A brand-new life

SUSAN'S CHALLENGE

Susan Hill-Bradford always considered herself a "big girl." "I weighed 9 pounds when I was born, and I was always the biggest girl in my class at school," she remembers. Thanks to a combination of an unhealthy diet and a family history of obesity, Susan stayed heavy into adulthood. By her 20s, Susan's weight had reached 180 pounds on her 5-foot-7-inch frame. "Then I got married, and the tension of an unhappy marriage turned me into a stress-eater," she says. Five years later, Susan's weight had peaked at 335 pounds. "When I finally left my marriage, I was a mess," she says. "I was out of shape and unhealthy."

HER TURNING POINT

Two months after separating from her husband, Susan started suffering from stomach pain, vomiting and nausea. She went to her doctor, and he diagnosed her with gastroparesis, a stomach disorder that disrupts the digestive process, causing pain and discomfort. "My doctor couldn't pinpoint a cause for the disease, but deep down, I knew my being obese was probably a culprit," she says. "That's when I decided to make an effort to lose weight."

HER WEIGHT-LOSS & EXERCISE PLAN

Since there isn't a cure for the disease, Susan's doctor encouraged her to start eating small, easy-to-digest meals five to six times a day. "I cut out red meat and greasy, high-fat food," Susan says. She added more fruits and vegetables, lean chicken and fish to her diet. Susan also started an exercise program. "Walking was the best activity for me since I was so heavy," she recalls. Susan started to climb the stairs in her apartment complex or walk for 15 minutes a day. At work, Susan did mini-workouts by climbing the stairs in her five-story office building.

MAKING SUCCESS HAPPEN

Almost immediately, Susan saw the difference. "I lost about 10 pounds, most of it water weight, in a month," she recalls. Three months later, Susan noticed that her clothes had more wiggle room and her face was slimmer. She continued with her new habits and slowly increased the intensity and duration of her daily walks. "I also started doing sit-ups and push-ups and arm curls with hand weights while I watched TV," she says. "It was astonishing to see the changes." When she had the urge to eat for comfort instead of hunger, Susan distracted herself by taking her dog for a walk or calling a friend or family member.

It took Susan 2 1/2 years to reach 175 pounds (a 160-pound weight loss), and then she hit a plateau. "I stopped eating out as often and learned healthier ways to cook meals," she says. Susan started biking or skating outside and swimming in her apartment's pool to change her exercise routine. A few weeks later, her weight loss restarted, and Susan lost the last 50 pounds in a year. "I have confidence to try new things, including bull riding, and even started my own florist business," Susan says. "I've made my 30s the best years of my life."

WORKOUT SCHEDULE

Power walking: 45 minutes/3 times a week

Inline skating: 20 minutes/2-3 times a week

Weight training: 30 minutes/2-3 times a week

To submit your own Success Story, go to Shape.com/model.

RELATED ARTICLE: SUSAN HILL-BRADFORD, 32, OHIO

* Height: 5'7"

* Pounds lost: 210

SUSAN ON ...

* SUPPORT SYSTEMS

"If you're diagnosed with a medical condition, join a support group, either in person or online, to share experiences and advice."

* SMARTER PORTIONS

"When you eat out, check the restaurant's seniors' or kids' menu. You'll often get smaller portion sizes and save money too."

* CLIMBING HIGHER

"I never take an elevator or escalator. Instead, I climb the stairs and get in a great mini-workout."

COPYRIGHT 2005 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group