SUCCESS STORY / Jennaveve St. Claire, 37: From 250 pounds to 140 pounds
Former weight: 250 pounds
Current weight: 140 pounds
Pounds lost: 110 pounds
Height: 5 feet 9 inches
Age: 37 years
How long she's kept it off: "My ultimate journey began in 2014 when I finally accepted the fact I had a serious problem with food," St. Claire said. "I joined a support group that taught me a lot about why my relationship with food was the way it was. However, I wasn't completely ready to surrender to the suggestions on how to get better until July of 2017. … It took about 10 months to lose."
Personal life: "I'm a single mother of a 12-year-old daughter," St. Claire said. "… I'm a licensed massage therapist in school to finish obtaining my license as an esthetician."
Turning point: "I've tried everything and nothing has worked. I've learned, though, that I cannot blame those programs. I had to get honest with myself and look at why they weren't working," St. Claire said. "… My solution to everything was always to turn to the food. When life was bad, when it was good — the answer was always food. God spoke to me and told me that food had become an idol in my life and that the only way I would find healing is if I surrendered the food and sought him instead. The thought of giving up my food as a comfort was horrifying. I had no idea what was awaiting me. It was going to be very uncomfortable, as all change is. … But it's been life-changing."
Diet plan: "Strictly no sugar, flours or extra quantities," St. Claire said. "Everything was measured; meals were eaten three times a day with nothing in between."
Exercise routine: "I did light walking. … I actually did no excessive exertion," St. Claire said. "I believe that weight loss takes a tremendous amount of energy from the body, as it is essentially healing itself. … I've added in Jazzercise and weight training, and I find it is so much easier with a 140-pound body."
Biggest challenge: "Getting started is always the hard part, especially when you are eliminating sugar and flour," St. Claire said. "It took me quite a few times to eliminate it completely, as old habits die very hard."
How life has changed: "Everything else has changed. Not only my body, but my mind," St. Claire said. "… I have a new relationship with my daughter, family and friends. … I am completing things such as school and other personal goals … by focusing on the spiritual side. There's been an inner transformation that's unexplainable. … If you feel you are battling an addiction to food, I would encourage you to find a group of others who can relate. Shame, guilt and isolation are the painful consequences of addictive eating. We feel no one understands, and the pain of cutting ourselves off from the world only perpetuates the cycles further."
Share Your Success: Each week, Success Stories focuses on an individual’s unique weight loss journey. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution does not endorse any specific weight loss program but includes names and links for the benefit of readers who want further information. Have you lost weight successfully with a healthy lifestyle change? If you would like to share your story with our readers, please include your email address, phone number, and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG), and contact us at: Success Stories, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or email Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
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