he taught me about protein and intervals and he told me to EAT, but to eat smart. I was never afraid of food, and for this I am thankful.   I joined a gym and was obsessed with how amazing working out, and working out hard, made me feel.  I was strong, mentally and physically, and I had so much energy!

For me, it wasn’t just about being skinny.  It was about finding myself and being proud of what I saw-inside, not just in the mirror.  It was about sticking with something even when it sucked, it was about perseverance and finally treating my body with the respect it deserves. 

I’m down a hundred pounds and yet I’ve gained so much- a new outlook on life, tons of energy and confidence that nobody can take away from me.  I’m traveling the world with my boyfriend but as soon as we land in one place I plan to run my first marathon.  I live a life of balance-I workout hard, I eat as clean as possible, but I definitely indulge…a life without Peanut M&M’s is just too terrible to imagine

What an incredible transformation and story!  If you have any hair, make up, fashion, weight loss questions, Liz is your girl.

Thanks Liz for the guest post and for inspiring us all!

Tagged as: guest post, weight loss