Selfie-A-Day Habit Motivated Woman To Shed 124 Pounds

Aug 12, 2020

Different people deal with grief differently. While others immerse themselves in hobbies, others like Justine McCabe find comfort in food. The single mother of two lost her mother to cancer in 2013. Shortly after, in 2015, she lost her husband, who was battling depression.

The massive devastation saw her gain weight, which became a cause of concern to her family and friends. She decided to hit the gym, entirely out of spite and took a selfie while at it. Little did she know that the selfie would be the beginning of everything new.

Just like fads in fashion, dieting fads disappear as fast as they come. However, there are certain constants in the weight loss journey, such as hitting the gym watching food portions, drinking a lot of water, among other practices. However, the journey is never easy and calls for the utmost consistency.

McCabe decided to show up at the gym on the second day, and the next, taking a selfie each day. She would post each of them on Instagram. However, these selfies were far from appealing. Instead of quitting, she decided to try harder, in an attempt to see some change. Her persistence finally paid off, she lost 124 pounds, moving from obese to fit.

The weight loss incredibly changed her life and drew her out of misery. She started traveling and going on amazing adventures, completely lighting up her world. As part of the experience, she started doing more than just going to the gym. She embraced activities such as cliff diving, sky diving, and snorkeling.

She also hopped back to her old hobby, horseback riding. Unfortunately, in 2018, she fell off as her horse reared up. She sustained an injury from the accident, but that did not stop her from pursuing rigorous exercises.

However, after some time, her body could take no more. But she kept pushing herself until the pain was unbearable and she had to see a doctor. Her injury required surgery, which she resisted. Ironically, she went ahead with intense workouts, falling ill for the second time. This time, she was found to have fibromyalgia due to her hectic workout pace.

Due to the illness, she was forced to watch her pace, teaching her an unforgettable lesson. “I learned a precious lesson. You have to listen to your body, what it’s telling you. I was never really letting my body have time to heal and recover.”

The ordeal made her shift her focus to her health. It also made her realize that there are more important things than seeking perfection. It is, therefore, important to accept changes in life for a sustainable routine. 

While working out is essential, it is not the only way to stay healthy. In that light, McCabe now does low impact exercises such as swimming. While they still help in burning calories, one is less likely to get injured. McCabe has said, as reported by Today: "A little 'secret' I've come to realize. It's not about losing the weight. It's about truly transforming your life."

Besides exercising, McCabe also changed her eating habits, trying to eat moderately and avoid binge eating. According to her, the best way to have sustainable weight loss is by listening to one’s body. She has managed to stay fit while handling other aspects of her life, like taking care of two teenage boys.

Working out is more than just weight loss. It leads to a total transformation of one’s life. Besides, it calls for risk-taking and discipline, leading to self-respect and self-love. Though not easy, anyone can do it with a little motivation.

Since people are different, someone needs to find out what best works for their body to come up with a sustainable routine. Do you have an exercise regime you'd like to tell us about? McCabe’s story can become someone’s story, too, if you spread the word with your friends and family.