There have been occasions when Shawna Fountain feared she would have a coronary heart assault after strolling up the steps.
After having 4 kids, the 34-year-old stay-at-home mother had ballooned to 300lbs and a measurement XXXL, leaving her so ashamed that she typically hid on the home.
At 5ft 5in, she was firmly categorised as severely overweight.
However after discovering she couldn’t match down a playground slide along with her then seven-year-old, the Michigan native vowed to take management of her well being — saying she wished to be there for her kids.
‘We had been on the park and I could not go down the slide, I could not match down the slide that my seven-year-old may match down,’ she stated.
‘To inform him that I used to be too huge was heartbreaking and he could not perceive that his mother was too huge.
‘I knew that if I saved residing the best way I used to be residing, then I wasn’t going to reside for much longer.’
She had tried fad diets through the years, however discovered they led her to place weight on somewhat than lose it. That was when she determined to modify to a protein-heavy food plan.
Shawna Fountain, 34, from Michigan, stated she ballooned to 300lbs after having 4 kids
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Medical doctors say consuming extra protein can gradual digestion and assist somebody really feel fuller for longer, serving to them to keep away from snacking and drop some pounds.
Earlier than her food plan, she would eat a McDonald’s sausage and egg McMuffin with additional sausage and two hash browns for breakfast, whereas for lunch, she would have fried tacos, and, for dinner, she would have spaghetti bologneses with garlic bread, mozzarella cheese and parmesan. Her snacks could be sweets.
On her new food plan, nevertheless, she swapped the ultra-processed meals for eggs, turkey bacon, hen and greens. She would additionally all the time have a protein-rich breakfast, which docs say might help somebody to really feel full for longer in the course of the day.
For snacks, she changed the sweets with protein yogurt and fruit.
On her weight reduction journey, she additionally acquired a prescription for a weight reduction drug.
After a session, Fountain was prescribed Zepbound, which works by mimicking satiety indicators, inflicting somebody to eat much less and drop some pounds. It accommodates tirzepatide, the drug that can also be in Mounjaro.
She had her first dose firstly of November 2024, and stated she misplaced 13lbs within the first week.
After a yr and 4 months on the drug, she has misplaced 154lbs — equal to about 2.4lbs each week total.
However the mom has now misplaced 154lbs after utilizing a weight reduction drug (proven above after weight reduction)
She has additionally halved her body weight, now weighing 141lbs, and says she would not acknowledge herself within the mirror. Her garments are actually measurement eight.
Fountain stated: ‘I bear in mind there have been occasions I assumed I used to be going to have a coronary heart assault simply from strolling up the steps.
‘All through my grownup years, I hid from folks. I did not prefer to exit in crowds.
‘I spoke to my physician and I stated, “I need assistance as a result of I can not preserve going like this anymore”. I assumed my coronary heart was going to surrender on me.
‘I’ve 4 children they usually deserved to have somebody extra lively of their life and I bodily could not be the mother they deserved.’
Fountain stated her struggles along with her weight started at 17, and that docs quickly identified her with thyroid points and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
Thyroid points, when the thyroid gland produces too few hormones, can gradual the metabolism and depart somebody feeling exhausted, resulting in weight acquire.
PCOS is a hormone imbalance that causes irregular durations. It may possibly result in weight acquire by disrupting how sugar is used within the physique.
After beginning on her new food plan and a weight reduction drug, Fountain stated she shortly began to drop some pounds.
Fountain stated: ‘Within the first week I misplaced 13lbs. I am a lot extra lively [now I’ve lost the weight] and I can sustain with my children and run round with them.
Fountain is pictured above at this time and with the XXXL denims that she used to put on
Fountain stated she misplaced the load for her kids. She is proven above along with her husband and three of her 4 kids
‘Even they are saying that I am happier and my husband says that I am a distinct model of myself.
‘My nervousness was once so unhealthy and I was depressed however that every one appeared to only go away once I began this wholesome journey.
‘I really feel like an entire new particular person and like I’ve a second probability at life.’
She added: ‘I see a totally completely different particular person.
‘I do not recognise myself but, I really feel like I am taking a look at a stranger and I battle with it generally.
‘I am studying to like the individual that I see now as a result of she fought a very robust battle to get right here and I am so happy with the individual that she is.
‘It is like taking a look at a stranger so it is simply taking me a minute to recognise myself.’
For her food plan now, she says that she has two eggs and three egg whites for breakfast alongside sourdough toast, turkey bacon and protein with yogurt and chia seeds and berries.
Fountain is pictured above earlier than and after her weight reduction
For lunch, she has jasmine rice with hen, potatoes, onions, peppers and hard-boiled eggs, whereas for dinner, she has protein pasta with bolognese and greens.
She continued: ‘I need folks to know that they don’t seem to be alone.
‘They do not should really feel caught, there may be assist on the market and it is okay to make use of the instrument [skinny jabs].
‘I really like sharing my story as a result of it has given me my life again.’
