Losing weight isn't always a linear journey. Often, you'll encounter setbacks, but pushing forward is important as Dennis Heaney can attest. The 46-year-old New Yorker was a lifelong athlete until the stress of working two jobs kept him from the gym. After reaching 325 pounds, Heaney found his way back to fitness and is now a part-time personal trainer. This is his story.The Basics:Weight at my heaviest: 325 lbsCurrent weight: 242 lbsTotal weight loss: 110 lbsHeight: 6'2"Age: 46Lives in: Wantagh, New YorkGrowing up, Heaney was an all-around athlete who played baseball, basketball, and football. For each day of January, we’ll spotlight a new story of physical and mental transformation. Click here for more. . "The gym was a huge part of my life. I got married at a young age, 23, [and the] responsibility to support a wife and a daughter kicked in. I neglected myself in order to provide the best life I could for my family. That included stopping my physical activity. This led … [Read more...] about This Man Dropped 110 Pounds and Is Now a Personal Trainer
I lost 40 pounds in 2 months
‘I Lost 60 Pounds While Still Eating Chocolate’
Ready to change your life and body? Start with this beginner-friendly routine from Prevention’s new Fit After 40! DVD program with Natalie Jill.Natalie Jill will never forget something she saw nearly 10 years ago that prompted a giant realization: her own reflection in a store window. Hit with multiple life stressors that year—job loss, a divorce, and pregnancy—Jill had sunk into a depression and, like many of us, turned to food for comfort. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below “I ate lots of fast food and junk, and wasn’t active,” recalls Jill. The result was a 60-pound weight gain—50 pounds of pregnancy weight plus 10 in addition—leaving her feeling unhealthy, overwhelmed, and even more stressed out.That day, as she was taking her newborn daughter for a walk, her own image looking back at her from the glass was shocking. She’d always been fit before, and “the person I saw, with all those bulges and things sagging, was … [Read more...] about ‘I Lost 60 Pounds While Still Eating Chocolate’
This Guy Got Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery, and Went on to Lose 170 Pounds in 8 Months
Hunter Croteau is still getting used to his new body. After all, the 20-year-old recently went through one of the most stunning physical and mental changes humanly possible: In just eight months, he's dropped an astonishing 170 pounds with the help of weight loss surgery.Croteau grew up in a duplex with his parents on one side and his grandmother and step-grandfather, Joseph, on the other. Because his parents worked several jobs to support the family, Croteau spent a great deal of time with his grandparents. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below “They took me to the doctor as a kid,” Croteau said of his time with his grandparents. “My doctor said I was a little bit underweight, and said they needed to start putting rice in my bottle once a day. They didn't hear the 'once a day' part, so they were giving me rice all the time, and ended up having me gain a ton of weight.” Hunter's weight gain started when he was young and continued into his teenage years. … [Read more...] about This Guy Got Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery, and Went on to Lose 170 Pounds in 8 Months
Mom, dad, daughter and son-in-law each lost 100 pounds – Here’s how
David and Sarah Bentley don't mind saying this: They look better today than they did on their wedding day nearly nine years ago – and so do Sarah's parents, Steve and Debbie Hoffman. All four were overweight on that momentous occasion, and continued to gain weight for several years afterward. The Hoffmans said they were fooled into thinking that the processed "health" foods they were eating were good for them. Four years ago, Steve weighed 400 pounds; his wife, 270 pounds. The Bentleys pushed into a life that would include two children. "We were the eat-out, take-out people. We never cooked," said Sarah, who weighed as much as her mom when she decided in early 2014 that enough was enough. Her husband weighed nearly 350 pounds. Each of the four Western New York family members has since dropped at least 100 pounds – 447 pounds in all. They used a program called Advocare to shed weight, and recently were featured in the company's 25th anniversary issue magazine. Advocare is a … [Read more...] about Mom, dad, daughter and son-in-law each lost 100 pounds – Here’s how
‘I Wanted Abs To Prove My Cyberbully Wrong—But I Gained So Much More Than That’
By Gabrielle Bokat as told to Rachael Schultz Jun 12, 2018 Courtesy of Gabrielle Dawn I continued to work out throughout my pregnancy, but still managed to gain 47 pounds. It’s totally normal to put weight on when pregnant, but considering that I’m only 5'2", that was a lot more than expected. So after my son was born, I was anxious to get my body in shape, and feel like myself again. The only problem: I just couldn’t find the drive or motivation to stick with anything at that time, whether it was breastfeeding or exercising. Despite entering the greatest phase of my life—motherhood—I was struggling deep inside.Like most new moms, I posted pictures of everyday moments with my son—from his baptism to just the cute things babies do. A lot of the time, I was in these pictures as well, but avoided being front and center. One day, though, I saw there was a new DM in my inbox. It was filled with nasty comments from a family member’s … [Read more...] about ‘I Wanted Abs To Prove My Cyberbully Wrong—But I Gained So Much More Than That’