“My Fitbit Flex Changed Everything for Me!” says Ann D.

When we hear about Fitbit users who’ve reached their goals, we love to share the news! Ann D. surpassed her goals— beyond what she even thought possible! Here is Ann’s success story, in his own words.

“It’s time.” That’s what the voice in my head was telling me: that it was time to do something about my weight. It was early 2013 and I was carrying around 286 pounds on my 5’6” frame—not a healthy place to be as I approached my 50^th birthday.

I knew that things had to be different this time around – that whatever changes I made to my life had to be sustainable over the long-term. After all, what would be the point of working really hard to lose weight, only to end up gaining that weight back again?

I started out by keeping a food diary so I could get an accurate handle on the quantities and types of foods I was eating. About four months into my weight loss journey, I treated myself to a Fitbit Flex with the hope of boosting my physical activity level. That changed everything for me.

When I first started trying to lose weight, I was completely sedentary. Just walking around the block triggered massive cramping on the bottom of my feet. But as the weight began to come off, the pain disappeared and I discovered something amazing—something life-changing actually. I discovered that I actually enjoyed being physically active.

And physical activity liked me, too (a rather astonishing revelation for someone who had grown up hating gym class). Going for short walks two or three times per day helped to reduce my anxiety level, resulting in a much calmer and much happier me. That, in turn, helped me to replace a long-term coping strategy (turning to food whenever I was feeling stressed) with a much healthier habit (reaching for my running shoes instead).

My life has been transformed as a result of being active on a daily basis. Even the voice in my head has changed. The voice that used to be harsh and self-critical is now kinder and much more compassionate. I have learned to treat myself at least as well as I would treat a friend who was struggling with a weight problem—as opposed to trying to bully myself into losing weight.

And, speaking of friends, I have benefited from a lot of support from others, both online and offline. And I have had the opportunity to inspire others to take steps to become more physically active, too. My Fitbit Flex is a great conversation starter, after all. When people ask me about the bracelet on my wrist, I have the perfect excuse to talk about the health changes I have been making and why.

It’s been over a year-and-a-half since I started on this journey. During that time, I have lost 121 lbs. and a significant number of inches (17.5″ from my hips, 13″ from my waist, and 12″ from my bust). But what I have gained is so much more significant than that. I have gained health and happiness and hope for the future. I have gained a life.”

 

Read more about Ann Douglas’ health transformation journey here. Want to celebrate your health and fitness victory with others? Share your success story for a chance to appear on the Fitbit blog!