April Alexander was raised by a mom who cooked fresh, balanced meals. Then came middle school, where bullying led April to gorge on junk food.
Before: 240 pounds
After: 145 pounds
A disdain of gym class and sports, compounded by her poor diet, brought April's weight to more than 200 pounds by age 16. Throughout high school and college, and well into her career as a government contractor, she flip flopped between binge eating and stints of calorie deprivation.
In 2013, the then 30-year old Virginia resident balked when the scale tipped 240 pounds, but it took a double whammy of life events for her to actually prioritize her health. Read on for her inspiring weight-loss journey.
October 2013
After losing her job in June, April loses her mother to a heart attack, which spurs her to finally change her habits. She starts eating organic, ditches processed carbs, and tracks her meals to shed 58 pounds in six months.
April's tip: One of April's favorite lunches is a green salad decked out with strawberries, cherry tomotoes, almonds, and vinagrette, like the one above.
January 2014
April begins working out: Thirty minutes of cardio daily, plus three days of weight lifting.
February 2014
After other gym goers start asking for tips on form, April decides to become a certified personal trainer.
April's tip: "No matter how many times I fell trying to perfect this handstand, I told myself I'd get back up because I'm not a failure."
April 2014
Down to about 160 and steadily losing a few pounds per month, April bumps up her lifting to four days a week. She favors Ezekiel bread, egg whites, and fruit for breakfast; a green salad with chicken and nuts for lunch; and veggies with lean protein for dinner.
July 2014
Seeing her muscle definition encourages April to strength train five days a week. She also meets with a nutritionist, who notices April is overdoing her protein and adds more complex carbs to the mix.
December 2014
April realizes she's reached her goal of 145 pounds, and she's built up 10 clients for her training business, Beautiful Bodies. "People telling me that I've motivated them that's the best reward," says April, now 33.
April's tip: "I like using resistance bands with clients who are just beginning to lift. It helps with the form and strengthens muscles."
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