Christina Drake

My YMCA Story

I was always comfortable being my weight until my doctor told me I need to lose weight so I can stop taking all my medications. My doctor told me if I don’t want to be on insulin for the rest of my life I had to change what I ate and exercise. I have been a diabetic for 5 years now. My weight was shocking. I was 383 and I couldn’t run with my 3 children who have been my encouragement to workout. I started doing Zumba at home since I love the Latin hip hop music, dance and I lost 85 pounds by June 2011. I join the YMCA to hopefully lose more weight and learn how to manage my weight loss. I lost another 35 pounds after 3 months at the YMCA.

By changing what I eat and eating between 1,000-1,300 calories a day has helped some. I work out 5 days a week now and I have weight training 3 days a week. I would like to also thank the program Ultimate Weight Loss Challenge for pushing me to do exercises I never dreamed I would be doing. This is my second time being in the Challenge and I can say I like the changes. The Education class showed us how to use the weight machines and the other class showed us how to stretch correctly without hurting yourself.

I hope to win the Challenge soon and to continue until I get to my goal weight of 150. I love the fact that my weight is at 280 and I’m less than 300 pounds. I have seen the changes when I look in the mirror and people who seen me from the beginning of coming to the YMCA until now have said I look healthier. It is nice to hear that I do feel much better even though I’m still taking medication for diabetic I know that one day I won’t have to take it anymore. I have had other people say that I have inspired them to keep coming to the YMCA when they see me there out of breathe at times and ready to stop but I keep on trying and the results are coming. My sibling, now want to work out since they have seen me last weekend. I hope that one day I will be able to run alongside my 3 children Michael 12, Christopher and Gabrielle 10.

-Christina Drake