Suzanne
03-03-2009, 11:43 AM
I was "normal" weight through high school (105-110lbs & 5’-0"), but never developed an interest in sports or fitness (not even PE) due to my vision. I was born legally blind. I have Achromatopsia (http://www.achromat.org/what_is_achromatopsia.html). Due to this condition I have severely light sensitive and totally color blind. It is not correctable, but I do wear red contact lenses to help filter the light. My best visually acuity is less 20/200 which means I can see something 20 feet away that a person with normal vision can see 200 feet away. I need to have books very close to read and I use a large monitor with big fonts. I am unable to drive so I either walk, use public transit or ride with family or friends. The hardest part is people not understanding. Someone may wave or make eye contact form across the gym but I can't see them so a lot of times I get a bad rap of being unfriendly but I simple did not see them. I also have to squint a lot because of the light sensitivity so I have been told I "look" unfriendly. Due to my blindness, I grew up with the kids constantly teasing me. From kindergarten until high school graduation I heard daily insults and teasing. Even in college I had professors not believe i could do the work even though I was often the highest grade in the class. One professor even commented "I can't imagine a job you could do." All this led to very low self-esteem and self-doubt which gradually caused me to gain weight.
By the time I reached 31 (1995) I had reached a weight of 185lbs. All from a combination of fast food, no exercise, and depression. For many years, all I thought was that exercise and diet didn't work. I felt all the people that looked good had always looked that way. I never tried any form of dieting. At the end of 1995 I decided that there must be a better way. So I joined a gym. I knew that if I was going to do this that it had to be an all or nothing attempt. I knew I had to change my diet, lift weights , and do cardio. I lost some weight through 1996. In 1997, I was unable to go to the gym but maintained my loss. In March of 1999, I decided that since I could not go to the gym, I would bring the gym to me. So I bought equipment for my home and began hitting it hard. I would get up at 4:30am every morning before work to get my workout in. I also made another major change in my diet; I consumed six small meals (instead of three large meals) a day, and began using supplements (protein powder, meal replacement, etc).
My weight loss was very slow but i just kept pushing. I never owned a scale during this time my goals where small to get one size smaller. Finally in 2001 I got down to a "normal" size and was constantly asked if i competed. So in Dec 2001 i found a trainer at my gym and started prepping for my first show in March 2002 in Bodbybuilding. I now work with Jeremy Mininhan and compete at the national level in bodybuiling. I have lived near Chicago for over 3 years and walk to the gym sun, rain, snow , wind, sub zero temperatures.
I have taken off since Nationals 2007 to make improvements and plan on kicking butt in 2009!
Pics throughout my transformation can be seen here
http://fitsuzanne.com/Progresspics/transformationprogress.htm
Starting pics 1995
http://fitsuzanne.com/Progresspics/before1995.JPG
http://fitsuzanne.com/Progresspics/P1030211_A.JPG
One week before my first show March 2002
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k320/sgermano/DSCN0009.jpg
Nationals 2007
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k320/sgermano/DSC_3651_crop.jpg?t=1235498071
By the time I reached 31 (1995) I had reached a weight of 185lbs. All from a combination of fast food, no exercise, and depression. For many years, all I thought was that exercise and diet didn't work. I felt all the people that looked good had always looked that way. I never tried any form of dieting. At the end of 1995 I decided that there must be a better way. So I joined a gym. I knew that if I was going to do this that it had to be an all or nothing attempt. I knew I had to change my diet, lift weights , and do cardio. I lost some weight through 1996. In 1997, I was unable to go to the gym but maintained my loss. In March of 1999, I decided that since I could not go to the gym, I would bring the gym to me. So I bought equipment for my home and began hitting it hard. I would get up at 4:30am every morning before work to get my workout in. I also made another major change in my diet; I consumed six small meals (instead of three large meals) a day, and began using supplements (protein powder, meal replacement, etc).
My weight loss was very slow but i just kept pushing. I never owned a scale during this time my goals where small to get one size smaller. Finally in 2001 I got down to a "normal" size and was constantly asked if i competed. So in Dec 2001 i found a trainer at my gym and started prepping for my first show in March 2002 in Bodbybuilding. I now work with Jeremy Mininhan and compete at the national level in bodybuiling. I have lived near Chicago for over 3 years and walk to the gym sun, rain, snow , wind, sub zero temperatures.
I have taken off since Nationals 2007 to make improvements and plan on kicking butt in 2009!
Pics throughout my transformation can be seen here
http://fitsuzanne.com/Progresspics/transformationprogress.htm
Starting pics 1995
http://fitsuzanne.com/Progresspics/before1995.JPG
http://fitsuzanne.com/Progresspics/P1030211_A.JPG
One week before my first show March 2002
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k320/sgermano/DSCN0009.jpg
Nationals 2007
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k320/sgermano/DSC_3651_crop.jpg?t=1235498071