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Weighting to Exhale - morbidly obese woman gets fit and runs a marathon
American Fitness, March, 1999 by Caroline San Juan, Shannon Cake
How one woman is winning her battle with morbid obesity.
The tears of joy were unstoppable, but so were Judy Molnar's feet. After 26.2 miles, friends cheered and her heart raced--but she wasn't in first place. In fact, she would be among the last to cross the finish line at the Walt Disney World Marathon. But on January 11, 1998, Molnar walked away with something more precious than gold.
Just two years earlier, on the day of her physical exam, the 330-pound 30-year-old received an unexpected diagnosis.
"I distinctly remember where I was and what I was wearing," Molnar recalls. She was scanning her medical records when her eyes locked on two ominous words scribbled boldly across the bottom: "morbidly obese." "When I read those words, I was stunned," Molnar says. "I couldn't believe I had let myself get to that point."
The sting of reality left her with an urgent desire for change. "Suddenly, I realized it wasn't about being the right weight or perfect size," Molnar says. "It wasn't about the surface anymore. It was about my life. If I didn't do something about my weight, it would cost my health. I didn't want that to happen."
The doctor's diagnosis triggered a response that would transform Molnar's lifestyle. She enrolled in a wellness class and learned about exercise, healthy eating and balancing the two. She joined a health club for the first time and started the journey to saving her life.
Today, more than 100 pounds lighter, the 6' 1" advertising executive is sold on health and fitness. Molnar is crossing finish lines of major races across the country and fulfilling goals she never dreamed possible. "I feel better than I have my whole life," Molnar says. "I can't believe I'm training for Hawaii's Ironman triathlon."
She'll face a rigorous swim, lengthy bike ride and 26-mile marathon in the elite competition, but believes her toughest race is behind her. "It took years to finally learn how to care for myself," she says. "I now have control of my body and its performance."
Molnar's success came only after a big attitude adjustment. "For a long time, I didn't think I could lose weight," she remembers. "I accepted eating poorly and being heavy the rest of my life."
Like the 50 million Americans trying to shed unwanted pounds, Molnar tried losing weight rapidly. Her diets seemed to end before they began, and losing weight became a constant struggle. Unfortunately, she was looking for a quick-fix.
She finally stumbled upon the only way to lose weight and keep it off--gradually, without focusing on the big picture. "Saying you're going to lose 150 or 160 pounds is daunting," she says. "Instead, I set small goals like losing eight pounds in three months. That seemed much easier."
A long-term plan of action helped Molnar keep moving. She gave herself three years to lose what had taken six years to gain. "People think I'm nuts when I tell them I've set a three-year weight loss goal," she says. "But I've learned if you try to lose 100 pounds in eight months, you'll gain it all back--and more."
Molnar's timeline prepared her mentally, but the actual work was just beginning. She was battling years of poor eating habits.
Molnar would skip breakfast every morning. "I'd get to work and be famished," she remembers. "I would go for the donuts--grabbing one, two and then three." For lunch and dinner, she repeatedly turned to fast food and never missed her daily dose of chocolate.
Molnar's new eating plan makes a hearty breakfast a must and fast food a thing of the past. "I'll bet McDonald's stock went down when I stopped eating there," she says, laughing. "Sure, I went through a period of withdrawal when I gave it up. But after two or three weeks, I didn't want it anymore--and my body felt better."
Molnar's meals are now guided by the Food Pyramid and she totes a snack pack filled with fresh fruits, raisins, nutrition bars and pretzels. After two years of reading food labels and keeping daily calorie counts, eating healthy has become instinctive.
However, some old habits still linger. She often dines out with friends, but chooses grilled or "light" selections. Occasionally, Molnar leaves room for her ultimate indulgence--chocolate. "I finally understand," she says. "I can still have sweets if I eat them in moderation."
Since burning calories is just as important as counting them, Molnar also made exercise part of her weight loss equation. She joined an aerobics class and mapped out a monthly schedule. Again, pacing was the key. "I began with aerobics classes once a week, then twice," she recalls. "I eventually added walking and jogging to my fitness routine."
Molnar's exercise regimen soon turned into a multi-mile hobby. "Becoming a runner was not part of my plan. I just wanted to be healthy and lose weight," she recalls. "By doing something fun, however, it became easier to stick with my program."
Molnar's exercise routine slowly took on new meaning. Inspired by TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey, her doubts about overweight women running in marathons disappeared. "I thought about running a marathon. But at 330 pounds, I was concerned about applying excessive stress on my joints," she says. "Then I remembered Oprah. We watched her lose weight for years with fad diets and then gain it all back. Finally, she ran a marathon and I thought, If she can do it, so can I.
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