Are you addicted to Netflix? When your favorite drama finishes, do you have no idea what to do with yourself? And not only that—coupled with your Netflix affair is an addiction to junk food. Let’s face it, chocolate and chips go far better with Netflix than carrot sticks and celery. This young lady fell into the trap—she would come home from work and watch … you guessed it. Her weight spiraled out of control, and she weighed in at more than 320 pounds (approx. 145 kg).
That was over 18 months ago, and Jessica Beniquez was not happy with her life, or the way she looked. “All I did was eat, go to work, and watch my shows,” said the 21-year-old.
She decided to do something about it. She had to break up with Netflix. “I was about to start a whole other series on Netflix, and I was like, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’ I didn’t want to sit in bed and do nothing. I felt so lazy. I didn’t even hang out with my friends,” she told PEOPLE.
“Getting out of bed was hard. I felt miserable. I knew I needed to lose weight because I had high blood pressure, but it took me over a year to realize how dangerous that is—and to do something about it”
First, out went the fast food. “I was a very picky eater. I didn’t stick a vegetable in my mouth. I ate fast food every day, and would pretty much only eat chicken nuggets, pasta and fries,” said Jessica, who had suffered from excess weight her whole life.
“At the moment I [decided] to do it, I ordered Herbalife shakes that day. If I didn’t, I honestly don’t think I’d be where I am right now. I got the shakes and never looked back.”
“The day after I ordered the shakes I was walking. I walked a mile and a half to two miles a night.
“I was consuming about 1200–1500 calories per day,” she says
After several months of replacing one or two meals per day with shakes, she decided to quit the shakes and focus on eating healthy foods.
Jessica then mostly ate high-protein and fiber foods, and kept her sugar intake low
She began doing workouts, starting off by following YouTube videos from home. When she became more confident, she joined a gym.
Jessica was determined to make lifestyle changes, and it was a life-changing decision
Becoming more active and making changes to her eating habits were the keys that helped her unlock her amazing potential. Once the weight began to fall off, she became even more determined to stick with it.
“My name is Jessica and I’m 21,” she wrote in a recent Instagram caption. “I’m 5’4 and I have lost over 170 lbs (about 77 kg) with diet and exercise. Starting at over 320 lbs (approx. 145 kg) and currently between 145-148. There were and still are obstacles that get in the way, but that’s just the way it is and I have to deal with it. Did I let me give up? NEVER.”
She kept a record of her measurements and weight, which is a great way to keep focused on one’s weight loss journey
“I have dedicated my life to fitness and I have learned to love it when before I started this journey, I would dread just walking to the bus stop that was not even a 5 min walk”
Well done, Jessica. You look much healthier
Are you inspired by Jessica’s will to succeed? Just remember—never give up on yourself!
Credit: NTD
