Real life weight loss: "I lost 248lbs and created a better life for my kids"

Krista Francis lost 248lbs after becoming too overweight to fit through the door whilst carrying her son, by falling in love with resistance training and learning how to re-evaluate her relationship with food.

Krista, of Osage Beach, Missouri, has struggled with her weight since she was a teenager, weighing 386lbs at her heaviest. The breaking point for Krista came when she was unable to carry her son, Ezra, who was born with cerebral palsy, through the bathroom door having to call her husband for help. 

Krista told Truly: “I felt diminished and very embarrassed and disappointed in myself, I couldn’t help my son in the moments that he really needed me.” Krista became morbidly obese as a teenager as a result of an unhealthy dependency on food. “I ate what I wanted at any moment of the day,” she explained.

Krista’s mum, Laura, revealed how bullies worsened Krista’s relationship with food, resulting in an emotional problem. Now mum to both Ezra, 10, and Adelie, six, Krista credits motherhood for her weight loss after the realisation she needed to change her life for her children. 

She now works out five days a week at the gym and in the future, Krista dreams of becoming a competitive bodybuilder, meaning she may have to have her loose skin removed. But for now, Krista's perfectly happy with her body and the excess skin that comes with it, saying it represents “growth, change and evolution”.

 On her weight loss journey, Krista says: “I’m very proud of myself and my achievements, I’ve created a better picture for my kids, becoming more active in their lives.”

Our takeaway is Krista's dedication to resistance training helping with her weight loss transformation. Doing vigorous exercise that also builds muscle revs up your metabolism, encouraging you to burn fat long after the exercise session is over. It's actually more challenging to maintain lean body mass while losing weight according to the journal Nutrients, but the results are worth it. 

Building muscle helps you fight against the process of aging and keeps you strong and fit. The best adjustable dumbbells and best resistance bands are great tools for getting started with resistance training, as well as body weight exercises like push ups, squats, and learning how to do pull ups and dips.