'Before My 113-Lb. Weight Loss, I Lived On McDonald's Burgers And Chinese Takeout'
The basics: I’m Chancie Petty and I’m from East Texas. I’m 29, and I am a full-time fireman’s wife and stay at home mama of three boys. After my lifestyle was negatively impact my relationships, I knew I had to make a change—and I've now lost 113 pounds to date.
At the end of 2017, I was 250 pounds. Wow. How did I get there? I can remember pretty clearly the nights of binge eating and crying into my pillow. The days where the couch became my morning-to-night routine, which included mom-ing in zombie mode from the sofa.
Food was a daily struggle. It became my poison. My husband was in the Army, and I went through deployments as a military wife. I went through my pregnancies alone. Food was the one thing that was always there. It became the kryptonite that consumed me and who I was. I wasn’t happy with myself, and that attitude pervaded all aspects of my life. I was in a downward spiral.
I woke up on January 1, 2018, after a night of putting my feelings into a bottle.
Without going into too much detail, I had pushed away my family and everyone away that cared for me and realized that, in damaging those relationships with my behavior, I successfully ruined the little bit of good that I had left. So, I got out of bed that morning and decided that I would start picking up what life I had left and working for everything I wanted to be.
Before starting my journey I would eat my meals from to-go boxes or anything quick. I'd eat everything from McDonald’s burgers to Chinese takeout to pasta. And did I say French fries?! French fries were my favorite food. But I would eat whatever would fill me up quick. I was lazy and didn’t care about what I was putting into my body.
So I focused first on eating smarter and started learning about the nutrition aspect of my food and also how food made me feel.
I describe my eating habits now as mindful eating. I believe we are meant to eat to live, not to live to eat. I also believe that it’s totally okay to treat yourself and not let your diet prevent you from living and making memories. It’s about having the journey become a part of your current life.
Here’s what I typically eat in a day now:
Breakfast: Fruit! Apples, blueberries, oranges, bananas. I fit a fruit salad into a cereal bowl.
Lunch: 6 oz. of steak/chicken/eggs (any lean source of protein) and grilled veggies.
Snacks: Almonds, avocado with a rice cake, cucumbers, edamame, or Brussels sprouts.
Dinner: Lean ground turkey and veggies with a sprinkle of feta cheese, honey, and lime.
Dessert: Apples, blueberries, or Greek yogurt with chocolate Stevia syrup.
After I lost my first 50 pounds, I started walking and doing yoga, and then I began dancing again.
I didn’t start working out right away. For the first five months I just concentrated on my food goals and changing my mental outlook.
But dancing had always been my passion, so I started going live on my Instagram @Chancieraefit and showing that side of me. I dabble in a few different fitness routines, but I always go back to my home workout space and do me.
I have lost 113 pounds in 12 months—and I feel free.
I don’t live behind anything or anyone anymore, and I finally get to be the woman I've been hiding.
I didn't realize that this would be an entire overhauling of my life when I started. I honestly thought it was too late to be great and that I’d always end up starting over. But I can't say enough how drastically this journey has improved every aspect of my life. My marriage is thriving and I have my family back. I am able to live new adventures. I am able to leave anything else that’s not good for me behind with confidence.
Was it easy? No. I had to make the choice daily to stick with my goals. I also had to be realistic with myself. I knew I wouldn't be perfect with food or exercise every day. But over time, I learned the situations that were most likely to cause me setbacks so I could better plan for and anticipate them.
For more amazing beauty, fitness, and weight loss transformations, check out the rest of our Transformations Week collection.
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