{"id":23496,"date":"2013-08-21T13:13:40","date_gmt":"2013-08-21T18:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fitzness.com\/blog\/?p=23496"},"modified":"2014-10-29T11:46:07","modified_gmt":"2014-10-29T16:46:07","slug":"melissa-distefano-this-is-how-ive-lost-nearly-30-pounds-only-15-more-to-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitzness.com\/blog\/melissa-distefano-this-is-how-ive-lost-nearly-30-pounds-only-15-more-to-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Melissa DiStefano: This is How I Lost Nearly 30 Pounds – Only 15 More to Go!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Melissa

Melissa DiStefano<\/p><\/div>\n

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Melissa DiStefano, 38, Gainesville, Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Profession:<\/strong> Manager a Medical Clinic, Mom, Social Media Consultant, and Head Bottle Washer<\/p>\n

How much weight have you lost?<\/strong> 28.9lbs<\/p>\n

How’d you lose it?<\/strong> Diet and Exercise. Plain and Simple.<\/p>\n

What prompted you to lose weight?<\/strong> I had finally, and I mean finally gotten down to my high school weight. I was wearing single-digit clothes, sporting a bathing suit without embarrassment, and then BLAMO! I got pregnant. Which is a long crazy story in-and-of-itself. We tried for 15 years to get pregnant, and were told by seven doctors that there was no way, no-how; it just wasn\u2019t happening. Well\u2026.. it did. Twice. Two kids, and four years later this weight loss was way over-due.<\/p>\n

How long did it take?<\/strong> Six months, so far.<\/p>\n

What was the hardest part?<\/strong> The exercise. Time is a precious thing around our home. I started the Couch 2 5K program. I used to love exercise and my sister completed Couch to 5K, so I thought this would be exactly what I needed to get back in shape. The first time I started it, and at week six, I found out I had a heart condition and the cardio wasn\u2019t helping. So I needed to stop the cardio and focus on weight training instead. I became deflated and quit.<\/p>\n

I still ate well, keeping it to 1200 calories and all natural foods.\u00a0 I don\u2019t eat anything that has more than six ingredients in it, and they all better be pronounceable.\u00a0 <\/span>Nothing artificial at all. Basically, if it\u2019s meat, fish, veggie or fruit, I eat it.<\/p>\n

About a month ago, after losing a bulk of the weight, I thought I\u2019d start Couch to 5K again, and this time it\u2019s my breathing that’s making me struggle. I always suspected I had Exercise Induced Asthma, but this is way weirder. After my last workout of Couch 2 5K (week 3 day 1) I found myself unable to catch my breath, or take a satisfying deep breath, this lasted for five whole days! I finally turned to my doctor, who was no help. And then Google. I had the hardest time figuring out what was plaguing my breathing. Turns out, I breathe too much when I run. I take in too much Oxygen and don\u2019t exhale enough, so I was crushing my lungs with carbon dioxide. I am still figuring out the magic breathing pattern for me. But I am not going to give up!<\/p>\n

Most fun part of your weight loss?<\/strong> Exercising with my friend Keri<\/a>. Being able to chat and catch up, while getting healthy has been awesome. I love all the new friends I\u2019ve made on MyFitnessPal too.<\/p>\n

Most rewarding experience?<\/strong> Seeing the scale go down and slowly but surely \u2013 my ever-expanding wardrobe.<\/p>\n

Who\/what inspires you when you feel like quitting?<\/strong> I am in competition with myself, I need to do this for me. My husband has been great; he keeps me going. But this time, it\u2019s for me.<\/p>\n

How has this weight loss changed your life?<\/strong> I don\u2019t get headaches anymore, I have way more energy, and my kids love to \u201chelp\u201d me. My 3.4 year-old loves to sit on my back while I plank and hold on to my legs while I do leg raises. He laughs and thinks it\u2019s hysterical.<\/p>\n

Advice for others who\u2019d like to lose weight:<\/strong> You\u2019ll hear this all the time, but just do it. Don\u2019t wait for Monday. Who cares what day you start? And STOP saying I\u2019ll start tomorrow, because you know that tomorrow will turn into the day after that and the day after that.<\/p>\n

Your must-have fitness equipment.<\/strong> I use an empty milk jug and fill it with water or beans.\u00a0 I l<\/span>ift my kids, do sit ups, walk around the block, use cans as weights\u2026 I just find a way to do it. Who needs fancy anything?<\/p>\n

Favorite training song:<\/strong> I don\u2019t have one. I am too busy focusing on my breathing to listen to music, but I am sure I\u2019ll have one soon enough.<\/p>\n

Favorite healthy food:<\/strong> Roasted Sweet Potatoes, topped with chives and bacon crumbles.\u00a0 Greek yogurt and fruit, cause I can eat fruit all day! Wait, was I only supposed to pick one?<\/p>\n

Favorite not-so-healthy food:<\/strong> Chicken Parmesan, definitely. But I have made a lighter recipe with baked chicken, and it\u2019s delicious.<\/p>\n

Funniest \/weirdest\/most awkward experience during your weight loss journey.\u00a0 <\/strong>I refuse to buy a new bathing suit until I hit my goal weight, because bathing suit shopping is just the worst. So we went to this huge pool recently and I jumped in with my son, and my bathing suit bottoms slipped off! All-the-way-off. Awesome.<\/p>\n

Future goals:<\/strong> Run a 5K, lose 15 more pounds, change my two-pack to a four or even six-pack!<\/p>\n

Have some words of congratulations or motivation for Melissa? Use the comment section to give her that extra push!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Congratulations Melissa! We’re so proud of and inspired by you. Let us know when you ditch those extra 15 pounds. We can’t wait to hear all about it and see that final AFTER photo as well.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Have a great weight loss story to share?<\/strong> Email Fitzness@aol.com to receive our weight loss questionnaire to be featured on Fitzness.com!<\/p>\n