Alison: Before Becoming a Buff Bride
Alison's Starting Stats
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 204 lbs.
Dress Size: 14 to 18
Q: What was your favorite food before becoming a Buff Bride?
A: I had so many favorite foods before becoming a Buff Bride! I loved Italian food. I loved meatloaf and mashed potatoes. So many favorites to choose from ... really, anything that was not fish or mushrooms I would eat.
Q: What was your favorite body part before losing your weight?
A: Hmm, my favorite body part ... that's really tough. I would say my shoulders were always what looked strongest to me and made me feel most athletic.
Q: What was your motivation to lose the weight and get fit?
A: I had a few different motivations to lose weight. I think the underlying motivation has always been that I wanted to look better and fit into smaller clothes — that will always be the motivation. The fact that I had a wedding coming up really pushed me into high gear. I did not want to be a fat bride. I did not want to look back 30 years from now and say, "Wow. I wish I had been skinnier because my dress would have looked so much nicer or my pictures would have been nicer." I wanted to look spectacular on my day. I also felt as if I was beginning this entirely new chapter of my life with this wonderful person and I wanted to be healthy and fit. I wanted to get my body and my head in shape for when we start a family and have little kids to take care of. I didn't think it was fair to myself or my future husband or future children to give them an unhealthy person.
Q: Did you exercise before becoming a Buff Bride? If so, how often and what did you do?
A: I have always been an athlete. I love sports and I always will. I think for a long time — especially in grade school, part of high school and the earlier parts of college — I was in good, solid (but big) athletic shape. I exercised a lot in spurts. In college it was great. The gym was free and open late and right on campus so that became a three-times-a-week ritual, doing cardio with a little bit of strength training. After college I joined a gym and I was working out fairly regularly — about three to five times a week — doing cardio and ab work. I did not do a lot of work on the machines because I always felt intimidated. I was more intimidated by the gym atmosphere than anything else.
