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This grandmother managed to lose 116 pounds of overweight. She can now carry her grandchildren on her lap

2022-12-22T05:06:21.668Z


Angie Estes, a 53-year-old teacher in Texas, weighed 294 pounds just a year ago. Her doctor told her that she had to take action, so she cut her calories and started a strict exercise routine.


By Stephanie Thurrott -

Today

A year and a half ago, Angie Estes, 53, weighed 294 pounds and was told by her doctor that she needed to take action.

“He warned me that within 10 years I would have many more health problems.

My life expectancy would not be that long and I would probably have heart problems,” she says.

Estes has four children and two grandchildren.

"I had to do something.

I was not going to be able to play with my grandchildren on the floor or live to see them grow up

.

Being overweight was already causing her health problems.

She had suffered from high blood pressure since she was 30 years old, and it got worse every time.

She had heart problems, reflux, and sleep apnea.

In addition, she suffered from complexes about her weight:

She would enter a room and she could imagine everyone thinking she was fat.

Or if I sat in a pew at church, it took up a lot of space and I thought that others were uncomfortable because of me.”

Angie Estes suffered from health problems.Angie Estes via Today

That conversation with her doctor motivated her to turn her life around.

She had been on a diet since she was 20 years old, but she lost weight and gained weight again.

But this time she made sustainable lifestyle changes that are working for her.

She now weighs 178 pounds and her goal is to lose another 15-20 pounds.

His health has drastically improved

Angie has not only lost weight, but has also achieved other important victories:

  • His blood pressure has dropped and he takes fewer medications.

  • You do not need pills for reflux or stomach problems.

    The only medications she takes are vitamins and thyroid medication, since her thyroid has been removed.

  • You no longer need a CPAP machine to treat your sleep apnea.

  • He says he feels "wonderful"

    .

    She hasn't been sick or needed to see her doctor since she lost a significant amount of weight, other than regular visits.

  • You no longer have to go to the cardiologist every three or four months.

  • Her clothing size has dropped from 3XL to M and she can wear her 16-year-old daughter's clothes.

Now Estes can wear his 16-year-old daughter's clothes.Angie Estes via Today

But how did you change your diet?

Estes knew he was overeating, so he started paying attention to his portion sizes.

“I was probably eating 3,500 calories a day.

I wasn't concentrating on what I was consuming,” she says.

“I ate what I wanted and everything I wanted.

So I reduced my portion sizes considerably.

I started eating half.

Cutting calories made him hungry at first, but he learned that adding more protein to his diet would keep pangs at bay.

She started eating more protein-rich foods, such as boiled eggs and chicken.

“I think my body got used to it and now I'm not hungry between meals,” she says.

Constancy is what Estes believes has helped him the most.

“I can't change my diet and stop when I lose weight.

This is for the rest of my life.

I knew that I had to learn to eat normal foods and in the proportions that would help me not to gain weight again, ”he says.

You continue to eat many of the foods you like, but less and less often.

“I know that if I want something, I could fill myself with five or six other things, but I would still want what I want.

So instead of depriving myself, I just eat a couple of bites."

Estes also now recognizes that one snack or meal that isn't a “healthy” choice doesn't have to derail your entire eating plan.

“Before, when I ate something that I thought I shouldn't eat, I would give up,” he says.

"Now I know I'm not going to get back everything I lost from eating that one thing."

Estes now has nutrition swap ideas.

Angie Estes via Today

These healthier alternative foods have contributed to the success

  • Cauliflower rice instead of white rice

  • Zucchini or whole grain noodles instead of pasta.

  • Low-carb or low-calorie bread instead of white bread

  • Spray butter instead of stick butter

Estes also drinks water with meals, as it helps her feel full:

"I try to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day, and that's been quite a challenge."

The woman plateaued after losing about 70 pounds (18 kilos), and her doctor suggested she try the Weight Watchers weight-loss program.

“I had done Weight Watchers many times in the past, and I didn't stick with it, but this year I stuck with it, and I started to see the pounds come off again.”

She uses her Apple Watch and apps to track his food and water intake, as well as his physical activity. 

Estes tracks your food and water intake and your activitiesAngie Estes via Today

Increase physical exercise

At first, Estes couldn't walk more than 10 or 15 minutes and didn't think it was enough to make a difference.

But he realized that walking for 10 or 15 minutes was better than doing nothing.

She began walking in the afternoons in her North Texas neighborhood after coming home from her job as a General Educational Development (GED) test teacher for adults.

She often talks to her mom or dad on the phone as she walks, which helps the time pass quickly.

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Little by little, Estes added time to his walks, and when he was able to walk a mile, he began trying to walk faster to get his heart rate up.

At first, he would walk a mile in 21 minutes.

Now you can cover that distance in less than 16 minutes.

He has bought a treadmill to be able to do it inside the house when the weather is bad.

In addition to his walks, he likes to take steps throughout the day, totaling at least 10,000.

Estes has increased his rate of physical activity.Angie Estes via Today

accept weight loss

Estes is delighted with the improvement in her health and energy levels.

But she continues to have physical and emotional problems.

She feels self-conscious about the loose skin that now hangs over her and will probably be removed at some point.

She also says her mind hasn't caught up with her new body weight: "I keep looking overweight and feeling like I need to lose a lot more."

She regrets being so overweight when her children were young, but is glad to be healthier for her grandchildren.

“I can sit on the ground and run with them.

They can sit on my lap

.

I didn't have a lap for my kids because my belly was too big, but now when I hold my grandkids in my arms, I don't have that problem.

That's exciting to me."




Source: telemundo

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