Category Winner
More to Lose Category

Heather S.

I had always thought that I was a "big girl" growing up. Everyone told me I was just "big boned," and so I believed that for most of my life. I always wore clothing that was fairly loose because I was uncomfortable with my shape and size. I was extremely athletic and active throughout high school, but I went through a variety of sizes as a teenager, as well as into early adulthood.

During college, I put on weight, took some off, put it back on, and took some off. After I graduated from college in 1997, I began teaching special education in a wonderful school. I loved my job, I loved my co-workers, and I loved my students. I poured my heart and soul into my job, and consequently, I "let myself go." Exercise? What was that? Eating healthy? Yeah, right. After a long day, I would come home to my quiet apartment and have tortilla chips and salsa for dinner. Not so balanced, right? At that point in my life, I was at the heaviest weight I had ever been, and I also was just squeezing into a size 16, but I really should have been wearing a size 18. Thank goodness, after a year of living by myself, I moved in with a friend of mine. It was simply nice to have someone to share a meal with, a real meal.

After a year, I also began walking with a friend of mine. From Spring 2000 - Summer 2001, we would walk 4 miles 4 times per week. We would also do sit-ups and push-ups after our workouts. Because we were young and single, we had the time to devote to this after work and on weekends. Over that time, I went from a size 16 to a size 8. I had lost over 60 pounds, and I felt wonderful. I had confidence, and I loved the way I felt and looked. It took a great deal of time and effort, but it had been worth it. I vowed to never let myself look like that again.

Soon after, I moved back to my hometown and married my husband in 2003. Over the next 5 years, I had two beautiful children and gained reasonable amounts of weight with both pregnancies. I was able to take off the "baby weight," but both times I found myself putting on weight after the pregnancy weight came off. I let outside stress, (not even from my children!) get the best of me, and I had every excuse in the book for why I was unable to exercise...time was always at the top of the list.

Unfortunately, in April 2008, I found myself to be the heaviest I had EVER weighed. I was unhappy with my body; my self-image was at an all-time low. I was wearing a size 18, and realistically, I was squeezing myself into them. I refused to buy anything larger, even though I probably should have gotten a size 20 in some pants. I wore long sweaters and shirts to cover up the "pouring myself in" effect. I was embarrassed of the way I looked, and I didn't want to continue looking like that. I would peruse through old photo albums and think, "I want to look like that again," but I was just unable to motivate myself.

Then, happily, the T-Tapp 60-Day Challenge surfaced. I was familiar with the contest (my mother had won her category a couple of years ago), but I had just never gotten myself into the workouts. I decided that this was my opportunity. I took my measurements and photos, e-mailed them, and then...nothing. After 5 days, I had still not begun to workout, until my 4 year old daughter saw my right facing photo for the contest and innocently asked, "Mommy, was Christopher in your belly in this picture?" I wanted to cry, but it was the wake-up call that I needed. I have been blessed with a life thus far that has not been complicated by health problems, even though my weight could have warranted those problems. But on that day, I realized that I do not want my children growing up with poor self images or struggling with their weight. My daughter already knows healthy foods vs. unhealthy foods; however, I need to show her that there are so many other aspects of being healthy, including exercise. I knew that I needed to get in shape before my daughter realized that I was unhealthy.

So that night, I did BWO+, and I thought I was going to die. After only 7 minutes, I was exhausted, and by the end, I was sweating and extremely worn out. Thank goodness, I was able to stick with it. Night after night, I would do BWO+, and I did a 6 day boot camp. I knew myself well enough to know that 14 days just wasn't going to work for me. After a couple of weeks, I started doing SITTM, as well as trying to go for walks during my lunch or prep time at school. I varied these workouts, and honestly, had to take many days off. My mother was admitted to the hospital for two weeks, and during this time, I did one BWO+. The best part about T-Tapp, though? I was able to get right back into it. I started doing BWO+ again, and then eased myself into the tougher SITTM. As a whole, I did more BWO+ throughout the 60-Day Challenge, but I also began concentrating more on my form and making the most of those 15 minutes. I am a very busy mom who works full-time, so BWO+ was sometimes all I could fit into my schedule. I used to be able to fit in 5-6 hours of exercise in a week, but now, that is just not always possible.

After just a week of T-Tapping, I had more energy, and my clothes began fitting a bit better. I was still pouring myself into them, but it was getting better. I also began walking up stairs and not huffing and puffing as I went. My posture was better, and I didn't have neck pain that I had sometimes suffered. It was the "little stuff" that really made it apparent to me that this was working. And as an added bonus, I did lose inches! Before I began the Challenge, I was wearing a size 18 (should have been a 20), and I am now comfortably wearing a size 16 (and even some 14s!).

Although I still have a long way to go, I have been extremely pleased with my losses during the Challenge...24.625 inches, 14 pounds, 1.5 sizes, and 3 belt notches. But more importantly are my gains...more energy, more confidence, and an effective way to exercise using the little time that this busy mom has. Thank you so much Teresa-I am so grateful for the workout that works!