This week I’m privileged to introduce you to a woman whose story just makes me smile. Stephanie Magrisso has lost over 110 pounds, and she’s still working toward her goal weight.
She may be struggling with a weight plateau, but she’s smiling every step of the way thanks to her motivational techniques, including the life lesson she learned by watching Ellen Degeneres. This is Stephanie’s true weight loss story.
Fat has just always been my life.
Stephanie’s struggle with weight started when she was too young to realize there was a problem, but the bullying and name-calling by her peers quickly caught her attention. As a child, she admits eating too many TV dinners and McDonalds meals. When she was old enough to make her own decisions, she became an emotional eater and presumed the destiny of her weight would be determined by genetics, since she had family members who were also overweight.
Having someone I could relate to made a huge difference
A new friend entered Stephanie’s life and made an immediate impact on her. “I met one of my now best friends. While she was nowhere near as overweight as I was, she had some weight to lose, and she did. Suddenly I had a friend I could talk to about it, who really understood the struggle.”
Instead of relying on one diet to achieve her goals, Stephanie found several techniques that not only helped her lose weight, but also kept her in the right frame of mind.
Stephanie’s Weight Loss Arsenal:
- Getting a puppy – Puppies can walk for miles – so she did!
- The South Beach Diet – Helped her learn how to eat.
- Watching The Biggest Loser – Kept her motivated and inspired.
- Reading Bob Harper’s book, “Are You Ready,” which Stephanie describes as a, “life changer.”
- Joining a gym – She found and fell in love with water aerobics.
- Watching Ellen Degeneres – “I truly believe that a healthy dose of laughter and kindness does wonders for our mental well being. A healthy mind is key to a healthy life.”
Stephanie’s “ah-ha” moment: Trying “normal sized jeans.” She cried in the dressing room because she was so happy.
Biggest Struggle: Getting out of her own way.
Stephanie’s future goal: Making it to “onederland.” “I don’t ever remember weighing under 200 pounds and it’s something I want.”
Advice she’d give to others: “Just keep swimming. You’re going to have great days and horrible days. Just know that everyday is a new day to start again. Make one choice at a time. If it’s the wrong one, make sure your next one is the right one! It’s so easy to dwell on what we do wrong. Just focus on what you’ve done right! Find friends to exercise with and seek community (whether it be a weight loss group or online forum) where you can find others that understand, lift you up and encourage you.”
Also Read:
Crystal Rowell Lost 90 Pounds After She was Bedridden for 7 Months
75 New Vegan Recipes in Oh She Glows Cookbook
The Ellen Degeneres Happiness Diet