Two years ago, Longview resident Adina Stewart was morbidly obese. At 5'5", Adina, mother of two, was a size 26 and weighed 256 lbs. She knew she needed to change her eating habits, but she just wasn't very motivated.
It wasn't until she was watching an afternoon talk show that she knew she needed to shed the pounds.
"There was an overweight woman whining about the fact that she was fat, and how it was easy for rich celebrities to lose weight because they have personal chefs," Adina said. "I thought that was the dumbest excuse in the world, and I decided right then and there that I was going to prove this woman, whom I didn't even know, wrong."
Now, Adina, 38, is a healthy size 8, weighing about 120 lbs. and loving her new body and self-confidence.
Losing the first 50
After she watched the talk show, Adina scouted out a "personal chef" of her own, and not the kind that cooks in your kitchen.
"I thought of all the diet programs out there that deliver specific meals to your front door," she said. "I started before Thanksgiving and promised myself I'd be cheat-free until Thanksgiving Day. Well, I was cheat-free for two whole months and, by the time Thanksgiving rolled around, my stomach had already shrunk! I couldn't cheat even though I wanted to!"
As she continued her healthy eating habits, she knew the next thing she needed to incorporate was exercise.
"Every Friday night I went to a local bookstore and I'd read about fitness, nutrition, yoga ... I'd pour over the magazines and learn as much as I could about eating healthy," Adina said. "Based on what I studied, I created a diet for myself and included cardio and weightlifting in my routines."
She joined a local gym, and her transformation really began.
Losing the rest
Joining a gym was one of the best things Adina could have done for herself. She was grateful for the instructions the trainers offered her and she relished the encouraging and caring atmosphere around her.
"I learned that while you're trying to lose weight, it's important to surround yourself with people with similar habits and goals," she said. "I made so many new friendships there, and the support was absolutely incredible."
Another great source of motivation for Adina was allowing her two sons to look at the scale each time she stepped foot on it.
"I know that if I hadn't allowed them to actually watch me lose weight and keep track of the pounds I wouldn't have been as successful," she said. "I didn't want them to see Mom's weight increasing, and I didn't want them to see Mom eat unhealthy foods. I wanted to be a good role model for them both. They've seen Mom eat healthy, so now they choose to eat healthy."
A great life
It's been a two-year process, and, although Adina said she's never looked or felt better, she admits the weight-loss process has been anything but a piece of cake.
"It's hard at first, but I knew I was so big I couldn't lose weight overnight," she said. "No one can overeat for all their life and expect to drop that weight in a couple of months."
It's hard at first, but I knew I was so big I couldn't lose weight overnight. No one can overeat all their life and expect to drop that weight in a couple of months.
She said anyone can lose weight if they have the want to, willpower and ability to take it one day at a time.
"As you start eating healthy and the pounds begin to drop, you'll realize that you're no longer eating healthy because you HAVE to – you do it because you want to and because it feels better than putting junk in your body," Adina said. "I used to hate it when people would talk about dieting as a change in your lifestyle. But it's true, and it's a wonderful change."
