This article was originally published on RightLivin
The Difference a Year Can Make
It's pretty impressive to see the quality of life improvement that can take place in just one year. Amber Neale spent years of her life struggling with unhealthy eating habits. She would sometimes eat from the moment she woke up until the moment she went to sleep. She was depressed and used food as her only escape from everything that was overwhelming her. After going to therapy, she realized how unhealthy this was for her and decided to make a change.
Just one year later she was able to cut out fast food, reduce portion sizes, and exercise daily. You can see the amazing results from just this one picture!
All to Wear the Wedding Dress of Her Dreams
A wedding is one of the most important days of someone's life. For women, their wedding dress is also high on the priority list. When Mary Jane O'Toole got engaged, she went out to do some dress shopping but was seriously saddened by the options available to her. Not only were the dresses not her style, but they were much more expensive just because they were considered plus size.
She decided that it was time for a change and after a year and a half of diets and exercise, she was able to go shopping for the wedding dress of her dreams and find exactly what she was looking for.
It's About the Life You Gain
Many people struggle with their weight throughout their lives. Some people try to maintain a certain weight because of how they want to look and others are seeking to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Stacy Blair was 28 years old when she started to experience various health problems due to her weight. She decided that improving her health and wellness was more important than anything and chose to make drastic changes that would help her in the long term.
Concerns about the difficulties of motherhood and not being able to be active in her siblings' lives were the main inspiration for Stacy to go on a two-year-long journey that changed her life.
The Effect of Alcohol on the Body
People tend to underestimate the impact high quantities of alcohol can have on the body. Jelly Devote showed the world how negatively alcohol impacted her as she began to drink high quantities of water instead of alcohol. As a result, she became a fitness influencer on Instagram, totally changing her life around. She even claims that the reduction of alcohol, combined with exercise has almost made her age in reverse!
These life choices don't only impact the external appearance, but as Jelly told the world, she truly felt better on the inside as well. She still drinks alcohol sometimes, but in moderation!
He Won the Battle Against Food Addiction
Food addiction is a serious issue as Kevin Gendreau, a 31-year-old medical doctor can attest to. He struggled with it for over ten years which ended up causing him a slew of health issues from high blood pressure to fatty liver disease to sleep apnea. After his sister was diagnosed with cancer, he decided to change his life around and make healthier decisions, which led to over a year of healthy food choices.
He was really able to change his life around in a drastic way. It took a serious tragedy to bring it about, but he is a true inspiration to everyone.
Never Too Old for Change
Never let anyone tell you that you are too old to make a major change in your life. Your age makes no difference as 73-year-old Joan MacDonald showed the entire world. After suffering from various health issues such as acid reflux and high blood pressure, she decided it was time to change her life around. She started eating healthier, exercising regularly, and tracking her meals on her iPhone.
She looks genuinely happy in both the before and after pictures, but it's great to see that her overall health has improved immensely as a result of her healthy life decisions.
Just a Little Bit of Kindness Can Change Someone's Life
Everyone knows that a little bit of kindness goes a long way. But who would think that just one simple comment made from thoughtfulness would change someone's life? Joey Morganelli was in college when his professor approached him about concerns for his health and offered him some suggestions that could help. Joey realized that he was using food as a way to cope with the trauma that he experienced in the death of his mother and father.
Once he realized how toxic it was for him to turn to food as a coping mechanism, he decided to change his life around by facing the issues that led him to be in this unhealthy state in the first place.
It's Not Always About the Numbers
Some people are so focused on the number on the scale that they don't realize the importance of actually feeling good in your skin. Kyra Williams only truly felt good in her own body when she started to do weight training along with a system of plyometrics, circuit training, and high-intensity cardio. Just watching what she ate and doing basic exercises was not enough for her and this was the necessary step to get to a better place.
After a few years, she realized that fitness was her passion and she became a personal trainer. She also started to do some modeling and would run half marathons regularly.
Sometimes It Takes a Surgery
Sometimes people can try everything in their power to improve their way of life, but they still need a little bit of extra support. After struggling for years to control how much he ate, Hunter Croteau decided it was time for drastic measures. His doctor recommended a sleeve gastrectomy, which is a procedure that reduces the size of the stomach by 80%, seriously limiting the amount of food he would be able to consume.
After the surgery, he also became passionate about fitness and is now studying to become a personal trainer. The surgery was the push in the right direction that he needed.
The Trip to the Amusement Park Was the Last Straw
Who would think that a simple trip to an amusement park would be the moment that made someone decide to change their life for the better? Sophie Trewick was in college when she went for a day trip to an amusement park with some friends. Because of her weight, they were all given fast passes to skip the line to ensure that she would fit on the roller coaster before starting the ride.
This was the last straw for Sophie and that was the moment that she decided it was time to make a drastic change.
Eat to Live, Don't Live to Eat
Self-care is one of the most important things to cultivate in your life. Without it, things can spiral out of control to a terrifying level. Stacy Welton was fifty years old when she realized the importance of taking care of her body. After six kids and a full-time job as a teacher, she knew it was time to ensure that she was making healthy life choices that would stick with her for the rest of her life.
She said that one of the most important lessons she learned was that it is important to "eat to live and not live to eat". That change of perspective helped her more than anything on her journey.
A Solid Support System Is Key
It took the sight of four boxes of pizza in the fridge for 28-year-old Jared Sklar to realize how desperate their situation had become. He and his girlfriend didn't even fully understand how much their eating habits were starting to affect their quality of life. Together they decided it was time to make a change. Using the buddy system they began to work out at the gym regularly and started intermittent fasting.
After a few months, they started seeing amazing results, and together their quality of life began to improve. What helped them on their journey more than anything? Going through it all together and having a strong support system.
From Struggling With Weight to Becoming a Wellness Coach
You never know where the journey of life will lead you, but if you make a decision to improve the quality of your life, it may take you to wonderful places. Jennifer Riviera saw that her way of life was affecting her ability to play with her son and also taking a toll on her marriage. Instead of ignoring the problem, she chose to make a change. This change eventually led to her becoming a wellness coach!
She changed her life around entirely and saw amazing results! She was able to repair her marriage and spend more quality time with her son while also helping others to improve their situations.
It Was All Thanks to Math
Math is not the usual reason that people have for changing their lives around for the better. DeAndré Upshaw however says that that is the number one thing that helped him on his journey. Once he realized that simple math regarding calorie intake and counting steps could make such a difference, it was only a matter of time before he had better control over his situation.
Taking at least 10,000 steps a day (by avoiding elevators and escalators) and working hard to maintain his healthy lifestyle, DeAndré was able to realize his goals.
It's All About Feeling Healthy and Gaining Confidence
Not everyone starts out on their self-improvement journeys for the right reasons. Vanessa Flores struggled with her weight for her entire life and decided as an adult that she wanted to make a change. In the beginning, she wanted to change her physical appearance in order to find a boyfriend, but she soon realized that that was not the most important thing. Gaining confidence and improving her overall well-being became far more important as time went on.
In addition to gaining confidence, Vanessa also feels healthier than ever, which, at the end of the day, is the most important thing of all.
She Won the Battle Against Her Thyroid Condition
Some people are presented with extra struggles when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Desiree Alexis-Kae Mize was diagnosed with hypothyroidism which caused her to have an extraordinarily slow metabolism. This led to her struggling with her weight for years of her life. When her doctor recommended gastric bypass surgery (reducing the size of her stomach), she knew that this was her best chance of escaping the challenge of her condition.
The surgery helped Desiree get her life together. Although she still had to make sure to maintain a healthy workout schedule and eating habits, it was the first step she needed to help her on her journey.
Some People Actually Keep Their New Year's Resolutions
Statistically, it is proven that most people do not manage to keep their New Year's resolutions. They usually last a few weeks (at best) and then are quickly forgotten as a thing of the past. That was not the case with Quantel Thomas who made a New Year's resolution and stuck to it firmly. He promised himself to go to the gym six days a week, and he actually did it!
Quantel even went on to become a bodybuilder who can bench press 285 pounds and deadlift up to 475 pounds. Very different than how he was a year before!
A Total Mindset Change
Adopting healthier eating habits is just the first step to improving your quality of life. Randi Vasquez was one of many people who struggled with their weight essentially their entire lives. After coming up with countless excuses, she finally decided to take responsibility for her poor eating habits and lack of exercise. After a strict fitness regime and a healthy diet, she learned how to believe in herself and how to achieve her goals.
Randi shared her journey on Instagram which led to her gaining over 70,000 followers and becoming a successful social media influencer, inspiring others to also believe in themselves and their goals.
The Struggles of Post-Pregnancy
Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful things that can happen as you are bringing life into the world, and yet it certainly takes a toll on the body unlike anything else. For many women, including Jessica Simpson, it can be very difficult to maintain your pre-pregnancy state. For celebrities like Jessica Simpson, who constantly have the spotlight on them, it can be even harder to struggle without receiving the judgment of millions of judgemental viewers.
After giving birth to her third child, Jessica Simpson was able to reach a weight that she was happy with. Hopefully, the hateful tabloids were not the inspiration behind this change!
Vision Boards Helped Her Keep Her Focus
People have many different ways that help them to achieve their goals. For Ingrid Rinck, the best way to keep her on track was to make a vision board. On that vision board, she posted photos of her goals whether it was a picture of a healthy family, outfits that she was hoping to wear one day, or beach vacations. This helped her keep her focus even in the most difficult times.
Another key to her success was deciding to eat only when she was truly hungry. The minute she felt comfortably full, she would stop eating rather than continue until she was too full.
Don't Let Your Mind Get in the Way
After a very difficult time in her life, Whitney Depasquale realized that she was turning to food as a way to deal with her emotional challenges. From the loneliness she felt as an army wife to losing a baby, she was grieving in more ways than one. After giving birth to her son, she decided it was time for a change. She started kickboxing and it changed her entire life.
Once she was exercising regularly, a healthy diet was the next natural step. Whitney cut out fast foods and processed snacks and you can see the difference it has made in her life!
She Had One Goal in Mind From the Beginning
Everyone is motivated by different things in life. Shantea Johnson's motivation was to look like a woman in a fitness magazine. She didn't know if this would really ever be possible, but she was determined to try. She changed her life around by exercising five or six times a week and eating a healthier, cleaner diet. Just a little over a year later, she was able to compete in intense physical competitions with women half her age.
Shantea is such a wonderful example of someone who makes a goal for themselves and is determined to keep it. Nothing could stop her on her journey and she was successful in the end!
She Did It All for Her Daughter
Family is arguably the most important thing in life and although there are many other inspirational reasons to turn your life around, family is undoubtedly the best reason of all. Tiffany Erin Humphries realized that if she wanted to live a long, healthy life and see her daughter grow up, she needed to make a drastic change to her health. After committing to jogging regularly and making healthier food choices, she managed to do exactly that.
Tiffany could not find the motivation to change her lifestyle for many years, not even when she was turned away from a ride at Six Flags due to her weight. The only thing that could give her the inspiration she needed was her family.
All Because He Couldn't Keep up on a Hike
Hiking is challenging for many people, but even more so if you have extra weight on your body. Jeremiah Peterson was 40 years old when he went for a hike with his family and was ashamed when he could not keep up with his children. That was all it took for him to realize it was time to make a drastic change in his way of life.
After going on the keto diet, cutting out alcohol, and starting to exercise and hike outdoors, he was able to become the version of himself that he had always dreamed of, and most importantly, he became a better father.
Sometimes All It Takes Is Mindful Eating
For some people, their journey to improve their lifestyle is as simple as changing their mindset. Audrey McLaughlin realized that taking the first step in the right direction looked as simple as mindful eating. What exactly is mindful eating? Instead of focusing on scheduled meal times and eating until you are about to explode, you only eat when you are hungry and you skip the mindless snacking throughout the day.
This simple mindset change was exactly what Audrey needed to change her life around and improve her health and wellbeing. Meditation also really helped her on her journey!
An Easy and Convenient Workout Routine
Being a mother is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. The work never ends and it is difficult to find time for yourself. Chelsey Bauman, a mother of two small children, always strived to achieve the best version of her physical health, but the tasks of motherhood didn't leave her with quite enough time. However, after downloading an app that helped her find convenient, manageable workouts, she was able to make a serious change.
It's important to start out with doable tasks. If you set your goals too high from the beginning it can become overwhelming and too difficult to achieve. Chelsea started with just 5 minutes a day and saw amazing results!
That Isn't How She Wanted to Look for Her Wedding Day
Your wedding day is one of the most important and memorable days of your life. People spend hours upon hours looking through old wedding photos with fond memories. When Jennifer Ginley's boyfriend proposed to her, she was elated but also not so satisfied with her appearance at the time. She decided that before saying yes to the man of her dreams, she had to make some lifestyle changes.
By keeping a food diary and restructuring her entire diet, she was able to see incredible progress just in time for her to say yes to her husband-to-be!
Yoga Was the Catalyst for It All
Janelle Perrilliat never really had much time to focus on her own health, happiness, growth, and development. She was a single mom who spent most of her spare time taking care of her children. However, one day she decided that it was time to take matters into her own hands. With the help of personalized coaching she was able to quit smoking (after 20 years), maintain a healthier lifestyle, and become a yoga enthusiast.
Although Janelle was never one to enjoy exercising, she truly found her passion when it came to yoga. What began as a general fear of meditation and sport soon became a seriously rewarding activity.
A Big Thanks to Hula Hooping
When you think of sports and physical activity, the hula hoop is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Past the childhood year, most people do not so much as go near a hula hoop. However, it is quite a fun sport as Cori Magnotta can attest to. It is so fun that it was the only sport that she enjoyed enough to help her make a change in her lifestyle.
She never expected she would be so passionate about hula hooping and yet three years after she first picked up a hula hoop, she became a certified hula hoop instructor.
The Baby Step Approach
Katrina Love Senn was only twenty years old when a serious health event shook her to her very core, leaving her bedridden. Instead of taking the experimental medicines, the doctors were recommending, she opted for the natural path. Starting with baby steps of just 15 minutes of exercise a day, she chose to improve her way of life. Once she got more energy she started to do yoga, go for walks, and even ventured to some gently cardio.
As a result of changing her lifestyle, she saw serious improvements in her overall health. Her allergies, eczema, and chronic asthma all magically disappeared once she started becoming healthier by eating better and exercising regularly.
Not Even Thyroid Cancer Could Stop Her
Giovanna Baratto was serving in the military as a computer software specialist when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She was discharged from the army and began a daily struggle with her metabolism. Despite the odds being against her, she found a way to beat her difficult situation and signed up for a cycling team for wounded warriors. With the additional help of a personal trainer, she was able to achieve the impossible.
She never let all the discouragement get to her. Instead of giving up against this terrible disease, she fought strongly and prevailed through hard work and commitment.
Emotional Wellness Is the Key to Everything
Some people think that physical wellness is as simple as eating healthily and exercising regularly, however, there are many more layers involved. Emotional wellness plays a key role in physical wellness. Lindsay Griffiths started to lose track of her health as she suffered from depression caused by an abusive boyfriend. Even after they broke up, it was difficult for her to get back to her old self with healthy living habits.
She decided that she would give up almost all processed sugars and start to actually read the labels on food packaging.It was crazy to see the difference such a simple choice could make in someone's life.
Tracking Meals and Almost No Sugar
Kari Hammond's life changed when she realized how much her unhealthy life choices were impacting her teenage daughter. She did not want to see her young daughter's life negatively affected by her choices and so decided to make a full 180 change. Kari began to eat much smaller portions and track everything that she ate. She chose fruits and vegetables over processed sugars and began an intense 40-minute exercise in the morning.
After some time, she saw the results she was looking for and couldn't be more proud of herself. What was her main trick to maintaining it the entire time? She would track her meals before she ate...not after or the next day when you are more likely to forget.
The Fear to Enter the Gym
Oftentimes people's wellness journey is hindered by a fear to go to the gym and make a fool of themselves. Amanda Ellis also felt that way but was able to overcome this fear by hiring a personal trainer. Although at first, she wanted to quit, her trainer was there to give her the motivation and determination to work harder towards her goals.
It took her less than a year of hard work to change her life around drastically, but she is forever grateful that she made the choice of self-improvement in the first place.