People I've met 2: Prior Fat Girl

I did a story a few months back on a gal in Brooklyn Park who calls herself the Prior Fat Girl.

And she is. Jen was overweight most of her life, and was even considering surgery when she was in her mid-20s. She and her father went to an informational session about the surgery when she looked around and realized she was the youngest person in the room. She thought, you know, this is my life and it's the only life I'll get. I don't want to live this way in this body.

So she changed her life. Jen goes by the mantra, 'if you want extraordinary results you have to make an extraordinary effort.' It's not brain surgery. It's just eating right and exercise. She told me she used to eat a salad and walk to the mailbox and consider that exercise and healthy living. Jen tried every diet out there. But it wasn't until she discovered that eating right and exercising regularly was the only way to have the body she wanted. In a little over a year, she lost close to 100 pounds and she stills maintains a healthy lifestyle. Jen tells me she has people pass her in the hallway at work and not recognize her.

Jen is an inspiration to alot of people. When a coworker left to move out-of-state, she asked Jen to start a blog to keep up with her weight loss. Jen did: http://www.priorfatgirl.com/ and she gets thousands of hits each month from all over the world. She shares fitness stories about hard workouts and cravings and wanting to slack off all while giving (and receiving) encouragement.

Whenever I don't want to go to the gym (which is pretty regular unless I have new songs on my I-Pod), I think about Jen and her mantra-- if you want extraordinary results, you have to make an extraordinary effort.