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" Jennifer Hodges, 41 Before: 369 lb Now: 157 lb Start I began gaining weight in sixth grade soon after my parents opened a pizza place. I wasn&amp;#039;t active and ate poorly. To deal with being heavy, I was the &amp;quot;funny fat girl&amp;quot; in high school and made jokes about my weight. At 23, I was 250 pounds. People always said, &amp;quot;You have such a pretty face, if you&amp;#039;d just lose weight, you&amp;#039;d be a knockout.&amp;quot; Reality Check  In October of 2008, I fell in the yard and twisted my ankle while playing with my three kids (who were all under the age of 4). At 350 pounds, I was too big for my husband to lift, so he had to get a blanket, roll me onto it and drag me inside. I was humiliated and terrified. What if I had been home alone? I knew I had to make big changes. Exercise Made Easy  A few weeks after my fall, I joined a gym near my house. The location was important because I didn&amp;#039;t want to have any excuse to skip a workout. I started slowly, just walking for a few minutes on the treadmill. Gradually I increased the time and distance. Ramp It Up!  My body really transformed once I started taking a gym class called BodyPump, which combines cardio and weights. Food Changes  After a year of exercise\u2014and losing 100 pounds\u2014I tackled my eating habits. (It was too overwhelming to do both at once.) I cut portions down and cooked at home more often. Finish By 2011, I finally reached my goal weight. The best part? Now I&amp;#039;m setting a positive example for my family. We swim, run and ride bikes together. We are an active family, which I never would have dreamed of three years ago. My Stick-with-It Secret Follow the 30-minute rule. No matter how busy you are, take a half-hour each day just for yourself. Go for a walk, plan healthy meals or simply relax and recharge. You&amp;#039;re not being selfish\u2014you need the time to focus on your own well-being. After all, if you&amp;#039;re not healthy, how can you take care of anyone else? I did feel guilty at first, but following this rule helped me lose the weight, and it enables me and my family to live a healthy lifestyle. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/a6830/i-lost-212-pounds/?src=shelter_footer>