I Lost Weight: Yariza Mejia Joined An Office Weight-Loss Competition And Lost 40 Pounds

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Name: Yariza Mejia
Age: 24
Height: 5'3"
Before Weight: 178 pounds

How I Gained It: Growing up, I always had body image issues. According to most of my family members, I was always fat. I wasn't as skinny as some of the other members of my family and most of my family would call me fat, which can be very depressing for a teenager to hear constantly. I wasn't very athletic; I was a couch potato and could have had better eating habits.

The weight gain came pretty fast. I got pregnant with my daughter and was eating really greasy, unhealthy foods and wasn't active at all. I ended up weighing 198 pounds during my pregnancy. After giving birth, my weight went down to 178 pounds. I stayed at that weight for a few years, my highest post-pregnancy. I would try to lose weight and stay at it for a month or so, but then I would just end up gaining it back. I never stuck with it, even though I was unhappy with my body.

I always had it in the back of my mind that I would lose the weight and be committed, but I always told myself "I'll start tomorrow." Tomorrow was pushed farther each day.

Breaking Point: I stepped onto the scale on the Wii Fit, and it told me for my height, weight and age, I was considered obese. When I saw that, to me it was very shocking. We also started a weight-loss competition at work and, being my competitive self, I knew I had to join and that the day had come for me to commit. I couldn't put it off any longer.

How I Lost It: I started to eat healthier, unprocessed foods and swore off fast food. I even started to force myself to eat breakfast, because that was something I never did. I ate small frequent meals and snacks throughout the day, like oatmeal, high-fiber cereal, raw almonds or pistachios, kiwi, cherries, strawberries and apples. I allow myself one indulgence day a week so I won’t feel deprived.

I became more active and put to use the gym membership that had gone unused for so long. When I first started exercising, it was something I dreaded. But once I saw that I was improving, it became something I even looked forward to. I came in second for the weight-loss competition at work and lost 11 pounds in about two months. I was so proud of myself and felt very accomplished. I knew it was possible to reach my goal. I knew there was no way that I could go back to being unhealthy. So I kept on the same path. I added more days at the gym. Now I do about 20 minutes of interval training and then weight training, sometimes with cardio after the weights. Let me tell you, muscle makes a huge difference in how your body looks and how you feel!

I also started keeping a food journal and counting my calories -- and the weight kept coming off. My original goal was just to get back to the weight I was in high school; when I passed it I knew I could become even healthier.

It wasn't easy. It took hard work and dedication. I felt like giving up a few times, but with the help of my wonderful support system, I got through it and I'm still doing it.

My life is so different now then how It was. I'm in the best shape of my life and I love running; I didn't think that would ever be possible. Even in high school I struggled to run a mile; now I can run more than four. I have become so interested in health and nutrition, and I'm strongly considering becoming a nutritionist because I just want to help others achieve their goals by educating them and letting them know that it's possible and it can be done.

Many people tell me "You look great!" and ask me, "What's your secret?" I respond that there is no secret and there is no magic pill that you can take and swallow to lose weight. I did my homework and spent countless hours reading and educating myself. The answer is and always will be the same: Healthy eating and exercise is the key to successful weigh loss.

Current Weight: 136 pounds. I still have six pounds to go to reach my ultimate goal weight, which I know I can reach. I have the right tools that have made me successful thus far in this difficult journey.

The Huffington Post publishes photographs as they are submitted to us by our readers.

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Comments

[Briana Livingston]

02:45 AM on 08/09/2012

she looks damn good

[himble1962]

09:24 PM on 07/26/2012

I've done this diet about 3 instances in the past and each time it has worked remarkable! Tried a great number of other diets with no luck but now I'm on day 6 of my new diet program and already lost 12 pounds! Really feel terrific and my energy levels are never seen before. -www.reviewsalert.com/fat-loss-4-idiots-reviews

[Savannah5]

01:42 PM on 07/23/2012

It does no good for a family to call you fat. It should be positive reinforcement. Like offering to shop for new clothes once the person reaches her goal. Or going on a special trip.
Especially at a young age, when your self-image is forming, to be called fat becomes a part of the identity.
It is poor parenting at its worse.

[Dietcokefreak]

11:36 AM on 07/26/2012

My family was the same way, comparing me to my sister all the time. I'm on my journey and am now down to the skinniest I've ever been. I don't even have the "i'll fit in these again soon clothes" left to wear. I bought a dress over the weekend and my mom was with me. I told her the size and she says "well I hope your fat doesn't hang out of that dress." It was pretty upsetting. I stayed calm, and told her she wasn't very encouraging and was being rude. I didn't seek comfort food either. She and my sister are now a lot bigger than I am. It really does suck that they are like that.

[Savannah5]

01:12 PM on 07/26/2012

I hope you have nice friends because you aren't going to get any support from your family. But perhaps you are strong within and you will have to be the better person.

[tessabe]

11:58 AM on 07/23/2012

I was told I was fat as a teen too because both of my sisters and my mom were super skinny with fast metabolisms. I was normal. I look back at the old pictures now and at my flat stomach and wonder how they could call me fat.

[lovetheworld82]

11:40 AM on 07/23/2012

ah she is very pretty, good job!

[propackage]

08:58 AM on 07/23/2012

130 lbs is a little heavy for 5'3"

[chickey soup]

09:50 AM on 07/23/2012

Actually you are wrong. it's perfectly within healthy weight limits. further proof that people have no idea what healthy size actually is.

[paddles0626]

10:12 AM on 07/23/2012

That's not heavy at all for 5'3"!

[muscle guy]

06:07 AM on 07/23/2012

she looked jollyeir as a chub

[am44smith]

09:43 PM on 07/22/2012

I love stories like this! So inspiring!

[113]

07:23 PM on 07/22/2012

High intensity workouts > Jogging.

I ran cross country for a year in high school and hated it, ran track 3/4 years (injured in my senior year) and LOVED it.

My only dread with running is when I know I have to run for 15-30 minutes straight/2-5 miles. When i think about that I give up because it's ridiculous and running long distance was never fun for me even when I did it 5 days a week for 5-6 months. I NEVER got used to it, always hated it and never felt great afterwards.

On the other hand, when I would sprint 100, 200, and 400m and did that cardio for 5-10 minutes I a) looked forward to it because it becomes about shaving a second, or tenth of a second of your time here or there. As you lose the weight from sprinting you begin to feel lighter and thus faster and it gets more and more fun as you push your body to new limits.

5-10 minutes of running (at 80-100%) with only 20-30 second breaks then I'm done with my cardio for the day and then I can lift weights for 30-40 minutes.

I think what gets people worried is knowing they have to run X amount of miles/minutes. That sucks and I wish sprinting was more prominent in people's minds when they think of exercise, it's just as effective physically, and much more effective psychologically.

[GiGi EatsCelebrities]

07:12 PM on 07/22/2012

I am SO proud of you Yariza! :) Keep up the good work! Nothing tastes better than HEALTHY!

Have you ever tried these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4XxPyF1fPQ&feature=plcp
If you're on hot dog withdrawl since it's summer, you may want to check em out because honestly, they've changed my life! :)

[armbark]

03:45 PM on 07/22/2012

The thing is, if your family never told you that you were fat.....you would have never been as skinny as you are and you wouldn't have been driven enough to better your health. So in reality, its a good thing that you were told these things!!! It's good to tell the truth because that gives the person more initiative to do something about the problem!! :) It might sound like it's mean, but you know what....if a person was telling you in a nice way to lose weight, you'd never be pushed hard enough to go and make a change

[chickey soup]

10:00 AM on 07/23/2012

Telling a teenager they are fat is not helpful, ever. It is mean, period.

[Sinnie]

11:13 AM on 07/23/2012

Actually, the article states it was the Wii-Fit telling her she was obese coupled with the competition at work that motivated her. Obviously, the hateful remarks from her family did no good at all or she would have lost it back then. People that are constantly put down like that tend to DEVELOP eating disorders, not overcome them.

[armbark]

04:11 PM on 07/23/2012

If you don't ever tell your kid there is a problem with her/his weight, then the kid will keep on thinking that it's ok and keep on eating all the fatty foods that their mouths desire. She might have said that the wii-fit told her she was obese so she changed....but really, she got tired of all the people telling her she is fat. If you think a nintendo wii has influence on anyone's weight, but their parents/friends doesn't....then you're an idiot. If she was never pushed by anyone, she wouldn't have gotten better. It's pretty cut and dry. She probably wouldn't have even heard of a wii fit if someone didn't tell her to step on it once in a while. Just like if someone has stinky breath, it might sound mean and all.... but they should know their breath smells like donkey butt just so no one else has to smell it and so they don't even feel more embarrassed if it comes from some random stranger rather than someone close. You might believe it's mean to tell your kid they are fat, but you know what..... if all of America did that, we'd have a lot less of an obesity problem.Just how it is.

[diazjaime05]

03:42 PM on 07/22/2012

fat is a understatement

[Tom345678]

03:40 PM on 07/22/2012

Your family is right...you are fat.

[Grayfox 53]

07:12 AM on 07/23/2012

Right on !

[MDZ28]

12:06 PM on 07/23/2012

Yea the truth hurts someitmes

[fpwillson]

03:17 PM on 07/22/2012

It would have been a lot better if she had waited until she lost the other 40 extra pounds. Way to go (so far).

[Maliek Ball]

04:04 PM on 07/22/2012

So you are saying that she should be 96lbs and that is what would please you and be healthy for her? Have you lost your mind?

[fpwillson]

04:19 PM on 07/22/2012

No, I have not. Nor did I say she should weight 96 pounds. 'You' said that.
I don't know how much she 'should' weigh. If she is 5' 4" 110-115 pounds would look good.
Why are you harrassing me? Are you one of those who are greatly overweight? (too).

[MyFrenchHeart]

03:10 PM on 07/22/2012

She looks FANTASTIC. It's sad how some people hiding behind computer screens can be so small, narrow, and mean-spirited. They are damaging their own souls.