You never know where you’ll be when you have an “a-ha” moment.
For attorney Charlene Bazarian of Reading, Massachusetts, the greatest epiphany of her life occurred when she was visiting a spa. She had undressed in the changing room before her treatment, but when she put on the plush “one size fits all” white robe they’d given her, she realized it was too small. She couldn’t even get it tied over her midsection. Suddenly, she felt lower than low, and she knew it was time to make some serious changes.
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“I will never forget how uncomfortable the spa receptionist made me feel when I had to ask for a larger robe,” Charlene said. “I could have felt sorry for myself or cried or complained, but instead, I took that awful feeling and channeled it into something much greater.”
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Charlene, a mother of three, says that the weight had come on gradually over the course of her adult life. Her highest weight was 208 pounds. After the spa incident, Charlene went home with a renewed mission in life.
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“From that moment on I was on a relentless mission. I wanted to be a fit person, so I did all the things I could think of that a fit person would do. I subscribed to fitness magazines, bought workout DVD’s, made a point to be more engaged with my fit-minded friends, and even signed up for a course to become a personal trainer myself. “
And Charlene’s hard work paid off!
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After years of working at it, she has lost an incredible 100 pounds! So how did she do it?
Diet-wise, Charlene first eliminated all of “the whites.” That means no sugar, white flour, bread, or pasta. Instead, she eats plenty of complex carbohydrates, including vegetables and lean proteins. She also started working out with at-home DVDs and strength training. Later, she began exercising with personal trainers.
These days, she is sure to get in at least 90 minutes of exercise each day, from working out at the gym to walking with a friend, doing yoga, or using the stationary bike while watching TV.
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“You make it like brushing your teeth,” she explains. “You don’t ever say, ‘I’m not brushing my teeth today,’”she says. “It’s just not negotiable.â€
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After Charlene started flaunting her hot new bod, friends and family kept asking her how she’d done it. So she decided to start a Facebook page and blog called FBJ Fit; a place where she can share her tips, techniques – and challenges.
In 2012, her story reached the editors at Good Housekeeping magazine and Charlene suddenly found herself with a larger platform she could use to encourage others to get healthy.
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It’s amazing what you can do when you have that eureka moment!
Congratulations to Charlene for making her health a priority, and for helping others to reach their goals, too. Be sure to share this story to inspire someone to drop those pounds, starting right now.
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