Lisa's Story

   This week on ThyroidThursday we have Lisa, a true fighter.. 

My name is Lisa McManes and I am 40 years old and have struggled with my weight all my life.  I was born with a genetic predisposition to obesity.

I was born with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, a type of autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. The sole function of the thyroid is to make the thyroid hormone which affects nearly all tissues of the body where it increases cellular activity. Therefore, regulating the body's metabolism, this is the rate at which the body creates and uses energy. Every day since diagnosed at age 6, I have taken a synthetic form of the hormone in order to have a metabolism.

This has caused many health issues and struggles in my life. My husband and I have been married since 1997 and had our daughter in 2006.  It was a high risk pregnancy with complications and constant blood checks of my TSH level to make sure it was ok so our baby would be born full term and healthy. When Piper was born I wanted to make sure that I instilled in her the values of good self-esteem, eating healthy and being active so she would live a healthy long life.

Three years ago at 288 pounds my friend and I joined Antonelli's PTS for personal training to lose weight and get fit.  I always struggled with my weight due to my condition and did not think a trainer would help but gave it a try. My trainer, Lisa Antonelli has been a godsend. I was learning how to eat right, logging my food, exercising, wearing my EXERSPY to monitor my steps and calories burned.  I also fell in LOVE with running and after some pounds came off I tried a beginner’s run club at the gym and have been hooked ever since.

I have lost 92 pounds so far. I stay within a certain calorie range each day while eating normal foods (no diet food or shakes or pills), train with my trainer 1 time a week and cross-train/cardio at least 2 times a week.  I also teach Eat To Lose classes and Beginners Run Club at the gym to help others with their weight loss journey. I have completed 5 half marathons and ran my first Marathon in October 2012. I want to be an example to others and inspire them to lose weight and get healthy.  My condition requires me to work hard then others and it is taking me a little longer to get the weight off.  However, IF I CAN DO IT, ANYONE CAN.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and I hope I share my story and inspire others.

You can also read about Lisa here, here and here.