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How This Woman Turned Her Life Around After Her Weight Affected Her Marriage

"I felt like he deserved so much better."

HuffPost Canada's Lost It series chronicles the stories of everyday Canadians who have struggled with their weight β€” and won. We talk to people about what they eat, how they exercise and generally, what their healthy lifestyle is to maintain their weight now that they've lost it.

You can read more stories from Lost It here.

Name: Lindsey Rockett

Age: 32

City: Moncton, NB.

The scoop:

At my heaviest, I weighed 325 lbs. Currently, I weigh 170 lbs., with some more progress to come after I recover from my recent skin removal surgery. I'm healing well and looking forward to setting new goals!

The story:

I don't ever really remember myself as an overweight child. I did cross-country/track & field as a kid, so that kept me active. I also liked being out on my bike or playing street hockey. I enjoyed being outside.

I would say my weight gain started in high school and then just kept going through my adult years. I wasn't always making new friends, even as an adult, and I think I turned to food. That's definitely when I remember my eating habits becoming really bad.

I steadily gained weight as an adult. It wasn't until I was probably 25 or so that I made a first attempt to lose weight. Since then, I've attempted to lose the weight, only to put it back on plus more.

The final straw:

There are a few moments I can really remember. The first was my first time flying and the seatbelt wouldn't do up. Not even close. I was too embarrassed to ask for an extender. I got away with it on our flight to our destination, but was caught on the return trip. I felt humiliated.

The seatbelt wouldn't do up. Not even close. I was too embarrassed to ask for an extender. I got away with it on our flight to our destination, but was caught on the return trip. I felt humiliated.

Another one was the day I got married, in Oct. 2015. I was so uncomfortable with who I was. We were married β€” just the two of us in a small chapel β€” in hockey jerseys because we loved hockey, but also because I felt too ashamed to wear a dress. And subsequently after being married, I felt like he deserved so much better.

We were married in hockey jerseys because we loved hockey, but also because I felt too ashamed to wear a dress. And subsequently after being married, I felt like he deserved so much better.

One final memory I have came the day before I started my journey. There was an event in town, Rogers Hometown Hockey. I really wanted to go, as I am a huge hockey fan. With all the standing and such, I was unable to go with my husband. So he went alone.

The things I've missed out on because of my weight and health were essentially the final straws for me. I was sick of missing out on life.

The plan of attack:

I downloaded the MyFitnessPal app and started tracking my food. I couldn't do much physically, so I started playing WiiFit in my living room. It allowed me to rest when needed and I was in the comfort of my home, avoiding any unnecessary embarrassment.

I lost essentially all the weight I've lost in that first year by being dedicated, watching what I eat and joining a gym. I've been maintaining my weight for nearly two years.

Story continues below.

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Why I share my story on social media:

I started an Instagram account aside from my personal one to connect with others on their own journeys. I also use it as a way to keep myself accountable. In my mind I thought if I put it all out there for the world to see I had to stick to it! I followed people that inspired me, now others look at me for inspiration, which is still a weird feeling to get used to.

The hardest adjustment:

The hardest thing for me is trying to let go of guilt when I messed up, and changing my relationship with food, not using food as a way to comfort myself when I needed it.

The food element:

I started off by eating lots of lean meats like chicken, turkey. Lots of fruits and vegetables. There were times throughout my journey that I followed a low carb diet. It was just never something I felt like I could stick to long-term, past the weight loss stage.

One more #TransformationTuesday post. 8 days preop vs 18 days post op.

A post shared by Lindsey πŸƒπŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ (@getfitrockett) on

Everyone is different and I think the best diet for someone is the one they can maintain for the long haul. And for me, that's a balanced diet.

At times I was really low on carbs. During that process, I wasn't eating fruit or breads, etc.

The exercise factor:

I started with workouts in my own home and I joined a local gym one month into my journey.

Before losing weight, my fitness levels were zilch. I couldn't even walk around my neighborhood. One time I even asked my husband to call a taxi to get home when were merely metres from our front door.

These days I enjoy running β€” it has become a real passion of mine. I haven't done any race events or such yet but I enjoy the challenge of it. I also enjoy doing other forms of cardio such as biking, ice skating, and walking. Plus machines I use at the gym. I enjoy cardio!

I work out 5x per week, whether it's the gym or heading outside for a run. I usually aim for 45-60 minutes. I prevent plateaus by switching things up, whether it's tweaking workouts or my nutrition.

How I stay motivated:

It's simple: The old me. I never want to live the life I used to. Constantly feeling trapped within my body. I enjoy living life to the fullest now.

My day-to-day:

I am active daily. I am either walking, running, or hitting the gym for another sort of workout. I am usually up around 5:30-6 a.m., I have my routine morning coffee, then I'm off!

One more comparison. Cause I can. 😏

A post shared by Lindsey πŸƒπŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ (@getfitrockett) on

Before starting this journey, I was very inactive but now I enjoy being on the go. I have the ability to do anything now, without my weight holding me back, so I take it and run!

How I maintain my healthy lifestyle:

It's all about balance! I enjoy meals out or treats, even wine in moderation. I like to live by the 80/20 rule: 80 per cent of the time I am fueling my body with foods that make me feel good, and the other 20 per cent is just living life.

What I'm most proud of:

I'm most proud of my running. I started tracking runs with the Nike Plus running app in June 2015. I am about 30 miles shy of running 2,000 miles since then. For someone who used to struggle to walk, that to me is a huge accomplishment.

Final thoughts:

My advice for people who are struggling to get healthy is consistency. Never give up. You're going to stumble a lot. You're going to fall off the wagon more times than you can count. But what matters is that you pick yourself up and do better. Don't beat yourself up when you fall. Leave it in the past and start fresh.

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