Sabra Collins

My weight loss story begins way back as a teenager. I was always the “bigger girl” at school, with the outgoing personality. When I was 16 I came to the realization that if I didn’t do something to change the way I was eating I was destined to be big the rest of my life. I was never going to be able to eat the way my girlfriends ate and expect to be thin. On my own I started moving more and eating less, I was able to lose about 20 lbs. To this day I’m not really sure how I did it. I had a very basic knowledge of proper diet and exercise and the benefits from them.

I did get married and shortly after got pregnant. At this time my husband was playing football for Idaho State University and I was the supportive wife watching his games and attending college. I became so supportive that I would sit and eat with him and I would eat as much as he did. I was using the excuse, “I’m eating for two.” The day our son Tyler was born I topped the scales at 206 lbs. I think they would have recruited me to play on the team if I hadn’t been recovering from childbirth.

We had another child 20 months later, a baby girl, and I was still struggling with my weight, trying to out eat my husband. I knew I needed to make some drastic changes or I was going to be heavy and miserable the rest of my life. I started attending fitness classes and shortly after became a fitness instructor. Over the course of about 2 years I was able to finally get off the excess baby weight. Since then I have had two more children and have had the opportunity of teaching fitness classes all over the Treasure Valley. Although I teach several fitness classes a week and have a greater knowledge of nutrition and exercise than ever before, I still could not get the last 15-20 lbs. off. There have even been times when I have actually gained weight with all the exercise I do.

Last summer my daughter got married and this was one of those times when I had wanted to look my best and didn’t. I had tried everything I knew to do and could not lose that last 15 lbs. I was living at the gym even taking on extra classes. The wedding came and went and by November I was extremely discouraged by my current weight. I started the Take Shape for Life program the first week of November and by the first week of December I had lost 15 lbs. In that short month I learned more about health and nutrition than I had in my whole life. I have been able to keep the weight off and maintain it because I have changed my way of thinking and recognized it’s not all about exercise.

At 43 years old I have never been so healthy and felt so confident in the way I look and feel. Life is full of challenges and trials, many of which we have no control over. Your health if one thing you do have control over, isn’t it time? Don’t waste another day, start living your best self today.

*Results not typical. You should not expect to experience these results. Typical weight loss on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan is up to 2 to 5 lbs per week.