The idea is “If I can do it, you can do it too.” We here at weBEgirls hope these amazing stories as we kick off this weight loss success series will inspire you. Teresa Hui lost 100 pounds and now runs marathons for fun. Here she shares some of her best tips and tricks for beating the bulge.

Name: Teresa Hui
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Age: 30
Height: 5’5”
Previous Weight: 240 pounds
Current Weight: 140 pounds
Size: 6

Teresa’s Story

I was a chubby kid who grew up to become an obese adult. When I was little, my grandparents told me that I needed to finish everything off of my plate if I wanted to have beautiful children. Needless to say, I followed that advice growing up. At age 18, I was 240 pounds and wore a size 20.

Motivation

Something just snapped in me one day, I knew that I needed to do something about my weight problem. I was sedentary and didn’t ever want to do anything except for sleep and eat. I was tired of being tired.

Strategy

I started slowly cutting out foods, eating less, drinking more water instead of soda. I was eating way too much. Also, I started adding exercise into my routine. I used to cringe at the thought of people running 2 miles a day. I have now run and have completed 11 full marathons. NEVER did I think I would ever run 26.2 miles!

Theresa before and after

Workout

When I was first losing weight, I used exercise videos. After about a month of that, I started working out at the gym, doing 3 days of cardio, 3 days of weight training. Now, I do 5-6 days of cardio, as well as planks and push-ups and squats. Calisthenics have been helping me to change the shape of my body and has helped me develop long and lean muscles.

Results

Now that I have lost the weight and started to feel good, I can’t believe that I spent so many years feeling horrible. I love having energy, being active, and getting to live life. I love knowing that I’m doing something good for my body, and for ME.

Staying on Track

I have my cheat days to keep myself sane, but after I “cheat,” I make sure to get right back on track. This way, I never feel deprived and can continue this healthy living as a true lifestyle.

Favorite Foods

I LOVE brussel sprouts! Especially sautéed with some olive oil, and served with a steak, cooked with just some pepper and non-stick olive oil spray. Nice and simple, but delicious and healthy!

Her Advice

With working out, it takes 21 days to make something a habit. Just be consistent, give yourself a day or two off from workouts so you can rest your muscles and they can repair themselves. That way, you’ll be stronger and can challenge yourself even more.

Looking Forward

I will always be a work in progress, and weight loss doesn’t end when you get to your “goal” weight. It’s a challenge, but a fun and rewarding one. Being healthy makes me feel great, and I don’t EVER want to go back to the way that I was before!

Do you have a weight loss success story to share? Email Allison at allison@allisonvolk.com!