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Jennifer Mashburn, 25
Altoona, Alabama

Jennifer Mashburn lost 113 pounds in 8 months! How did she do it? Here’s Jennifer in her own words:

Exercise Regimen
I started out walking a block. It hurt me everywhere.  It was in the hottest part of summer, but I knew it would be worth it.  I built up to 2 miles a day, and I jog 1 mile.   I still do it unless the weather is just really bad.
 
Diet
Since I didn't want to “go off the wagon,” as they say and risk binge eating, I did not deprive myself of anything.  I cut out Junk food. I had only one cookie or the 100 calorie packs and would stop there.  I only did that a couple times a week at most.

I ate a lot of salads.   A day didn't go by that I didn’t eat a salad. I ate some extra veggies also and very little meat.  I’m not a big meat eater, so it wasn’t hard.

I drank lots of water.  Sometime last summer when I’d walk, the temperature would still be 94 degrees with a heat index of 100 degrees. I was up to two miles walking and one mile jogging, therefore; the weight started coming off fast, I started dieting around may 15, 2007 and by July I had lost 40 pounds.

I work around the public and our regular customers in the restaurant I manage, all began noticing me and giving me compliments and praise for how well I had done.  That gave me a huge incentive, and I didn't have the heart to let them down, as well as myself.   I wanted this to be my last diet as well as my first. I just couldn’t see myself giving up the foods I loved. I just didn't know how hard it was going to turn out to be. I didn't get off work until ten o’clock each night. I usually just ate a salad in the late afternoon before we got busy. I would immediately start craving something sweet, so I started buying a lot of fat free yogurt, and 100 calorie snacks. I’d limit myself to one of them when I got home from work and chug some more water.

By christmas I had lost 82 pounds.  My mom and brothers gave me a hundred dollar gift certificate to Victoria’s Secret.  Victoria’s Secret items are not made in plus sizes.  I spent it all in about 15 minutes, It felt so good to be out of plus sizes.

People just can’t understand how I was able to do this on my own without help of Weight Watchers or surgery. I really don't have that kind of money to spend.  I am the type of person that when I set my head, it’s a done deal.  As of today, I have lost 115 pounds and I plan to loose about 30 more. During the winter months, I’ve started cardio workouts such as sit ups, leg lifts, pushups, and the treadmill.   But as soon as the weather clears up, I will definitely be walking.

This weight loss has completely changed my life from top to bottom and inside out.  I get so much attention at the restaurant that I have to tell people nicely that I have work to do. I plan to adapt to this lifestyle of eating the rest of my life along with the strength training, and walking—that will be the only way I can keep it off. 

I’ve seen many gain the weight back.  But I have a lot of support, and I am going to try my best to not gain any back.  To feel and look this good is more important to me than food.   There is an old saying "nothing tastes as good as thin feels." 

I just want to take this opportunity to thank my family and coworkers and friends for the support they have given me. I love you and thank you, and each knows whom they are, Thank you.

Biggest Struggles
A big struggle was at night when I really wanted late night hot chocolate—also eating at office parties.

How She Overcame Them
I started buying yogurt.  The fat free is very tasty and low calorie. I always ate before the office parties so that I wouldn’t be starved.   I never sat close to the table where the food was. I also just stopped buying junk food at the house.

Jennifer’s Last Words…
Please get the weight off before you are 50. Weight puts pressure on your back, legs, feet, and other parts of the body.  It can literally kill you.
 

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