Success Story: Debbie Pitstick
Discover how this RealAger lost 80 pounds and found her strength.
Name: Debbie Pitstick
Age: 38
Former RealAge: 41.9
Current RealAge: 37.6
Start weight: 300
Current weight: 221
What was really killing me: My triglyceride levels were off-the-charts high, my blood pressure wasn't healthy (I had prehypertension), and my asthma was not well-controlled.
(More than one-quarter of U.S. adults have prehypertension. See if your blood pressure is putting you at risk for heart troubles down the road.)
My wake-up call: Seeing the scale in the doctor's office hit 298 pounds. I knew I had a weight issue, but I did not realize how serious it was until I saw that number.
What I changed:
- I started exercising. I began by walking 30 minutes a day and then added group exercise classes, for a total of 8 to 9 hours of exercise weekly.
- I cut out fried foods, ALL trans fats, soda, and processed foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup.
(Make healthy food choices easy with this food-label cheat sheet.) - I started eating five meals or snacks each day; I try to have something every 3 hours or so.
(Munch on these 11 foods for faster, easier weight loss.) - I left an abusive relationship.
- I began running 5K races. I've done seven in the last 2 years, October 2008 to November 2010, and improved my time by 5 minutes.
(Don't let sprains and strains take you out of the race -- find relief here.)
How my life has changed: I really came out of my shell and gained the confidence I needed to leave an abusive relationship and overhaul my lifestyle. Exercising helped me organize my hectic schedule, which allowed me to focus on my college courses and complete my bachelor's degree at Northern Illinois University in May 2010. As far as my health goes, my asthma has greatly improved since my weight loss, and my blood pressure is no longer at prehypertensive levels.
(Find out what causes high blood pressure and how to get a handle on it.)
How RealAge helped me: When I hit a plateau in my weight loss, I turned to RealAge to help me calculate how many calories I should be consuming in relation to my daily exercise. RealAge's tools and info helped me figure out that I wasn't eating enough, which caused my metabolism to drop to a level that was making my body hold on to the weight.
(How many calories should you be eating? Try our personalized calorie counter.)
What keeps me motivated and on track: Having really motivating class instructors keeps me going and pushing harder in my workouts. I also pick out the younger women in the class and try to keep up with them. If they jump, I try to jump higher.
(Let top trainer Joel Harper instruct you on how to sculpt the body you've always wanted. Try his free workout plan.)
What I really love about the new me: I have energy, and I feel 10+ years younger, easily. Crossing the finish line of my first 5K in 2008 was an emotional experience for me. Tears came to my eyes as I thought about how I, this once obese girl, could barely walk half a mile 3 years earlier, and yet I'd just finished running 3 miles. I also really like being single and even take vacations by myself.
(Want to feel 10 years younger? Take the all-new RealAge Test to find out how.)
