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Age: 41
Lives: Ames, Iowa
Weight before: 235
Weight after: 148
Her history:
Growing up, Michele always carried an extra 10 or 15 pounds, but her weight began to creep up steadily when she got married after her freshman year in college. And then, with each pregnancy, she gained more. “I was 192 when I had my second baby,” says Federle, who is 5’6”. “After my third, I weighed 235.”
Her turning point:
Michele finally got a wakeup call via a run of health problems. The first was a series of gallbladder attacks that resulted in surgery. Then, during a tennis match, she lunged for the ball and ended up in the with a seriously injured knee—which required physical therapy.
Her Former Fat Girl journey:
Michele hired a personal trainer to do therapy for her knee. The rehab only took half the allotted hour, so Michele decided not to let it go to waste. She began weight-training twice a week, and added 30-minute walks three to five days a week. “I got hooked,” she says. “I figured if I was moving, it was better than if I was sitting.” She also broke her family’s reliance on fast food by planning meals and following her new philosophy, —“Eat the things you love, and pass up the things you like.”
Her “after” life:
“I’ve lost the weight of a third-grader; I’ve gained a third-grader’s energy,” she says.
“I don’t second-guess myself like I think I did before. And, I like sex again!” Plus, she’s committed to her new life—for life. Every birthday since that day on the tennis court, Michele has asked for—and received—more personal training. “My trainer used to have to stand between me and the mirror,” she says, “Now I can look in the mirror and be OK.”
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