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Name: Jessica Metzger
Age: 26
Height: 5'7"
Before Weight: 272 pounds
How I Gained It: When I was a child, I was the cute little girl with the chubby legs and cheeks. As I grew older, I continued to gain weight due to my lack of activity. I was always very smart in school but was never involved in any sports or activities to keep me active. My weight gain can only be attributed to eating too much -- I love food -- and not moving enough.
Breaking Point: My breaking point was completely mental. I was tired of feeling the way that I felt every day. I was tired of waking up sluggish, being tired at 7 p.m. and having no energy to go out and live my life. At 25 years old, I felt like I wasn't living up to my full potential. I knew in order for me to be the best version of myself, it would take a ton of hard work and dedication, so about 15 months ago I decided it was my time. I was going to do whatever I had to in order to become the best person I could be.
How I Lost It: I lost all of my weight through healthier eating and exercise. I started watching my portions and making healthier choices in the kitchen. I also dove face-first into exercise. I started doing Billy Blanks Tae Bo. It was challenging for me, but not too challenging that I got discouraged and quit. After losing about 40 pounds, I moved onto Beachbody's Insanity workout with Shaun T. After completing one round of that, I wanted to try incorporating weight lifting into my routine, so I moved on to P90X with Tony Horton. Now, I work out six days a week doing high-intensity cardio and weight training. I have fallen in love with taking time daily to care for myself and my body.
I do not follow a specific meal plan, I do not eat 100 percent clean and I no longer track my calories. I believe I have been successful because I chose to change my habits in ways that will work for me for the rest of my life. I am human; I have good days, and I have bad days when it comes to eating and working out, but as long as I don't quit, I know I will remain successful.
I hope to continue to improve my health and fitness, and while doing so I would like to lose some more weight. My next goal is to move my BMI from "overweight" to healthy. Coming from being morbidly obese, I am so proud of where I am now. I have created a Facebook page to help inspire other women and men who are looking to get healthy. I did not use any supplements, shakes or wraps. I did not have surgery. I don't even have a gym membership! If I can be successful, anyone can be.
Current Weight: 162 pounds
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