As someone who used to weigh quite a lot, reading about successful weight loss stories is always such a joy for me. I like knowing that I’m not the only one who once struggled with weight and tried hard to lose it. Of course, people have been sending in their stories to inspire others, as well, and that’s exactly what Harry Cruz hopes to do with his story on how he lost 120lbs in a year. He also wants to let others know that “anything you put your mind into is POSSIBLE; we are all living proof of this word.”
Harry’s journey began a year ago. Here’s his story:
“At my heaviest weight, I was 330 pounds with class 3 obesity (high risk); at that point, I felt completely and utterly trapped. No way out – that’s how I felt. It’s crazy to think that before; I would go to sleep honestly scared and anxious that I would not wake up because I thought I would have a heart attack. That situation was my ‘CLICK’. It felt like a starting pistol that is fired to start track and field races. It was that moment when I have finally decided that I’m done being stubborn, that I’m done being FAT! It was that time when I have finally decided that I need to change my way of eating and I had to eliminate all the junk inside my system.
I stopped eating junk and processed food; I stopped eating food that are high in carbs like pizza, burgers and fries; I stopped drinking soda and artificial powdered drinks; and I stopped eating sweets like CHOCOLATES. Yes, you read that right. I love chocolates, and I mean who doesn’t? But yes, I needed to stop eating these food because it is part of the process. My goal is to be HEALTHY. Yes, I wanted to lose weight and be fit so I can wear clothes I like but on top of all, I want to be healthy. I remember how hard it was for me to find clothes, but I am so stoked whenever I do; I thought I looked great!
(RELATED:Â 5 Changes You Should Make in Your Lifestyle If You Want to Lose Weight)
Sadly whenever I look at the photos, I am MORTIFIED. I hated that I didn’t feel confident or comfortable in my own skin. I remember wanting so bad to be in “style”, but I couldn’t because I was that big. It’s funny how something so small can be a huge motivation. I feel like it really shows you how we all have different reasons to go on a fitness journey! Now, to achieve my goals, I need to be FOCUSED.
But being focused is easier said than done. There are obstacles, DOUBTERS, mistakes and FAILURES on the journey but I don’t let these things manipulate me and my thoughts. One thing I learned in this incredible journey is that failure is a normal part of life. If you never, ever suffer a failure, then you’re probably not pushing yourself to your full potential. Often, it’s only through failure that we eventually meet SUCCESS. So whenever I fail, I pick myself up and always remember that transformation happens one rep at a time with enough determination and commitment.
As of today, I’m 120 pounds lighter and I’ve never felt any better. My shirt shrank from size 4XL to large. My pant’s size went down from size 48 to 36/38 (depends on the cut because I have huge legs and calves). What amazes me most is that back then I was in class 3 obesity, but after losing 120 lbs, I looked at my latest BMI and to my surprised, I’m no longer obese, just overweight! I know I still have a long way to go. I still need to drop at least 30 lbs of fat to achieve my ultimate goal and it’s not as easy as it sounds but what the heck, I already lost 120 pounds of fat! I can and I will burn 30 more.”
How amazing is that? And the best part is that Harry did it in a completely healthy way. That just goes to show that a ton of determination and hard work can definitely go a long way. Thank you for being such an inspiration, Harry! 🙂
If you have any similar inspiring stories, please do send them over. We love a dose of inspiration everyday! 🙂
