I started my journey at 200lbs just coming off of an LDS Mission to Milan, Italy. It was the best thing I could have ever done for myself because I learned so much, but I love good food...good bread, good pastas...and I was SURROUNDED. I ate myself to 200lbs making a total gain of 50lbs in 17.5 months. I actually had to come home early because I had developed a food sensitivity to gluten
(and didn't know it) and was so sick that I couldn't do anything but sleep all day. When I came home, my family was SHOCKED at how large I had gotten and I knew, right then, I had to get my life and relationship with food...under control.
I didn't want to be afraid of food anymore. I didn't want to feel deprived. I didn't want to feel hungry even though I was eating SO MUCH. There was a time my mom found me crying on her bedroom floor because I had already eaten quite a bit but was still so hungry that my stomach hurt...and I didn't know why. After some searching and joining WW, I found that breads HAVE to be limited for me. Bread does something weird where if I have more than like 2 servings a day...my brain signals that I am still hungry...hungry as if I hadn't eaten anything all day. It's strange...I don't know why it happens, but I have it under control now and I am no longer hungry :) Anyway, joining WW got me down 20lbs after I had lost 20lbs just being home and in my own environment again, but then I was stuck. I wanted to reach 155lbs SO BADLY, the very top of my WW lifetime qualification, but I couldn't EVER get lower than 163lbs. It just wouldn't budge. So I would give up! I figured I would ALWAYS be big and if I wanted to be 150lbs again (what I was BEFORE I went on my mission) I would have to do it the way I did, which was unhealthy, unsafe, and NOT recommended. I got married, I got pregnant 8 mos later, had fetal surgery, and delivered my baby boy 8 weeks later.
I was among the lucky few that actually LOST weight during my pregnancy and found myself at 148lbs. I figured that I could just maintain that...but I didn't know how, and the weight slowly crept back. My mother-in-law encouraged me to join WW because I was looking into other quick fix diets out there because I was SO LOST. Fine, fine...I re-joined WW and because they didn't realize that I had already MADE goal, I had to work to lose 5 MORE pounds to make Lifetime.
I eventually made Lifetime as I transitioned to working for WW as a meeting leader. I never officially received Lifetime status, so my work kinda felt like it got swept under the rug. But I didn't let it discourage me because becoming a leader CHANGED MY LIFE. And I was benefitting SO MUCH because I was helping other people, which, in turn, helped me. So I set a goal for myself...First to work to 148lbs. Made it. Okay, maybe I can make it to 145lbs. Made it. What?! Can I lose more to make it to 143lbs? I haven't seen that number since my junior year in high school AFTER having mono for 8 weeks! 143lbs...Made it. Alright, Camille...Let's see what you can do and give yourself 7 weeks to get to 135 lbs flat. I want to be 135lbs by February 13, 2016.
When I had that determination, I was able to have NOTHING hold me back. I was dropping weight like crazy! From January 7 to February 15, I lost 8.4 pounds and reached my goal of 135.0lbs this morning. ALL WHILE STILL EATING THE FOOD YOU HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT!!
My friends, I believe in you! YOU CAN believe in yourself, but until you do, lean on me! I KNOW you can do this, and you CAN find the tools you need to help yourself accomplish things you NEVER thought possible.
I'm grateful to the person in my Before picture. Without her desire to become better, get help, and discover even more knowledge about health and fitness...I wouldn't be a WW Leader and I wouldn't be here...where I am today. Confident. Strong. Happy. And ready to give back to everyone I know!
The pictures you are about to see I actually have FULL BLOWN in my WW Leader binder to show members that I have been where they are. I am just now on the top of my mountain looking down...now reaching out to lift others up so THEY can be atop their mountain too. A man who joined WW today saw these pictures and told me who couldn't believe how great I look. Um, thank you? He went on to say that he couldn't believe WW got me to where I am today...I look like a person who has NEVER had problems with food.
Just take a seat buddy, have I got a story for you :)
At the top is me, June 1, 2012, at 200lbs. On the bottom is me, February 15, 2016, at 135lbs.
I am so grateful that the 23 year old girl on the left loved herself enough to get help, learn more, and DO something about her state of being.
Thank you, Camille Bowman, for loving me enough to push me to be the best me. Thanks to your desire to change, I, Camille Laycock, stand now 65 pounds lighter and full of life, love, and confidence.
I am full.
To all you who are still climbing, remember, it's one reach at a time, one step at a time. My hand's out there to help you up. You are NOT alone.
Success ahead,
Camille
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