Jessica's Story

(Editor's note: Jessica wrote this story to inspire her co-workers at the company she works for, Transport America. She hopes this will inspire you too!)

Many of you know me or have seen me around Operations. You in the field may have run across me at some point in your/my career. My name is Jessica Krohn and I have been an employee of Transport America going on 12 years and frankly, I have always been FAT. If you have seen me lately you know that is no longer the case. I am for the first time in my life in total control of my health and my weight. Those of you that do know me know that over the years I have gained and lost a lot of weight… and when I say a lot I mean A LOT… lose 30 gain 40 lose 40 gain 50 lose 50 gain 60 etc and that has been allllll my life. 

I can remember my first “diet” somewhere around the age of 8. So to me big was just who I was.  I am tall thankfully, so I did carry my weight better than many. I have always been told I “hide it well”. I’m sad to say I was snowballed into believing that myself. Yeah I was big but I wasn’t THAT big (or so I thought). We all know the type…But looking at pictures of my “before” to looking in the mirror now I can flat out say I was FAT. In every sense of the word. Yes I’m big boned. Yes I’m tall...But YES I WAS FAT too.  

To date I've lost 105 pounds and am still losing. No matter where I go or what I’m doing there are constantly people stopping me and asking “what are you doing?” or “what’s your secret?” and I can tell you honestly I have no secret. But one person asked me “why this time” and that got me to thinking…I mean 11 years is a long time with the same company and when you think people don’t notice you losing weight, or gaining it for that matter, you’re wrong - they do!! So “why this time” really stuck. Its obvious I know how to lose weight I’ve done it many many times over. It was the re-gain I always struggled with. So this is my attempt at putting into words, “why this time?”

Mindset - I made up my mind that this was a lifestyle change. This was something I would do forever.  Every day. No matter what...and the fact that you get a “do over” everyday helps! Some days aren’t easy.  Heck some meals are downright impossible but that’s OK. Take it one day at a time, one meal at a time and if you fall you recover. Do better than you would before. It’s the time it takes you to recover that is so important. If you allow one meal to turn into one day it will turn into a week and before you know it your back to your old habits and worse! Set your goal and visualize it. See it. Smell it. Taste it. Talk to yourself as if it’s already happened. I have a mantra I say to myself over & over & over. It motivates me to run an extra mile when I don’t feel like it. It keeps me in check when frosting is within reach. “I AM LEAN, I AM STRONG, I AM A WELL DEFINED MARATHON RUNNER”…

Jessica's FIRST half-marathon in 2012.

 Now have I run a marathon?  HECK NO! But I have run several  5K’s, a 7K, a 10 K, and am registered for a half marathon in the fall (Editor's Note: in 2012 Jessica ran TWO half-marathons - approximately 2 months apart!!) Am I lean? Not yet but I’ve dropped over 18% body fat.  Am I strong? To that I say YES. I am stronger than I ever thought I was. Mentally and physically. And you will find you are too!! The point I make is that I tell myself I am those things. Ever hear the term, “What you think about you bring about?” Well this is just like that. The clearer your vision the more your brain/body believes it the more you naturally become that which you think you are. Is it easy? NO! If it was none of us would be in this boat.

Food - To me the word “diet” means something you will eventually go off. So my mind told me that I would starve or cut out carbs or fat or sugar or whatever the latest fad was for a time period but then I could eat “normal” again...and frankly that didn't work. I didn't know what “normal” was. If any of you are “all or nothing-ers” like I was then you know... if someone, be it a book, coach, family member, doctor, etc tells you that you can’t have something then well, you WANT it more than you did before. You spend all day fixating on food. Wondering what you can have that is “on plan” and suddenly all you see are the things you have told yourself are off limits. I had to realize that I could have anything that I wanted. Just a lot LESS. If I wanted M&Ms I would eat them. Just a SERVING size not a whole bag. If I wanted chips I would get a single serve size bag and that was it. In the beginning I had boxes of 100 calorie packs in my car, my desk, and my purse at all times! That would save me from temptations that are everywhere!

I make a conscious effort to eat real foods; I rarely buy prepackaged meals. I bring leftovers for lunch. I eat out as an exception not a rule. Does that mean all-natural, organic things that are hard to buy or find? NO! It just means as natural as I can get. Real proteins from meat, fish, beans, and eggs. Fresh fruits & vegetables.  Raw is best, frozen is second best. Whole grain breads, pastas, and brown/wild rice. Do I eat candy & treats? YES! But it’s a very conscious decision. Its not every day. Its not every week. I pick and choose what I REALLY want to spend my calories on and then I make sure it tastes as fabulous as I wanted it to and if it doesn’t - I THROW IT OUT! Yes that’s right, I throw it out! I would have never done that before. I would have eaten it because it was there not because it even tasted good.

EXERCISE -  I’ve always been an active person. Even 105 pounds heavier, I was active. But not nearly as active as I am now. (Editor's Note: Jessica's second half-marathon in 2012 was 4 days after 2 weeks spent traipsing the mountains in Idaho hunting elk and mule deer - now that's active!)Its about finding ways to add in a little more all the time. Park as far away from your store/building/stop as possible. Carry your groceries don’t push them. Unload them from the car one bag at a time. I always said I had to get unorganized. When I was really heavy I would do everything in my power, bloody knuckles and all, to get all my groceries from the car and into the house in one trip.  Now I make several! More steps  means more calories burned. Walk during a lunch hour. We’re not talking carving out two hours every day to exercise. That is really one excuse I hear over & over again: “I don’t have time to exercise”. Believe me YOU DO!  

Jess and friends before the Monster Dash.

If you truly look at your day and all the little things you do that are “extras” you can drop them & make time. Exercise has to become a priority. Do you watch TV? Do you play on the computer? Do you talk on the phone? What is your time-waster? We all have those things that you say you’re going to do for a minute and the next thing you know its 3 hours later!!! If they aren’t helping your goals, cut them out! How many of you spend time waiting? Waiting in line, waiting in traffic, waiting for a child to finish piano lessons, waiting for the clothes to dry?  Use that time to move!  People see me in the cafeteria heating up my lunch or my coffee or my water and I’m constantly pacing. Those are just little extra calorie burners I throw in just for good measure. Yes I do formal exercise too. I run, I lift weights, I work with a trainer.  But that is me.  I ENJOY it.  And I truly believe exercise is extremely important. And frankly it allows me to eat more!  It truly is a calorie in vs calorie out equation. 

Every plan works. Every tip helps. Bottom line: you have to decide to do it and do it! If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t you’re right!

Jessica's Idaho trip was successful - and kept her in shape for
the 2012 Monster Dash Half Marathon!