Success Story — Cassandra's Story: She Lost 75 Pounds!

The last time anyone called me skinny, I was about 7 or 8 years old. Because I grew up in a family that was overweight, and have a lung condition that gave me an excuse to avoid physical activity, I slowly began embracing my curves. I decided that I was meant to be a little bigger — I was fat and pretending to be happy about it. I went on that way until 2005, when my whole world crashed: My mother died at the age of 50. She suffered from congestive heart failure, combined with decades of severe depression that stemmed from her difficult childhood. Before she passed, she avoided relationships and activities, hiding her inner torment behind her own obesity for decades, until the emotional and physical damage on her heart proved too much to bear. She took her life by her own hand, with an overdose of pain pills, wanting to drift away peacefully instead of painfully. I was only 20 at the time, and was completely devastated.

After her death, I felt abandoned and I fell into a severe depression that mimicked hers. I would hide away on the couch, tucked under her old blankets. I would cry over the shows we used to watch together, and I would indulge in “comfort” foods. I knew the pounds were stacking up as I continued to torture myself over my mother’s death, but I tried my best to ignore it. I saw a psychologist for therapy and was prescribed several different antidepressants. Nothing seemed to work — and the weight continued to creep up. I also started having agonizing knee pain and was diagnosed with chondromalacia patella, which is deterioration of the cartilage of the knees — in my case, a hereditary condition that was exacerbated by the excessive weight on my joints. My orthopedic surgeon warned me that I’d have early onset of arthritis and might need surgery unless I lost weight — every pound lost would remove seven pounds of pressure from my knees. During this time, I also discovered a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart attacks, and congestive heart failure.

Enough was enough! I didn’t want to die at a young age from conditions that were preventable. I decided to make my own choice to turn my life around, just as my mother had made her own choice to end hers. I had come to respectfully accept that my mother set herself free — and I was finally ready to free myself of my inner turmoil by becoming a happier, healthier me because, as Denise says, “I’m worth it!” I enrolled in a wellness program at work and was blessed to have a nurse willing to support me on my long journey. I also had to take a physical education credit to graduate from college, so I enrolled in an abs class. My best friend also committed to doing Denise’s Pilates for Every Body DVD with me on the days I didn’t have class. I started watching what I ate and gave up fast food, fried food, and anything I couldn’t consider to be part of my new, healthy lifestyle. This was not a diet; it was a promise to myself to change my life for the better, to be healthier, and to live longer!

Denise’s program became a stress-relieving, depression-alleviating, challenging outlet for me, and the weight and burdens began to melt away. I started seeing results in the first few weeks. My clothes were a little looser, and I saw a major difference in my face, waistline, and thighs. When I completed my abs class, I had lost 26 pounds and fit into a beautiful dress for graduation that was three sizes smaller than my usual size. With the excitement of graduation and the start of a new career, I hit a plateau. To get through it, I ordered three more of Denise’s DVDs to vary my workouts.

I now set mini goals and reward myself with new workout equipment or outfits, and I order workout DVDs when I reach a plateau (I now own 15 Denise Austin videos because of all my accomplishments!). When I reached my goal of losing 50 pounds, I converted a room in my apartment into my own personal gym, with plenty of space to work out comfortably with my friends. I love all my Denise workouts, but The Daily Dozen remains one of my absolute favorites — the simple 12-minute workouts offer an assortment of challenges, from kickboxing to toning to aerobics to the relaxing yoga stretches. I find myself enjoying the challenge so much that I’ll do the DVD all the way through. The daily Morning Stretch With Denise Austin newsletters and Deniseologies also continue to encourage me with amazing recipes, motivational answers to everyday questions, and general words of wisdom from Denise.

I’m extremely proud to say that with the help of Denise Austin, I’ve been able to beat depression, truly “commit to being fit,” and have found a healthier, happier me! I’ve now lost a total of 75 pounds! I’ve dropped eight pants sizes, and my BMI is down to 24.3, which is well within the normal range for my height. I’ve also eliminated any need for surgery on my knees, and the pain is completely gone! I’m truly an active person now, and I love working out for at least an hour every day. I’ve also found that fitness is much more fun when you can share it with a friend, so I've gotten several of my friends on board. These days, more and more people compliment me as “skinny.” My friends even changed my old high school nickname from Big Mama Cass to Li'l Mama Cass! People constantly tell me that they barely recognize me because it seems as if I’ve lost a whole person. I’ve even had people tell me that I “glow” now, and I know it’s because I’ve completely transformed myself into a happier, healthier person. The most amazing compliment I received was from my family and closest friends, who were with me every step of the way — they told me how proud my mom would be. That means more to me than any number on a scale! To me, it’s a second chance at a more fulfilling life and promising future.

SECRET TO SUCCESS: My best advice for others is that they realize that anyone can be happier and healthier. It’s about living longer and being a better person inside and out, not fad diets or promises about bikinis. Eating right and being active is a lifelong commitment that is well worth it. Focus on your health rather than your appearance, because being healthier is what makes you sexier!

More DeniseAustin.com Success Stories:
Jody's Story: She Lost 174 Pounds!

*Weight loss varies by individual. You may not achieve these results.