Bride to Be loses half her body weight just in time for a DREAM wedding in Cancun

Note: This is an IMPLIED success story of a journey in currently in progress. For more information about Implied Success Stories, read this post in the preparations section. If you’d like to be featured in this section, email AshleyRose using the link at the top of the page!

AshleyRose: The Bride-To-Be Who Lost Half Her Body Weight in 7 months

WHO I WAS

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t overweight – it seems as if I was born overeating and ready to enter the world of being an obese child. From what I can tell, I began rapidly gaining weight when I was in third grade when my mom was dealing with a tremendously difficult series of illnesses that ultimately led to her death that summer. 10 years of therapy revealed to me that I ate to cover up those feelings, and truthfully, I wish the money paid to those counselors would have gone in to my college or wedding fund instead because looking at my body should have been evidence enough that I had an unhealthy relationship with food and activity.

A childhood of poor eating habits, terrible emotional control, and a lack of interest in physical activity lead to the common problems associated with being overweight (social, physical, you name it). I compensated through being the smart, friendly, best friend type (I’m sure you know at least one of those). It seemed as if I was destined to be a professional dieter because I had every aspect of my life under control except my weight.

You name the diet, I probably tried it: Slimfast, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, The Zone, Atkins, Medifast, meal delivery… Nothing stuck.

Becoming a fiancee left me in absolute desperation. I wanted more than anything to not only be a slender bride, but to be a hot trophy wife. I knew my finace loved me and thought I was beauitful but I desperately wanted to see the woman he saw, and I just couldn’t. We flew to Las Vegas and auditioned for The Biggest Loser. We obviously weren’t who they were looking for at the time, so I decided to take an extreme measure an get Lap Band Surgery.

I’m sure the lap band works for those who use it. A year later, and all I have to show for it is a large credit card bill, 30 extra pounds, and some unused medical device inside of me.

With the two miracle solutions out the window, I got on my knees and realized the only way this would change is if I pounded the pavement and put in the work.

THE HERO

Armed with years of knowledge, myth, and experience, I narrowed my choices down to the most simple and direct plan I could find – Dr. Rob Huizenga’s WOW! Prescription that is outlined in the book, “Where Did All The Fat Go?” Aside from the fact I know his plan worked (the book details the experiences of the 36 at home contestants on Biggest Loser Season 3), I really appreciated Dr. H’s candid and intelligent remarks about obesity and the athletic ability of obese and morbidly obese individuals.

So I bought a treadmill, stocked my pantry full of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lowfat dairy and spent a week mentally preparing myself for the journey. To me, this wasn’t another opportunity to fail – this was an opportunity to heal my body of the extra weight and completely change my life. I had a “loose” deadline because of my upcoming wedding and desire to be a thin bride, but committed to doing what Dr. H said until I got the extra fat off.

On July 13, 2009, seven months before I planned on walking down the aisle to become Sam’s trophy wife, I turned on the treadmill and got to work. Since I had originally yearned to be on The Biggest Loser, I decided to invite the bloggerdom along for the ride and launched Operation Half Size to chronicle the journey, learnings, and successes of myself and other life changers.

As I put in the work, morning after morning, week after week… pounding the pavement, lifting the weights, and feeding my body the fuel it needed, the fat began to melt off. I joked around with friends and family that I didn’t want to lose weight – I wanted to know EXACTLY where it was going, and that is, fat burned and released out of my body!

I lost 100 pounds in the first 13 weeks on the program and was well on my way to acheiving my goal of losing half of my body weight by my wedding. There were great days and so so days but I kept focused on a little piece of paper on my wall that said, “You have the strength you need within you.”

A short 7 months later, on February 13, 2010, I arrived to my wedding in a horse drawn carraige, wearing a size 10 wedding dress… and for the first time in my life, I saw the beautiful woman Sam has seen all along. Our first kiss was magical, and I was able to stand before him unashamed on our honeymoon. I am a beautiful, strong, sexy, healthy trophy wife… and my dream wedding was only the beginning me being able to live a healthy, long life.

My heart is so full of gratitude for Dr. H. He is truly my hero and I’m looking forward to the day I can thank him personally for everything he has done for me.  

WHO I AM NOW

Now that I weigh 170 pounds, I am able to participate in so many activities I only dreamed of when I was heavy:

• I now have the energy to serve and love people more. I’m out and about training leaders, showing them how to find the strength within themselves, and loving people.
• I get to honor my grandmother for her tremendous support instead of avoid her because of a lack of action.
• Sam and I were able to compete as ballroom dancers!
• I’m getting ready to live a lifelong dream and enter a beauty pageant!
• I enjoy shopping for clothing and can actually shop in regular stores again!

I want to thank all my friends, family, and especially the readers of Operation Half Size for their courage, accountability, and support. I am so grateful for all of you!

-AshleyRose