She Started Running With the Couch to 5K App, and Is Stronger and More Confident Than Ever

Growing up, I had always been referred to as “heavy,” “chubby,” and “big-boned.” I was very athletic and was involved with competitive swimming, volleyball, softball, and marching band from a young age through high school. However, my relationship with food was never a good one. Although my family always provided balanced meals, sugar-laden and high-carb foods and drinks were always available. And they were my downfall. In college, I tried to change, but I had no idea what I was doing. I basically starved myself for a while, and that resulted in binges and weight gain instead of weight loss. I tried portion control, but I didn’t have the willpower. I tried WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and counting points, but I couldn’t keep up. Finally, I just gave up and didn’t think much about it again until I met my now-husband in graduate school. He had lost a significant amount of weight with the South Beach Diet, and he was maintaining that lifestyle. So I jumped on board and lost about 30 pounds before we got married. A couple years later, we moved, began careers in education, settled down, and planted our roots. Then along came a baby, and I gave myself permission to ditch the South Beach Diet—that’s when my weight gain got pretty out of control. I thought the weight would come off after the baby was born, but it was harder than ever! [View in Browser]( [Runner's World Logo]( [SHOP]( [RW+ EXCLUSIVES]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [She Started Running With the Couch to 5K App, and Is Stronger and More Confident Than Ever]( [She Started Running With the Couch to 5K App, and Is Stronger and More Confident Than Ever]( Growing up, I had always been referred to as “heavy,” “chubby,” and “big-boned.” I was very athletic and was involved with competitive swimming, volleyball, softball, and marching band from a young age through high school. However, my relationship with food was never a good one. Although my family always provided balanced meals, sugar-laden and high-carb foods and drinks were always available. And they were my downfall. In college, I tried to change, but I had no idea what I was doing. I basically starved myself for a while, and that resulted in binges and weight gain instead of weight loss. I tried portion control, but I didn’t have the willpower. I tried WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and counting points, but I couldn’t keep up. Finally, I just gave up and didn’t think much about it again until I met my now-husband in graduate school. He had lost a significant amount of weight with the South Beach Diet, and he was maintaining that lifestyle. So I jumped on board and lost about 30 pounds before we got married. A couple years later, we moved, began careers in education, settled down, and planted our roots. Then along came a baby, and I gave myself permission to ditch the South Beach Diet—that’s when my weight gain got pretty out of control. I thought the weight would come off after the baby was born, but it was harder than ever! [Read More]( [Want to Have a Long Running Career Like Nick Willis? Here’s What to Focus On]( [Want to Have a Long Running Career Like Nick Willis? Here’s What to Focus On]( On New Year's Eve, the two-time Olympic medalist from New Zealand narrowly missed breaking 4 minutes in the mile for the 20th year in a row. [Read More](   [The Benefits of Meditation for Runners, Supported by Research]( [The Benefits of Meditation for Runners, Supported by Research]( If you’re thinking about adding meditation to your routine, consider this your reason to start. [Read More]( [Improve Your Posture and Arm Swing With This Back and Biceps Workout]( [Improve Your Posture and Arm Swing With This Back and Biceps Workout]( These are the six moves you need to build upper body strength. [Read More]( [This Runner Won All Four Races at the Disney Marathon Weekend—While Dressed As Disney Characters]( [This Runner Won All Four Races at the Disney Marathon Weekend—While Dressed As Disney Characters]( Brittany Charboneau channeled Inside Out, Frozen, and 101 Dalmations on her way to becoming the first person to ever accomplish the feat. [Read more](   [8 Best Mattresses That’ll Make You Want to Sleep In]( [8 Best Mattresses That’ll Make You Want to Sleep In]( Your New Year's resolution for 2022? A whole lot of R&R in these cozy beds. [Read More]( RW SHOP The Latest from the Runner's World Collection [Shop Now]( [Shop Now]( [Shop Now]( [RUN 2022 Wall Calendar Up to 40% Off (runs 11/25-11/29)]( Follow Us [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Notice/Notice at Collection]( RunnersWorld.com ©2022 Hearst Magazines, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019