At 53, Valory Fillpot, trucker’s wife and partner, feels better physically and emotionally than she did at 33. Small diet and exercise changes have transformed Fillpot’s body and life. Fillpot, who just a few short years ago was a size 14, is now a size 6.
“It started over the last two years,” Fillpot explained. “I wanted to get healthier, to feel better, so I started with cutting out soda. I went from drinking two or more sodas per day. After about two months, I noticed my clothes were getting looser.” Fillpot cut out the soda in exchange for unsweetened tea.
Encouraged by her weight loss, Fillpot decided it was time to make a lifestyle change. “My daughters are very active in running and exercise and they eat healthy,” Fillpot said. “So, I took notes from them– they really taught me they things I’m doing today to stay healthy. I’ve cut out fried foods and try to seek out healthier snacks. I used to order hamburgers and french fries, now I order grilled chicken breast or fish and steamed vegetables.”
Fillpot didn’t only change her eating habits, she began to incorporate exercise into her daily routine. “I started doing videos like P90X and Jillian Michaels 30-day Shred in the back of the trailer,” Fillpot explained. “Then, my three daughters, who are all runners, convinced me to train for a 5K. I never thought I’d be able to run, but I started small, with a combination of walking and jogging.” In March, Fillpot completed her first 5K.
On days the trailer is full, Fillpot uses hand weights and does squats and lunges outside the truck, goes for a bike ride, jogs or walks around the truck stop. “Anyone can find twenty minutes in their day to work out. I get up and walk or jog while we’re refueling or getting our truck washed,” Fillpot said.
Fillpot said that when she sees people, who haven’t seen her in a couple of years, they’re stunned by her body’s dramatic transformation. “People tell me I look like a different person. They all ask me how I did it. I tell them I just made small changes and cut out the junk,” Fillpot said.
“I feel better now than I did twenty years ago, and I wore a bikini last summer for the first time since I was in my twenties,” Fillpot explained. “My joints don’t ache anymore. I’m not as tired as I used to be. I’m healthier now than I have ever been in my life. Putting twenty minutes aside for myself each day has given me a new life and I couldn’t be happier with the transformation.”
Fillpot encourages anyone wanting to make lifestyle changes to start small. She says you shouldn’t change your whole life all at once. Fillpot advises others who are wanting to get healthy and lose weight to, “try new things, order a grilled chicken sandwich with french fries, then slowly cut out the fries. Start getting out of the truck and start walking around and you’ll feel better. You’ll fell better physically and emotionally.”
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BeFIT