Elizabeth now and then. What an inspiring transformation!

Read this inspiring story from fit mom featured blogger, Elizabeth, and learn how she transformed her life. Follow Elizabeth on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram (@mommyweighless) and subscribe for updates from her blog, mommyweighless.blogspot.com.

I grew up in a southern home, where everything was deep-fried and overly sweet. It was a delicious childhood, and a fat one. I was always a chunky child, not too overweight, but overweight enough. I spent a lot of time outdoors, but never really exercised. I learned my horrible eating habits from my family, and because they were all so heavy, felt small enough to think I did not have a weight issue. I could not have been more unhealthy or more wrong. I inherited their bad habits, and weight.

After the birth of my daughter in 2011, I gained weight. I did not think it was anything to be concerned about. When I went to the doctor for a physical she told me I was 231 pounds and obese at my height of five foot seven. I was mortified, sat in her office and cried like a baby. I never thought I was obese, and that day sitting there in that office I decided to change my life. I decided I did not want to be 40, obese with diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart conditions like everyone else in my family. I want to be 40, healthy and fit!

I started small by replacing sweets with fruits, bad carbs like white bread for whole grain, and cut out all soda. Just by cutting out soda I lost 10 pounds. I then stumbled upon a free app called MyFitnessPal, and it really helped to change the way I eat. The app is calorie and fitness tracker. You enter in your information and it gives you a daily calorie amount to eat. You then log your food and exercise. I started counting calories and lost another 10 pounds. A lot of people feel counting calories is a chore, but I have just made it a part of my routine.

I did not start exercising until after I lost my first 20 pounds. I started to incorporate exercise slowly. I would walk the block behind my house which is 2.57 miles. When I started it took me an hour. I can now run it in 30 minutes. I have recently started lifting weights, which has completely reshaped my body, and I plan to start P90X next week. I now workout five to six times a week, and it has made me such a happier and healthier person. I have lost 40 pounds and have another 30 until I reach my goal weight, all done in 10 months.

The reason I want to get my story out there and share it with the world, is I want everyone that thinks they cannot do it to know that they can. All it takes is hard work, dedication, and a lot of patience. If sharing my story inspires even just one person to change their life then I feel that I have accomplished something absolutely incredible.