I Lost Weight: Fabiana Passoni, Two-Time Breast Cancer Survivor And Mother To Triplets, Lost More Than 125 Pounds

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Name: Fabiana Passoni
Age: 35
Height: 5'11"
Before Weight: 294 pounds

How I Gained It: I started gaining weight in my teenage years, and like many people, I tried diet after diet without results. I finally got to a point where I just accepted the fact that I was fat and that nothing I could do would change that. From that point on, I really started to gain weight. I moved from Brazil to the United States to try to further my singing career and in no time at all I doubled my weight, going from just plain old fat to super fat. I was a size 28 and was fine with it.

I'm not sure what happened but one day I made the decision to at least stop eating crap. I was tired of eating fast food and junk food, so I decided to eat healthier. Fried foods were replaced by baked and raw foods. I cut back on breads and made sure I ate plenty of vegetables and fish, chicken or meat for protein. I still ate like a starving bear in the wild, but I noticed that just through a healthier diet I was losing weight! I dropped 35 pounds quickly -- at least that's what the scale told me. I still felt fat and looked fat, but I could begin to see a floppiness in my skin. The next step I decided was to go to the gym and at least firm up where I had lost that weight. I tried the StairMaster, treadmill and Spinning, but I really didn't know much about exercising. In the beginning it was very painful, but I felt good working out and I got thinner. Each week the scale gave me more confidence. I still missed my morning donuts and coffee but after two years of just eating healthier and exercising I lost 100 pounds. Then the roller coaster ride began.

A few years later I got married which was good for another 20 pounds. Then I got sick with breast cancer. I started eating more again to counter what happened during each week of chemotherapy and more weight came back. Once I became a breast cancer survivor, I became even more determined to lose the weight again and stay thin. But then, a year later I was pregnant with triplets, so I was eating for four. I gained more than 100 pounds during the pregnancy. On top of that, one week before I delivered, I found another lump in my breast -- another reason to seek solace in food. The cancer was back.

Breaking Point: I delivered the babies (each under four pounds), had the cancer removed, went through radiation and beat cancer for a second time. Just after that, when I weighed in for my appointment with the oncologist, I was shocked to see 294 on the scale again.

How I Lost It: I wasn't 25 years old anymore and that made the weight even more difficult to lose. Then a miracle life saver came into my life -- the BodyMedia. I heard about it from a friend and immediately ordered one. I could track every morsel of food I ate, every minute of exercise and even whether I was getting a good night's sleep. It was like having a doctor, nutritionist and personal trainer supporting me right there on my arm!

Each day I tried to burn more calories than I ate. I would also try to trick my metabolism by changing the amount of times that I would eat. One week, I would eat five small portions a day of vegetables, almonds, egg-white omelets, chicken and fish, and the next week I would eat bigger portions but three times a day. I included some plyometric exercises and different weight routines in my workouts this time around. The weight melted like butter on a hot summer day. It was absolutely amazing, and after about four months I had lost that 100 pounds again.

Then another event occurred that would affect my weight. I was selected as the Best Brazilian Female Singer living in the U.S. by the Brazilian International Press Awards. So I decided to lose another 20 pounds so I could get into the finest dress I could buy for the red carpet event before the awards ceremony. Now I am a healthy, cancer free, mother of triplets having the best time of my life -- and in the best shape.

Current Weight: 168 pounds

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

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Comments

[Jade8]

11:14 AM on 01/14/2013

You're gorgeous!!!!!!! Good job, hot momma!!! I was always told by so many men that Brazilian women are the most beautiful women in the world, now I see what they mean! You are!!

[3bed2bath1baby]

01:29 PM on 10/20/2012

your before picture is a bit deceiving... being that you are pregnant with triplets in it?

[Erin Cassidy]

02:43 PM on 10/16/2012

She looks great! Awesome job.

I'm a little confused though...I know BMI isn't the best indicator for weight but 5'11 168 lbs is a BMI of 33 which is obese? She is in no way obese!!! A little confused, hope I'm doing the math wrong or something.

[Erin Cassidy]

02:45 PM on 10/16/2012

Yep, my bad!!! The calculator I was using had kilograms instead of pounds. Makes much more sense!!!

[brutony]

01:37 PM on 10/16/2012

Holy shiite! This womans HAWT! I dont care what her weight is now-dayum, thats sexy!

[Rusty Spitfire]

06:44 AM on 10/16/2012

head turner

[Eugene Blackman]

02:50 PM on 10/15/2012

Im in love saghhhhhhhhhhh

[elkscorpion11]

02:27 PM on 10/15/2012

you weigh 168 in that dress? wow i thought it was more like 130 you go hot mama roflllllll

[StormCarRain]

01:14 PM on 10/15/2012

Call the fire department - I see something smokin!

[John Robertsone]

12:28 PM on 10/11/2012

My sister had a huge problem with baby weight too.
She tried everything to lose the baby weight and get rid of acne/scarring but she just couldn't do it.
I felt so bad for her. I mean I love her and I read online that there are natural solutions to it.
So I took it upon myself and started digging...
I recommend to her several products, but 1 really did the job great! It was called Pregnancy Without Pounds.
Long story short, she shed her baby pounds and didn't have scars, stretch marks, or anything! She looks so beautiful now.
She loved the product. Anyway, you can find it and the reviews at www.reviewsphere.com

[rodjard]

10:40 PM on 10/10/2012

I have researched diet and health to its n'th degree.
From that I have experimented relentlessly. I have
developed my own diet and never deviate from it, even
when out to eat. It totally revolves around Iodine/Iodide
and magnesium. and the support of that with other nutrients
in support of that. The protection of human endocrine system
and circulatory system are paramount to good health.
That has been under constant attack by those who make fortunes
developing work around drugs and treatments because of the
lack of those nutrients.
I was very ill; now I am very healthy. Go to breastcancerchoices.org
and believe it. Also research Dr. brownstein and his findings.

[pslcitizen]

10:31 PM on 10/10/2012

You look fabulous Fabiana!

[calbrsgo]

07:05 PM on 10/10/2012

Okay, I must say this. You. Are. Amazing!!! I will never ever complain again! I have given birth to two sets of twins, and inside my head is a little voice telling me that that is why I am about 45 pounds too heavy, but really, I just need to suck it up and get the weight off! I am 5'4" and you and I are currently the same weight. Not good for me. I need to change. You are truly inspirational. Congratulations on saving your own life!

[Gigi251]

07:02 PM on 10/10/2012

Wow! Good for her!! She looks amazing!!

[rcott1019]

04:26 PM on 10/10/2012

Gorgeous!

[sunnyskies702]

04:11 PM on 10/10/2012

10 years ago, I lost 150 lbs in about 10 months. It all happened because I got off my lazy butt and found a form of exercise I had always loved, but never had the courage (or company) to go do - dancing! I met a new friend who was just as addicted to dancing and next thing you know, we were out clubbing (literally) 6 nights a week. It got to the point that I was having to buy new clothes every 2 weeks! I've kept the weight off to this date, but have had a HUGE problem with loose skin all over my body, which has made me just as self-conscious as my weight did before. The only way to get rid of that is cosmetic surgery (not covered by insurance) - which is BIG $$! So, I look at these pics of people who have lost sooo much weight, and wonder "where is their skin"???

[pslcitizen]

10:45 PM on 10/10/2012

Good for you. I love dancing & it's great exercise. You don't even realize it having so much fun. I've encouraged many friends, of all sizes, to join me. You might want to see if there's any plastic surgeons who will provide low or not cost work in your area for your excess skin. Maybe they will let you make payments? Never hurts to ask.