After losing 78 pounds, this woman just 

completed her first marathon

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A year and a half ago, Monika Wood of Richmond, KY, took a look at herself in a dressing room mirror and decided it was time to make some changes. The 43-year-old middle school special education teacher started gaining weight 20 years earlier when she was pregnant with her daughter. She had been watching her weight slowly climb — until she was up to 225 pounds.

At that point, Wood decided to prioritize her health. “I felt defeated," she said. "I wasn’t able to feel good in anything I was wearing. I thought, ‘It’s time. I’ve put it off and put it off. Starting today, this needs to happen.’”

Monyka Wood"Starting today, this needs to happen," Monyka said about the day she realized how much her weight impacted her health and confidence. Courtesy Monyka Wood

Today, she weighs 147 pounds, and she has noticed that many benefits have come along with her weight loss. Her blood pressure and high cholesterol levels have come down, which she had been concerned about. “I was adopted by an aunt and uncle, so I don’t know a lot of my family history, but I know on my dad’s side of the family, most people have not lived out their 50s and 60s. I feel better about my future and how that will probably look compared to other family members,” she said.

She feels better physically and mentally. “If I want to go hiking, it’s easier. When I run, I don’t wake up sore anymore,” she said. “And I have confidence in myself. I feel better in my clothing and better about myself.”

To lose weight, she changed how she exercised and what she ate. Here’s how she did it.