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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Here Comes the Bride... Big, Fat And… Well, You Know

Subject #1 in the "Bodfather"
Witness Reduction Program: Kerensa


Height: 5'7"
Current weight:  254.8

As the Bodfather, it’s impossible for me to refuse a request on a person’s wedding day.

Okay… so technically Kerensa isn’t getting married until June, but the idea of helping her not be so big on her big day was too tempting to pass up.

A 23-year-old college student living in Oklahoma, Kerensa’s spent all her life struggling with her weight. Even though she’s lived a pretty active existence, she started seeing signs that her size – up to a high in the 280’s - was adversely affecting her way of life. She was tired all the time and if she sat down for long periods, her ankles swelled up like a puffer fish.

Then there was the thought of posing for wedding pictures. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment and thinking about flipping through the pages of a wedding album and cringing… well, that’s the kind of idea that’ll get you off your butt.

And beyond her wedding day, Kerensa saw a future impacted adversely by her own body.

“I know we want to have kids, and I want to be healthy for them,” she told me recently. “I want to be able to run and play with them... not be the fat mom who sits on the sidelines.”

Fueled by fear and driven by her wish to make a positive change in her life, she began a weight-loss program and started seeing some positive results almost immediately. But she’s been there before, and tends to run into a brick wall early in the game.

Why is that? Is it because her fiancé Justin accepts her just the way she is? Because she works at a Subway sub shop and has easy access to fattening foods? Because she’s a self-described “cheese whore”? Because her hectic school/work schedule keeps her from eating healthy and exercising like she knows she should?

Probably some of all that, to be perfectly honest, but she’s committed to making a change for the better. As a sign of her engagement in this venture, she’s vowed to send me her weigh-in numbers each week, and I’ll continue chronicling her tale as she takes the steps necessary to walk down the aisle as the fittest person she can possibly be.

Because more than anything, Kerensa wants a white wedding, not a wide wedding.


Measurements (in inches):

Neck -15 1/2
Chest- 43
Bust- 46
Waist-40
Midway-49
Hips-52
Thigh-31 1/2 (family nickname:  “Thunder-Thighs”)
Knee-21 1/2
Calf-19
Upper arm-17
Forearm-12 1/2



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24 comments:

  1. Kerensa, it is nice to meet you. You are going to be a beautiful bride. What an exciting time for you!

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  2. Something old,
    Something new - (Jack's subject #1)
    Something borrowed
    And you are wearing blue...
    You're doing fine!

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  3. Welcome Kerensa! I will be following your journey!

    I am in the same boat as you...and it is so AWESOME that Jack is one of your lifelines...I know he has been for me!

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  4. you are beautiful and you will make a stunning bride

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  5. Can't wait to see the transformation!

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  6. Looking froward to seeing Kerensa's journey over here Jack! Thanks! :)

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  7. You go, girl! From one cheese whore to another, you can DO this thing!

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  8. This is exciting Jack can't wait to see how things go. Kerensa will be a beautiful bride no matter what though! No one wanted me as the booby prize? lol

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  9. Looking forward to cheering you on! Good luck Kerensa!!

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  10. Great choice Jack, she is going to make a beautiful bride. Best wishes and good luck. Gracie

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  11. How exciting! I look forward to seeing the transformation :)

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  12. I love this! I can't wait to follow along.

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  13. Nice to meet you, and you've got some nice curves going on! Here's to making them just a bit smaller, but no-less curvy! You'll be a gorgeous bride! :-)

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  14. Good luck Kerensa! You can't do this! Excited for you and congratulations on your up coming wedding.

    Great choice Jack! Can't wait to follow her progress!

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  15. Good luck, Kerensa! You will be an fit, awesome bride and I can't wait to see your progress!

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  16. Kerensa, congrats! I used to think it would be a long time before I looked different or felt different. Even those early days, before I noticed any change in the scale or appearance, I felt better. More energy, more happy. Really, congrats again, and bravo for taking this step for a future healthy life and kids you do not even have yet! And Jack.. you just crack me up.

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  17. TAG! You're it. See my blog. :)

    Good luck to the bride!

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  18. I will follow this with great interest. Maybe it will get me off my fat arse and onto some motivation!!!!

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  19. Karen I began my journey right around where you are right now! I will tell you it was tough and it take a lot of strength and determination but I know one thing YOU CAN DO IT!!! Bravo to you for coming on here and committing to getting in shape for your wedding! Congrats on the engagement!

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  20. Hi Kerensa,

    I live in Oklahoma, too. ;)

    You can do this!

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  21. Go Kerensa Go!! I look forward to watching your progress and celebrating your success!!!

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  22. Good to "meet" you, Kerensa! And congratulations on the engagement! I can't wait to see you kickin' ass and takin' names. :)

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  23. Does she have a blog? i would love to follow another dieting bride...

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