10 inspiring health success stories
It’s a new year, and the potential for transformation is endless! If you’re looking to make a positive change in your own life this year and need a little motivation or inspiration… look no further. Here are 10 incredible success stories shared by people from our community.
1. Janice Balmer discovered that to her, wellness means quality of life. “One night when I was getting dressed to go dancing with friends, I literally had the ‘Aha’ moment that people talk about. I couldn’t find anything to wear, I burst into tears… miserable… and it was that moment that I told myself, ‘I’m not going to be the fat girl anymore. I’m going to be healthy.’” The very next day, Janice began a quest towards better health.
2.Dover Township senior, Ed Gleason, clocked 20,000 miles on his stationary bike. “Average people don’t do what I do,” he said. “Young ones don’t do what I do.”
3. Husband and wife, Willie and Angela Gillis, beat fat together! At their heaviest, Willie and Angela weighed 492 and 338 pounds, respectively. But, as of February 2013, Willie has lost 300 lbs and Angela has lost 200 lbs. “It also helped that we had each other. We could have done with out each other, but it made it easier to have someone standing by your side experiencing the same thoughts and feelings as you.”
“It strengthened our relationship and really solidified us a power team.”
4. Sean Anderson shares, “I was a 500 pound husband and father and that meant serious limitations to not just my quality of life, but also my family’s quality of life. I was about to lose my job and even more sad, my family. I made an iron-clad decision to choose change.”
5. Dancer Marie Cleaves Rothacker discovered that “The essence of dance is joy,” after teaching dance to individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.
6. After losing 75 pounds in a year, Peg Bradford turned to the web to offer support, tips, and encouragement to others on their own journey towards wellness. Lives are changing… one step at a time. Learn about her story and her fast-growing Steps to Good Health Facebook support group.
7. Mike Silvestri shares, “When I was asked what motivates me to run, I thought the reasons would be fairly easy to jot down. They weren’t. Sure, I could write about weight loss, and being fit, but that’s only a part of why I run. For me, motivation changes, morphs, and then changes again.”
8. Roller derby is more than just a sport. It’s about building strength, confidence, better health and friendship together as a team.
9. Trisha Mackey shares, “I was tired, sick, and sad all the time. I had no energy. I watched my kids play from the sidelines yet I pushed them to be in sports and be active. What kind of mother was I that didn’t walk the walk, so to speak? I was 220 lbs and did not like where I had led myself. It hit me that I was the only person that could get myself on the road to a healthier me. That instant I said out loud: ‘I believe in ME.'”
10. Tommy Tran shares, “Something needed to change, and it needed to change quickly. That was the point were I told myself that things would be different.” Read his transformation story and follow his FitBit video blog.
These are just 10 of the numerous stories that have been shared with this project in 2013. You can check all of the success stories out at our interactive wall.
And, we invite you to share your own success story with us here.
