Lawyer Clarissa Seriña-Ramos's weight gain was due to binge eating. She relates that carbs were her downfall and had no problem eating 3 cups of rice at every meal. When she tried to use meal replacement shakes, she said that they "tasted so good that I drank more than what was needed per day, and it didn’t stop me from eating unhealthy food.” At her heaviest, she weighed 164 lbs.
But after being diagnosed with mild scoliosis and weak knees, her doctors advised her to lose weight. This, plus the fact that she was unhappy about not having clothes fit her, prompted her weight loss journey.
"I finally realized that no diet plan or workout would make me lose weight if I didn’t have self-control and willpower," she recalls. Clarissa began exercising at home for at least two hours every night. She didn’t follow a specific set of exercises and just did whatever she could think of, so long as she would sweat. She incorporated lifestyle changes, such as taking the stairs, instead of the elevator or escalator. Clarissa also limited her rice to one cup per meal, and drank more water.
It took several years to find the right combination of diet and exercise, but she was determined and with hard work reached and still maintains her current weight of 120 lbs. Up to the present, Clarissa has never joined a gym and continues to exercise at home. “I incorporate my workout in my household chores and daily routine. Occasionally, she and her husband jog on weekends.
The rewards of Clarissa's hard work were wonderful. “I can fit into ready-to-wear clothes,” she says. “I don’t catch my breath anymore, even after a strenuous activity. My asthma attacks have stopped and I rarely get sick.”
Clarissa's Weight Loss Tips:
1. Love yourself. “If you don’t care about your physical appearance, at least care about your health.”
2. Be creative. “Find ways to integrate exercise into your daily activities.”
3. Check your weight. “When I stopped checking it, I regained pounds.”
Read these other You Lose, You Win stories:
- You Lose, You Win: New Mom Rediscovers Her Self-Confidence after Shedding 56 Lbs.
- You Lose, You Win: A Change in Mindset Helps Lawyer Lose 36 Lbs
- You Lose, You Win: Willpower Helped This Dentist Lose 50 Lbs
(First published in Women's Health Magazine, Slim Down Strategies section as "I Never Joined a Gym" in December 2009; photos by At Maculangan and Clarissa Seriña-Ramos; adapted for use in Female Network)
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
