Those looking for success stories of weight loss can find
inspiration in Juanita Sanchez.
The 22-year-old shed 132 pounds in one year by eating better and
exercising five to six times a week.
Those looking for success stories of weight loss can find inspiration in Juanita Sanchez.
The 22-year-old shed 132 pounds in one year by eating better and exercising five to six times a week.
“I’m healthy and I feel better,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez was motivated to lose the weight because she wanted to compete in body building and was envious of the better-looking clothing made for skinnier people.
Down from 280 pounds, Sanchez now weighs 137 and is focusing on building muscle. She used to wear a size 25, but is now down to a 5 or 7.
The hardest part for Sanchez was cutting out junk food.
“I ate McDonald’s every day. It was easy and fast and my craving was for Big Macs all the time,” the Hollister resident said. “I’m not eating fattier foods. I don’t eat any junk food at all.”
Sanchez works with personal trainer Cathy Huggins every week.
“You need to nourish your body. It’s not a matter of being too fat or too thin, it’s a matter of being healthy,” Huggins said.
Now, Sanchez can eat anything she wants because she’s focusing on building muscle, but does have to watch her weight.
Both her pregnancies are what Sanchez describes as the main reason for her weight gain. When her first child was born, she was up to 220 pounds and 280 after her second child.
Although Sanchez was embarrassed of her weight when she first started to going to the gym, it became easier, she said. She even served as inspiration for others.
“It gives them focus,” Huggins said. “They don’t think they can get back to where they were. She inspires a lot of girls here.”
The key to Sanchez’s success has been keeping her eyes on her goal of competing.
“I’ve watched body building since I was young. I’ve always liked muscle,” she said.
Success has also included making exercise a part of her life. She said she works 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. then goes to the gym before going home.
“It’s my job. When I get out at 5, I come straight to the gym,” she said.
If she didn’t go right after work, it would be hard to go back out. The effort has to be there to be successful, Sanchez said.
Sanchez works out six days a week – she’ll do cardiovascular exercises twice a week for an hour and lift weights four times a week for an hour. On Saturdays and Sundays, Sanchez spends two hours at the gym, saying that she “likes sweating.”
It’s easiest to keep exercising if you vary the routine, she said. Sanchez likes to vary exercises, but hates to work on her abs because it’s hard.
Her healthier lifestyle has spilled over into other aspects of her life, especially her family. Her husband is very supportive and the family spends less time watching TV, Sanchez said.
Overall, Sanchez is one of Huggins’ best clients.
“What inspires me, what gets me excited, is that she’s learned to really enjoy working out. When she does it, she gives it her all,” she said.
