I did it! …with Runtastic & MyFitnessPal

My story begins in 2005 when, at the height of my physical fitness, I was involved in a terrible car accident that caused major injuries to my back, neck, knees and wrist. The inability to be physically active led to a serious depression. I couldn’t handle the pain and inactivity. I hated who I had become. After a year of physical therapy and countless doctor visits over the next 10 years, I finally stopped trying to deal with the pain in pill form. I decided to start slowly trying to exercise in order to lose the massive amount of weight I’d gained due to being inactive. Over the first four years after the accident I gained the strength to be able to walk distances with minimal back pain.

In 2013, I graduated college for the second time and landed an IT job where I worked for 50-60 hours a week. I lacked any real time to myself and gained back 80 pounds in the year I was there, placing me at my heaviest weight of 275 lbs. Please bear in mind I am 5 foot on a good day, this increase was HUGE! I got laid off due to the company losing a major client – in truth, I was relieved. I hated my job and most of the people I worked with. I decided then that enough was enough.

I searched for apps to help me get back into shape. I was led to Runtastic and MyFitnessPal by a friend that had just started to run to lose weight. I started in November of 2013 by walking my dog just over a mile and over the course of the next month I worked my way up to 5 miles. We then worked on our speed. I changed my diet and logged every cup of coffee and piece of food that entered my mouth, using the MyFitnessPal app. This led me to make changes like cutting back on my bread intake and substituting lettuce wraps. By the spring of 2014, I started a Couch to 5K training plan with my dog, she loves to run! Some weeks had to be repeated, but I finished it and ran my first 5K in August as my birthday celebration. Then, I found the Runtastic Fitness Channel on YouTube with Lunden. She is silly (in the best way possible!) but keeps the entire workout interesting. Adding the videos to my workout routine has helped me build muscle and stamina.

There is always something new to try, even if I return to my favorites. I love the informational videos and some days I will watch too many of them! It is now just over a year from when I started and I have lost 81 lbs. I still have 50 lbs more to go before I reach my goal. I can run a 13 minute mile outside, which I always track on Runtastic. I joined a local all-women’s gym here in Baltimore and I also began working there part-time! I attend the classes and training offered; however, I still run outside with my Runtastic app and still log my days in MyFitnessPal when I know I overate so I can compensate with a bit of additional exercise.

Runtastic and MyFitnessPal were the foundation of my lifestyle change. There are some days when I “cheat,” but I never gorge anymore. I have learned portion control and to look at the nutritional facts on all foods. The newsletters from both companies are fantastically informative. I have most of them saved to a folder in my email. And the 28-day squat challenge that Runtastic shared is amazing. I am currently partaking in it with my friend. I just wanted to thank Runtastic and MyFitnessPal for everything. Without the constant information and videos that keep me motivated, I would have not been so driven to succeed.

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