How An Unflattering Facebook Photo Motivated This Mom to Lose 155 Pounds

(Photo: Facebook / @BeautifulULifestyle)When Casey Gemmell was planning her 1-year-old son's [...]

Casey-Gemmell-weight-loss
(Photo: Facebook / @BeautifulULifestyle)

When Casey Gemmell was planning her 1-year-old son's superhero-themed birthday party, she ordered a plus-size Bat Girl costume online. The costume was a little small, but she decided to wear it anyway.

After the party, the Facebook pictures started to flood in.

"I thought, 'That's not me, what a terrible angle,'" Gemmell told TODAY. "But then another photo was posted — from a worse angle. I kept waiting for a good angle and it never arrived."

That was four years ago, when Gemmell was 33 and weighed 353 pounds. Since then, she's lost 155 pounds, and it all started after seeing those Bat Girl photos."I downloaded an app called 5K Runner, it specifically said it would turn anybody from a couch potato into a 5K runner in eight weeks," she said. "The app encouraged me while I was exercising, and it would beep to remind me to run or walk if the app had been inactive for a couple of days. Before I knew it, I had run a 5K without stopping!"

this-mom-lost-over-100-pounds-by-cutting-these-four-foods-courtesy-@beautifulu_pinup-FT
(Photo: Instagram / @beautifulu_pinup)

MORE: One Cruel Comment Sparked an 80-Pound Weight Loss in This Mom of 4

And because exercise is only half the battle of losing weight, Gemmell cut four specific foods from her diet: cheese, pasta, bread and soda.

"I started to change my diet by just cutting out those four specific foods and nothing else," she said. "It was a massive challenge because at 33, I had a lot of food tendencies that were hard to break."

As hard as it was, she was seeing results. She no longer needed an seatbelt extender on airplanes, could get out of her car without turning her body sideways, and could fit into what she calls "normal people clothes."

x_tdy_gammellweightloss_161012
(Photo: Facebook / @BeautifulULifestyle)

To avoid a weight loss plateau, four months into her journey Gemmell added daily resistance training to her workout schedule. While that may seem like a lot, Gemmell knows it will be worth it when she hits her goal.

One of those goals? Getting the excess skin that comes with extreme weight loss removed — she's even set up a GoFundMe page to help fund the surgery.

Until then, she wants women who are on their own weight loss journey to know they're not alone.

"I hope I continue on this journey and hope to motivate others," Gemmell said. "There are so many people out there like me, and I want them to know there's hope."

[H/T Instagram / @beautifulu_pinup]

Related:
4 Jaw-Dropping Weight Loss Transformations From TLC's 'My 600-lb. Life'
These Photos Show How Weight Loss Dramatically Transforms Your Hands
The Exact Fitness and Meal Plan That Helped One Woman Lose 65 Pounds

0comments