My Weight-Loss Story

Hello! My name is Jennifer Wagner and I used to weigh 336 pounds. And today I’m sharing my weight-loss success story with you.

You wouldn’t know it by shaking my hand for the first time today, but yes, 336.

That’s the number that will forever be engrained into my mind and heart. I remember everything about what it felt like to be that size. It hurt to walk. I got winded easily. And honestly, because I had been bullied so relentlessly from Kindergarten on, I was kind of a mess on the inside.

What Led Me To Weight Loss

I was always overweight. Even as a child. So I never knew what it was like not struggle in that way. I hated school because of the bullying. Every doctor I ever visited told me that whatever ailment I was facing was because of my weight. Even family members mentioned my weight at times, and it crushed me that there was hardly a space I could consume without everyone noticing my size.

And not just noticing it, but commenting on it. Giving me weight-loss advice. Telling me about all the wonderful things I could have (like a good job, better clothes, or a husband) if I’d “just lose that weight…”

Everyone around me seemed to feel that I wasn’t good enough, capable enough, or worthy enough… just because of my weight.

But they didn’t understand the war that went on inside of me! Of course I wanted to lose the weight. But I kept trying a failing.

And instead of them actually helping with their unsolicited commentaries, they created a complete hopelessness in me that took years to overcome.

But friend, I did overcome eventually.

One day I reached a breaking point. I don’t know what it was exactly, that made this day different than any other I’ve ever experienced. But I remember it like it was yesterday.

I walked through the front door of my tiny apartment after work. Closed the door behind me, dropped my bags on the floor, made my way to my room, and free fell onto my bed. And then, I sobbed.

I mean I cried like I have never cried before. It was that kind of cry that leaves you breathless. As I lie there taking a mental inventory of every negative word spewed at me over the years, the tears ran down the sides of my face and soaked the pillow.

Between gasps for air I whispered “I just can’t do this anymore…”

But the problem was… I had no idea what to do. Wouldn’t I have already done it, had I known? A cycle of defeat washed over me, and I’ll never forget it.

The Next Morning

After crying myself to sleep that night, I woke the next morning with an “enough is enough” spirit gently tugging inside of me.

Not determination, per se.

I wouldn’t even say it was an I’m-going-to-do-this-if-it’s-the-last-thing-I-do kind of thing.

It was more of a wow-I-never-want-another-night-like-that” kind of thing.

But as I climbed out of bed and made my way into the kitchen, I had a lightness on my shoulders. And a random thought that I didn’t know at the time would be the declaration for every single part of my weight-loss success story. I thought,

Hmm… Maybe I’ll try this for today.

That single thought still pops up today as I make my way toward my health goals.

But what was I talking about? I reached for the box of starter books on top of my fridge. A friend had given me hers when she was finished with them. And that day I tried tracking all my food.

It wasn’t nearly as challenging as I would have imagined it to be. I was elated to find out I could still eat the same foods I was already eating, only now I would eat more reasonable portion sizes, and could make trade-offs so that I could maximize each meal with foods I actually liked!

And the next day when I woke up, I said again, “Hmm… Maybe I’ll try this for today”

The Weight-Loss Rollercoaster Begins

I wish I could tell you that it was a fast and easy race to the finish. But then again, I don’t wish that.

My weight loss was slow and steady. I probably lost my first 100 pounds in about a year, which is awesome. But the sixty pounds after that, were a bit of a fight.

For some reason after losing those first 100 pounds, my mind started to wander, and I ventured into every diet imaginable. Instead of sticking to what I knew actually worked, (ya know – gradual and doable) I kept getting sidetracked into what I thought would give me a quick win.

What I learned is that any diet that promises a quick win, comes with an unspoken rule that ‘what goes down, comes back up just as fast or faster’ – the number on the scale, that is.

It was only when I reverted back to a healthy, gradual weight-loss mindset that I actually made progress. But I had to learn that the hard way.

Things got so out of balance. I’d eat like a rabbit one day, then I’d binge my favorite foods the next. The cycle left me feeling defeated, but also spun my body into confusion mode, which only hindered my weight loss.

Instead of being focused on making small, doable, healthy choices, I constantly felt like I was on a diet, but didn’t see any changes in my weight.

It sucked.

Quick-Win Weight Loss Facade

When people see my before and after snapshot it’s so easy for them to think it was a quick win. But while that first 100 pounds was fairly quick, my weight-loss success story is anything but quick.

It was a process. And the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that if I had just refused to try all those crazy crash diets, I’d have made progress much faster. Instead I had to travel “around the mountain” (if you will) over and over again.

I had to go through the process of learning that it’s not just about how much I eat, it’s about what I eat. It’s about learning to listen to my body, and most of all, finding balance. It’s about learning how to construct a meal that has everything I need to feel good, stay satisfied, and still make progress toward my health goals.

Tips From My Massive Weight Loss Journey

My Mindset On Weight Loss Today

Hind-sight is 20/20, that’s for sure. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t had to go through the massive struggle with my weight. But honestly, it has turned out for good. Not only for me, but for countless others who have benefited from my SimplyWell Slimmer In Six Weeks program.

If going through all of that, means that now I can help other people who struggle in the same way I have struggled, well then I’d say it’s worth it.

Today I’ve reached a weight/size that is comfortable for me. I’ve been slightly smaller than I am now, but the only thing I remember from being quite that small was a lack of energy and zero muscle mass. Which, to me, tells me it was a little too small for my particular body.

Today I eat healthier than I ever have (mind you, I don’t eat skimpier than I ever have, so that’s a major win)! I’m more fit and strong than I’ve ever been. And I have a better relationship with the girl in the mirror than I’ve ever had.

All bodies are different. The goal should never be to simply get as skinny as you can. We shouldn’t be tied to the scale. Sure, weight loss is a thing. It’s a goal we can have, and when we reach a healthy weight for our bodies, we will feel better.

But in my mind, weight loss is not (ever) motivated by looking a certain way or appeasing anyone’s expectations of what my body should be. It’s just not.

And considering my old mindset where this is concerned, that is a weight-loss success story in itself.

Why I’m Choosing To Love My Body As Is

What I Actually Eat

What would a weight-loss success story be without me telling you what I eat everyday?

Since people ask me all the time, I’ll tell you here! The number one thing I strive for with each meal, is a balance. I incorporate these four things into every meal, the best I can:

• Protein
• Fat
• Carbs
• Veggies

As a standalone, those don’t look that exciting, but when you put them together into a delicious meal like this delicious Easy Southwest Chicken Salad, you learn just how decadent and flavorful your meals can be.

Each of those sources of fuel works together to create a well-functioning body. When you put the four together your insides do a happy dance.

Over time you can learn how to reach for healthy versions of each, and you can experiment with pairing flavors and textures. It’s like a party in your mouth. 😉

So for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I eat some sort of concoction of those four main elements.

Then for snacks, I try to reach for whole, real food. Things like fruit, nuts, yogurt, cheese, raw veggies dipped in my delicious ranch dressing. I stick to these kinds of things instead of quick fixes like protein bars or pre-packaged treats from the vending machine.

By doing this, I feel more full for longer, and I fuel my body so I have more energy to live my life.

To get a better understanding of my daily meals, here’s a three-day quick start guide for weight loss.

Exercise In My Weight Loss Journey

Exercise used to be the afterthought to my health and fitness goals, but today I absolutely love it. I think that’s widely because I have found the type of exercise that I absolutely love.

I love it so much, in fact, that I have become more consistent in the last two years than I have ever been. Which is awesome because as a result of that consistency, I have watched my body composition change drastically.

But more importantly (to me, anyway) than that, I just feel so much better now that I am moving my body daily. And that just pulls me to keep on doing it.

A lot of people ask me where to begin when it comes to exercising and I just say to take the word “exercise” right out of the equation. Seriously. Take the pressure off.

What Exercise To Do When You Don’t Feel Like Exercising

Instead of coming up with some extensive workout regimen, or doing something drastic like joining a gym across town, start with simply moving your body a little more.

By doing this, you’ll truly feel better but you’ll also feel as though you want to keep up the momentum. Try asking yourself what you can do today to move a little more, today. Then do it!

When I was 336 pounds, I could barely exercise. The only thing I was physically capable of doing was going for a walk to the end of my street and back. It felt pointless. But now, 16 years later, I know better. It wasn’t pointless at all.

If I had never grabbed my sneakers and headed out the door that first time, I’d never be where I am today in my weight-loss success and my fitness level in general.

So just do what you can do.

How I Found My “Set-Point Weight”

If you’ve never heard of the set point theory, you can read more about it here. There are various thoughts on the topic, but I wholeheartedly believe that every body has a set point weight within which it’s comfortable staying.

For me, I think my body has undergone so much change over the course of my life, that it truly thrives when I simply maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle. That means eating very healthy about 80% of the time, and the other 20% of the time I’m not so stringent.

Once I got to the size I am right now, it took me a while to relax. I kept trying and trying to push the envelope and lose a little more, lose a little more. As I mentioned earlier, I did get down to a little smaller than I am now (maybe one dress size), but I felt week, had low energy, and had very little muscle mass.

Honestly, eventually I just stopped.

I realized I was constantly striving for, fighting for, pushing for… weight-loss. I asked myself how long I would keep trying to lose more weight, even though my body didn’t seem to want to lose any more weight. After all, I had lost a whopping 160 pounds!

I come from a built-big lineage. We’re all tall, and broad, and strong. Finally I started looking in the mirror, choosing to love what I see, and being happy with where I am today.

So now, I don’t weigh myself very often. I just try to be healthy, exercise almost daily, and strive for my health and fitness goals without being obsessed with a number on the scale.

Sure, my focus was a little different when I was in weight loss mode. I weighed myself weekly, and was specifically focused on losing weight. But at a certain point I had to stop striving for skinny and start fighting for strong.

You’ll probably come to that realization in your own weight-loss success story! None of us can stay in weight-loss mode forever. I mean, we can. But what fun is a life where weight-loss is forever at the forefront of your mind?

I was realizing that weight-loss was my constant goal. And when I finally switched that to “healthy and happy” instead, I truly found freedom. This allowed me to loosen my grip on my daily doings, and learn how to enjoy the things in life that matter so very very much.

Weight-Loss Success Story

Do you have a weight-loss success story? I’d love to hear about it! Join my Facebook group, or find me on Instagram!