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Helpless 75-Year-Old Pays $5K for A/C Unit but Gets Ripped Off - Suffers for Months in the Heat Until a Stranger Hears Her Story
Uplifting News

Helpless 75-Year-Old Pays $5K for A/C Unit but Gets Ripped Off - Suffers for Months in the Heat Until a Stranger Hears Her Story

Imagine enduring a sweltering summer where even the refuge of your own home becomes an oven. That's the reality Peggy Moore, a 75-year-old Kansas City resident, was facing. Her home had turned into a furnace, with temperatures regularly hitting a stifling 90 degrees. The heat gave her pounding headaches and sapped her energy, leaving her feeling utterly helpless.Why One Woman Felt Helpless During the SummertimePhoto by Fandy MuchTo make matters worse, Peggy had already shelled out a hefty $5,000 in February to get her air conditioning unit in working order. But despite her investment, the situation had only deteriorated with the arrival of summer. She couldn't even clean her own house, and she felt frustrated and embarrassed, saying, "I feel bad about it because this is not the way I live. This is not the way I keep my house."Where was Gregg Fowler, the repairman she'd entrusted with her hard-earned money? He finally reappeared, but his response was far from reassuring. He claimed he hadn't heard from Peggy since their initial agreement and insisted that her A/C unit had been replaced. However, a quick temperature check inside her house proved otherwise -- it was still a sauna in there.Just when it seemed Peggy might have to surrender to the scorching heat, a guardian angel appeared. Harry Frame from Service 1st Contractors caught wind of her predicament through Fox4 Problem Solvers and couldn't stand by idly. Harry generously offered his expertise to get her A/C up and running, and the best part? He refused to accept any payment for it.Harry's act of kindness wasn't just a mechanical fix; it mended Peggy's faith in the goodness of people. She exclaimed, "I did a program last Saturday for senior citizens called 'somebody loves you,' and now I really believe in those words." How One Man Proved the Importance of SelflessnessHarry, the humble hero in this tale, viewed it as all in a day's work. He's a man on a mission to make the world a better place, one repaired A/C unit at a time. He stressed, "There are a lot of problems in the world these days, so anybody that can reach out and just do a little good for somebody — it needs to happen more often."Peggy wholeheartedly agreed, and now she revels in the comfort of her newly cooled home. The warmth she feels isn't just from the air conditioning; it's from the realization that kindness still thrives in the world. Peggy's story sheds light on the challenges of dealing with unreliable repairmen and surviving summer without A/C. But more importantly, it's a testament to human compassion. It reminds us that even when life feels like it's boiling over with problems, the soothing balm of kindness is ever-present, waiting for a chance to transform lives for the better.So, if you take anything away from this story, let it be this: it's more than just a tale of an unbearable summer and a malfunctioning air conditioner. It's a heartwarming saga that proves, even when the world seems to be simmering with troubles, the cooling touch of human kindness is always there, ready to make our lives better.More from Goalcast:Homeless Man Returns Stranger’s Lost Check Instead of Keeping It – Their Conversation Was About to Change His LifeStranger Asks Struggling Crossing Guard for $1 – Then Brings Her to Her Knees With a Shocking SurpriseMan Speaks to Two Hungry and Cold Kids at Taco Bell – A Stranger Overhears the Conversation and Catches His Next Move on Video

100 Inspirational Butterfly Quotes About Transformation and Love
Quotes

100 Inspirational Butterfly Quotes About Transformation and Love

Butterflies are a delicate reminder of the beauty of nature. Who doesn’t enjoy witnessing one of these creatures in flight and how can we not appreciate the transformation they undergo before becoming these winged beauties.The process in which the caterpillar becomes a butterfly is called metamorphosis and it sometimes lasts up to 30 days. While the magic happens, the caterpillar stays in a cocoon.The butterfly’s transformation is inspiring in so many ways. It teaches us that change, even though it might be a long and hard process, can lead to amazing results. It also teaches us about the importance of letting go of the old in order to embrace the new, and it helps us understand the value of patience, perseverance and growth.Some butterfly species live for only a few days and no adult butterfly can live more than a year. However, regardless of their life span, all butterflies enjoy the moments they have on earth just the same.Culturally, butterflies are a popular theme in the visual and literary arts.Here are 100 butterfly quotes that carry powerful messages:Short butterfly quotesButterflies make people smile and appreciate nature more. Are you a butterfly lover just like us? If yes, we have handpicked a list of short butterfly quotes for you. These quotes make perfect captions for your social media posts. Read through them, pick your favorite one and don’t hesitate to share it with your friends.There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly. RICHARD BUCKMINSTER FULLERA great beginning is sometimes at the point of what you thought would be the end of everything. DODINSKYI’ve always loved butterflies, because they remind us that it’s never too late to transform ourselves. DREW BARRYMOREIf nothing ever changed, there would be no such things as butterflies. WENDY MASSAnd when I was angry, when I was younger, I was in a cocoon. Now I’m a beautiful, black butterfly. TRACY MORGANButterflies are God’s confetti, thrown upon the Earth in celebration of His love. K. D’ANGELOI only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. CHARLES DICKENS (more Charles Dickens quotes)And when all the wars are over, a butterfly will still be beautiful. RUSKIN BONDIf there is one creature that represents my essence, it’s butterflies. PATRICIA VELASQUEZOne can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.HELEN KELLER (more Helen Keller quotes)I’d be a butterfly; living a rover, Dying when fair things are fading away. THOMAS HAYNES BAYLYButterflies are self-propelled flowers. R.H. HEINLEINGo on, hitch a ride on the back of a butterfly. There’s no better way to fly. PATRICK MONAHANLove is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing. DOLLY PARTON (more Dolly Parton quotes)I sting like a butterfly and punch like a flea. SI ROBERTSONIf you want to fly, you have to flap your own wings! CLAIRE WILLIAMSYou’ve got to be like a butterfly and have a metamorphosis. MIKE MARKKULAOpen your heart and mind like the wings of a butterfly. See then how high you CAN fly. ZEENAT AMANRead like a butterfly, write like a bee. PHILIP PULLMANFighting has taught me that the caterpillar takes a while to turn into a majestic butterfly. JESSE TAYLORAlthough the butterfly and the caterpillar are completely different, they are one and the same. KENDRICK LAMARFor a new year to bring you something new, make a move, like a butterfly tearing its cocoon! Make a move! MEHMET MURAT ILDANNature’s message was always there and for us to see. It was written on the wings of butterflies. KJELL B. SANDVED'Just living is not enough', said the butterfly, 'one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.' HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENWell, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies. ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPERYPerhaps the butterfly is proof that you can go through a great deal of darkness and still become something beautiful. UNKNOWNJust when the caterpillar thought I am incapable of moving, it became a butterfly. ANNETTE THOMASWhen a caterpillar bursts from its cocoon and discovers it has wings, it does not sit idly, hoping to one day turn back. It flies.KELSEYLEIGH REBERDon’t be afraid. Change is such a beautiful thing, said the Butterfly. SABRINA NEWBYJust like the butterfly, I too will awaken in my own time. DEBORAH CHASKINFlowers and butterflies drift in color, illuminating spring. UNKNOWNWhat’s a butterfly garden without butterflies? ROY ROGERSBe like a butterfly and a flower—beautiful and sought after, yet unassuming and gentle. JAROD KINTZSoar up high with the beauty and grace of a butterfly. UNKNOWNThe butterfly does not look back upon its caterpillar self, either fondly or wistfully; it simply flies on. GUILLERMO DEL TOROThe butterfly is a flying flower, the flower a tethered butterfly. PONCE DENIS ECOUCHARD LEBRUThe fluttering of a butterfly’s wings can effect climate changes on the other side of the planet. PAUL ERLICHAs with the butterfly, adversity is necessary to build character in people. JOSEPH B. WIRTHLINButterflies… flowers that fly and all but sing. ROBERT FROSTWhen I ran, I felt like a butterfly that was free. WILMA RUDOLPHBeautiful and graceful, butterflies lift our spirits with their loveliness and lyric flight. GLORIA B. SCHLAEPFERFailure is like a caterpillar before it becomes a butterfly. PETA KELLYButterflies love to be out in the sunshine, just like people. You can look for them on warm, bright sunny days. JOHN WOODWARDThe caterpillar does all the work, but the butterfly gets all the publicity. GEORGE CARLINLife is short. If you doubt me, ask a butterfly. Their average life span is a mere five to fourteen days. ELLEN DEGENERESWe are all butterflies. Earth is our chrysalis. LEEANN TAYLORYou can only chase a butterfly for so long. JANE YOLENAmong the varied species of insects, butterflies are the most poetic. ANA GERHARDButterflies are the most beautiful creatures ever. They should call them beautiflies, don’t you think? RICHELLE E. GOODRICHCatching butterflies won’t give you a taste of freedom but the knowledge that weights are not carried in wings. GOITSEMANG MVULAButterfly quotes for herLooking for butterfly quotes to share with your soulmate? Look no further! Below we’ve gathered a list of butterfly quotes for her that you can choose from. We’re sure that your lady will appreciate a text message where you admit that you have butterflies in your stomach whenever you meet. Or maybe you want to compare your girlfriend/wife with these beautiful creatures – we’ve got you covered here as well!‘How does one become a butterfly?’ she asked pensively. ‘You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.’ TRINA PAULUSHappiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE (more Nathaniel Hawthorne quotes)Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine. JEFFREY GLASSBERGLove is like a butterfly: It goes where it pleases and it pleases wherever it goes. UNKNOWNI almost wish we were butterflies and liv’d but three summer days – three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain. JOHN KEATS (more John Keats quotes)Even though you flew away. In my soul, you will forever stay. UNKNOWNLove is a lot like a butterfly. It undergoes metamorphosis to achieve its most exquisite self.UNKNOWNButterflies are nature’s angels. You are my angel.UNKNOWNYou are like a butterfly. Pretty to look at and hard to catch.UNKNOWNYou put butterflies back into my soul and painted their wings with passion and poetry. MELODY LEEYou logged in my heart to live as a butterfly. To transform, to fly, to be free. UNKNOWNFloat like a butterfly, sting like a bee. MUHAMMAD ALIWith the rose the butterfly’s deep in love, A thousand times hovering round; But round himself, all tender like gold, The sun’s sweet ray is hovering found. HEINRICH HEINELove takes my insides and twists and turns them until they’re inside out, upside down, knotted in knots, and full of butterflies. And you know what? I love it! ANTHONY T. HINCKSI welcome all butterflies into my heart because that feeling is a constant reminder of how alive and full of love I truly am. KAREN A. BAQUIRANInspirational butterfly quotesThe cocoon represents the caterpillar’s comfort zone, but it has to emerge from this state, otherwise it wouldn’t transform into a beautiful butterfly. Similarly, at some point you will also have to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself if you want to become the best version of yourself.The butterfly is a symbol for transition, change and growth. In that respect, bellow you’ll find our list of inspirational butterfly quotes. Enjoy!The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly. RICHARD BACHEveryone is like a butterfly, they start out ugly and awkward and then morph into beautiful graceful butterflies that everyone loves. DREW BARRYMOREMetamorphosis has always been the greatest symbol of change for poets and artists. Imagine that you could be a caterpillar one moment and a butterfly the next. LOUIE SCHWARTZBERGDeath consists, indeed, in a repeated process of unrobing, or unsheathing. The immortal part of man shakes off from itself, one after the other, its outer casings, and – as the snake from its skin, the butterfly from its chrysalis – emerges from one after another, passing into a higher state of consciousness. ANNIE BESANTThe great loneliness- like the loneliness a caterpillar endures when she wraps herself in a silky shroud and begins the long transformation from chrysalis to butterfly. It seems we too must go through such a time, when life as we have known it is over- when being a caterpillar feels somehow false and yet we don’t know who we are supposed to become. ELIZABETH LESSERI embrace emerging experience. I participate in discovery. I am a butterfly. I am not a butterfly collector. I want the experience of the butterfly. WILLIAM STAFFORDAdding wings to caterpillars does not create butterflies, it creates awkward and dysfunctional caterpillars. Butterflies are created through transformation. STEPHANIE MARSHALLWe delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. MAYA ANGELOUThe butterfly said to the sun, 'They can’t stop talking about my transformation. I can only do it once in my lifetime. If only they knew, they can do it at any time and in countless ways.' DODINSKYA caterpillar, after its deep slumber, ‘wakes up to reality’ to realize, that truth is not always bitter after all! MANALI OAKTo all the broken-hearted and anyone feeling sad, may your hearts heal and may you feel happy in your lives.Flutter as the butterflies do. KRYSTALThe butterflies… What an educated sense of beauty they have. They seem only an ornament to society, and yet, if they were gone, how substantial would be their loss. PHIL ROBINSONBees sip honey from flowers and hum their thanks when they leave. The gaudy butterfly is sure that the flowers owe thanks to him. RABINDRANATH TAGOREDo ye not comprehend that we are worms born to bring forth the angelic butterfly that flieth unto judgment without screen? DANTE ALIGHIERIA butterfly symbolized acceptance of each new phase in life. To keep faith as everything around you changed. LISA KLEYPASWhen, within our souls and psyches we are made aware of a safe but insistent drum beat, repeated like butterfly wings in motion, we sense the message… that our inner self has begun its search for freedom. MARY MEEKERWe lose our souls if we lose the experience of the forest, the butterflies, the song of the birds, if we can’t see the stars at night. THOMAS BERRYLike a butterfly stuck in a chrysalis, waiting for the perfect moment, I was waiting for the day I could burst forth and fly away and find my home. EMME ROLLINSOnce you let people know anything about what you think, that’s it, you’re dead. Then they’ll be jumping about in your mind, taking things out, holding them up to the light and killing them, yes, killing them, because thoughts are supposed to stay and grow in quiet, dark places, like butterflies in cocoons. HELEN OYEYEMIFor our people, butterflies are a symbol of hope. It’s said that if you capture one in your hands and whisper your dreams to it, it will carry them up to the heavens so that the wish can be granted. SHERRILYN KENYONWhen you find yourself cocooned in isolation and you cannot find your way out of darkness… Remember, this is similar to the place where caterpillars go to grow their wings. NECOLE STEPHENSThis magnificent butterfly finds a little heap of dirt and sits still on it; but man will never on his heap of mud keep still. JOSEPH CONRADButterflies can’t see their wings. They can’t see how truly beautiful they are, but everyone else can. People are like that as well. NAYA RIVERAI have four or five ideas that just keep floating around and I want to kind of just let one – like a beautiful butterfly, let it land somewhere. GILLIAN FLYNNButterflies used to reproduce on the native plants that grew in our yards before the plants were bulldozed and replaced with lawn. To have butterflies in our future, we need to replace those lost host plants, no if’s, and’s or but’s. If we do not, butterfly populations will continue to decline with every new house that is built. DOUGLAS TALLAMYWhen it comes to religion today, we tend to be long on butterflies and short on cocoons. Somehow we’re going to have to relearn that the deep things of God don’t come suddenly. SUE MONK KIDDThere’s a metaphor Vincent Eades likes to use: If you examine a butterfly according to the laws of aerodynamics, it shouldn’t be able to fly. But the butterfly doesn’t know that, so it flies. HOWARD SCHULTZCut a chrysalis open, and you will find a rotting caterpillar. What you will never find is that mythical creature, half caterpillar, half butterfly, a fit emblem for the human soul, for those whose cast of mind leads them to seek such emblems. No, the process of transformation consists almost entirely of decay. PAT BARKERIt has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world. UNKNOWNHow does one become a butterfly? You have to want to learn to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar. UNKNOWNI dreamed I was a butterfly, flitting around in the sky; then I awoke. Now I wonder: Am I a man who dreamt of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a man? CHUANG TZUIt’s only when caterpillarness is done that one becomes a butterfly. That again is part of this paradox. You cannot rip away caterpillarness. The whole trip occurs in an unfolding process of which we have no control. RAM DASSThe butterfly does not count the months of its life but rather it counts the moments and yet all the time it has is still enough. RABINDRANATH TAGOREAwaken to the universes simple gift of the butterfly. Watch with fascination and joy as a jeweled treasure glides by and gently touches your soul. K. D’ANGELOThe butterfly flits from bloom to bloom, as not to miss one fragrant plume. In her sight exists no garden finale, only paradise of flowered hill and valley. K. D’ANGELOButterflies, they are like dream flowers, childhood dreams, which have broken loose from their stalks and escaped into the sunshine. UNKNOWN

Woman Too Heavy For Her Scale Has Major Wake-Up Call And Loses Over 200 Lbs In 1 Year
Success Stories

Woman Too Heavy For Her Scale Has Major Wake-Up Call And Loses Over 200 Lbs In 1 Year

In life we often wait for signs. Signs act as indicators as to whether or not we should continue on in the same direction or make a hard turn at the wheel.For one woman, her sign would show up in the absolute absence of a sign. This prompted her onto a trajectory that would change her life forever.Noelle Dawson thought that her scale was broken when it wouldn’t read her weight. Many of us have had that moment when we question if the scale is working or not because we simply do not want to believe what we see. We often laugh off the arrival of extra pounds by calling the scale a liar, except when Noelle stepped on the scale, there were no more deceptions. She discovered that the scale in fact was not broken, but it simply was not equipped to read her body weight.The scale had a weight limit of 408 lbs, and Noelle exceeded that weight at 414 lbs.That was the moment that Noelle took control.She had years of habits to unlearn Growing up, Noelle competed as a gymnast which contributed to an unhealthy relationship to binge eating. Noelle Dawson lost 234 lbs in one year's time. Dawson dropped the pounds by using the keto diet and hitting the gym. Then, after the weight loss, Noelle underwent surgery for the excess skin.During Noelle’s gymnast days she would binge eat, and then would often have a poor performance the next day. This would lead her coaches to “punish” her which started a toxic cycle of overindulgence. Once Noelle stopped being physically active, her relationship with food went from bad to worse.Noelle says, “It turned into 15-20 years of me abusing food.”Dawson met her husband Chris at the age of 25-years-old when she was 325 lbs. She wanted to start a family, but there were complications along the way.“I knew I wanted to become a mother. We struggled quite a bit, we tried for years and still could not become pregnant,” Noelle reveals. It didn't help her situation.That caused my weight to spiral even more. It just piled on. We had two failed adoptions and I hit almost 400 lbs at that point.But then, things took a serious turnNoelle and Chris adopted 4 children and Noelle also became pregnant two years later. After she gave birth though, Noelle’s weight became a real impediment to her daily life.Noelle recalls, 'My weight held me back from everything. I struggled walking, I struggled putting my shoes on, I struggled taking my kids anywhere.'At that point, Noelle decided to step on the scale, but the scale read back “Error.”Thinking it was the scale that was erroneous, Dawson changed the batteries and stepped on the scale again. When it still would not read her weight, Noelle realized that the scale had a limit of 408 lbs.After purchasing a new scale with a higher weight limit, Noelle felt heartbroken by what she saw.Noelle remembers the moment saying:I weighed in at 414 lbs. I was devastated, my heart sank. I knew if I didn't make a change in that moment, there would be no Noelle.Noelle reveals that she also truly feared for her health to the extent where she felt it could threaten her life. She says, “Before I started my journey, I remember waking up every morning thinking when’s that day I’m not going to wake up due to how heavy I was.”From dieting to working outNoelle revaluated her nutrition and made the switch to a ketogenic diet and dining at home. After losing 200 lbs, she decided to return to working out and was amazed and how it felt.Dawon says of resuming an active lifestyle, “I had all of this energy. Becoming that active after years of sitting on the couch was... oh my gosh! The high that I got from being at the gym was incredible. I went from being immobile to very mobile.”Noelle now works out 4-5 times per week.While Noelle considers herself “body confident,” she also has her insecurities. She explains, “I am very proud of myself. I'm very body positive but of course I have insecurities with the skin. I just want to not have to tuck it in. When I'm working out, the skin slides right out.”Noelle underwent a tummy tuck and an arm lift to address the excess skin and a breast reduction as well.Noelle says of life post-surgery, “I’m able to see the true results now the skin has been removed.” Betting on yourself is always worth itThe mother of 5 reveals, “Being able to do all the things I couldn't is an indescribable feeling. I'm able to live my life with my children and watch them grow up while being in on the action, that's the best part of the journey.”Noelle adds, “It continues to inspire me and motivate me to stay on the right track. I've learned so much about myself, my relationship with food; that I am worthy and I am enough. It feels so good to feel free from these chains that held me back from being happy.”Noelle’s supportive husband Chris says of her journey, “My wife’s transformation, her outward appearance is amazing, you can see the results she’s worked for.”Chris continues saying, “The biggest thing for me is her mental transformation, it’s like a new light has been turned on it’s even brighter and she shines.”Noelle’s smile is shining brighter than it used to and those around her can feel her light. In reclaiming her physical health and putting herself first, Noelle improved her overall energy. She can feel it, and according to her husband, her family can as well. Signs in life can point you in the wrong or right direction. Noelle saw the word “Error” and identified what needed to be done right then and there.Never be afraid to take action when you can read the signs clearly. They are there for you to make sense of your environment and to guide you on this journey we call the human experience. Sometimes in life we feel as though we do not know what to do, but when clarity is upon us and the path becomes known, it is best to act with your best interests at heart.Read the signs so you can walk the course.

Woman Loses 85 Lbs In A Year By Adopting This Totally Unexpected Weight Loss Trick
Exercise

Woman Loses 85 Lbs In A Year By Adopting This Totally Unexpected Weight Loss Trick

We all wish that we could get fit by doing something fun. It’s the dream.When we have a goal in mind, sometimes the path to getting there is a little mirky. Our determination is there, our intention is there, but the who, what, when, where, and how of it all is a bit unclear.The words “hoop dreams” typically evoke images of young basketball players aspiring for a shot at success in the NBA. Well, for one new mom wanting to shed the baby weight, the term “hoop dreams” took on a whole new meaning.She had loved hooping as a child but had outgrown it as she got olderCori Magnotta hula-hooped as a child, but as she grew older, she grew further from her beloved hoop.When it came to workouts, Cori says that she didn’t find them “fun.” She tells Women’s Health through Sarah Klein at Prevention, “I would join a gym, go once, and never go back.”Magnotta struggled with her weight her entire life. Except things got a little more complicated once she became pregnant with her son.But I have yet to meet someone I can't teach to hoop! I have 21-year-olds and 65-year-olds in my class, petite people and tall people, couch potatoes and marathoners—it's for anyone and everyone.Cori Magnotta“When I was pregnant with my son, I developed preeclampsia, or high blood pressure, and had to be on bedrest for two months. Being sedentary contributed to my weight gain during my pregnancy,” Cori recalls.“At my heaviest, I was 265 pounds. My son was a big baby—10 pounds!—so I attribute some of that to him,” Magnotta says.Many new moms struggle with getting the baby weight off for a whole multitude of reasons. Cori experienced the same saying, “But I struggled with getting the rest of it back off. I developed hypothyroidism after my pregnancy and my metabolism had slowed, making it easier to gain weight and that much more difficult to lose it.” She found out that she hated traditional workoutsBy October 2014, Cori was 250 Lbs and looking to lose more than the first initial 15 lbs. She began researching the Internet for “fun” workouts. Magnotta discovered FXP Fitness, a workout routine that involves a weighted hula-hoop and utilizes techniques from barre, yoga, and pilates.Cori says, “I remembered how much I loved hooping as a kid and signed up for a class. I drove from my home in Portland, Connecticut, to Massachusetts, the only place classes were available at the time. I remember thinking, ‘Let me go see what this is all about.’”Magnotta fell in love with the workout! Cori says, “it’s impossible to not smile while Hula-Hooping.”Cori describes her first experience hooping saying, “I wore a fitness tracker and a heart-rate monitor and watched my heart rate spike like I was doing a high-intensity interval training workout. I could burn as much as 800 calories in an hour doing the class's combination of ballet movements, yoga poses, strength exercises like squats, and of course traditional waist hooping.”It helped that I now have a 2-year-old I have to chase everywhere! Once you start exercising, there's a snowball effect: You have more energy to do more things, like cook instead of going to the drive-thru and play with my son instead of watching him at the playground. Cori MagnottaShe continues saying, “We even hooped around our arms and our hands to give our waists a break. We used the weighted hoop to do stretches and hooped while we did dance routines like the YMCA and the Macarena.”Cori took the two-pound weighted hoop home with her and began to hoop alone, starting with only 10 minutes a day.Magnotta recalls, “It was easy to stand in front of the TV and whip it around my waist, even if I had toys all over my living room floor from my son. It didn't take me long to decide that I wanted to become an instructor myself. I decided to go to Boston to get certified.”As Magnotta began to slowly see results, eventually within the year she lost 85 lbs!Hula hooping has allowed her to become an active part of her son's lifeCory says, “It helped that I now have a 2-year-old I have to chase everywhere! Once you start exercising, there's a snowball effect: You have more energy to do more things, like cook instead of going to the drive-thru and play with my son instead of watching him at the playground. Now, I teach hooping three times a week.”As a child, Cori competed in pageants. Now, 20 years later, she decided to give it another go. She was crowned America’s Fit Mrs., and for the talent portion of the competition, you guessed it… Magnotta hula-hooped to the judge’s amazement! FXP Hoop Fitness also featured Cori as Trainer of the Month.Cori loves what she does! She explains, “The most important thing is that it's fun. Most people crack up when I tell them I'm a Hula-Hoop instructor and tell me they can't hoop. But I have yet to meet someone I can't teach to hoop! I have 21-year-olds and 65-year-olds in my class, petite people and tall people, couch potatoes and marathoners—it's for anyone and everyone.”Cori found what worked for her. She recognized that traditional workout routines were not her vibe and she found something that was. In the process of committing to her physical health, she found not only a workout routine that she loves but even a new career!She wants to spread the joy by becoming a certified instructor herselfCori’s “hoop dreams” may have been untraditional, but that doesn’t mean that they are any less perfect for her! If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. And when that doesn’t work, use the resources at your fingertips to find what does. When you find what works, shoot for your goals no matter what they are, and map out the road to get there.No matter what your road looks like, make sure that it both serves you and stirs a fire within you. And remember, one person’s hula-hoop is another person’s treadmill, skipping rope, or basketball. We all have unique needs that are connected to our wants and dreams.We all measure success on our own terms, and our paths should reflect that truth. Our health journeys are no different, and anything that brings a smile to your face is positive indeed.Find your hula hoop and let it move you towards yours goals. They are there for the taking, it's just a matter of mapping the road to get there.More inspiring stories:Woman Cruelly Teased By Bullies For Her Appearance Gets The Last LaughWoman Abruptly Dumped By Fiancé For Being Overweight Gets Ultimate RevengeAt 480 Lbs, He Received a Deadly Wake-up Call And Turned His Life AroundShe Lost Over 100 Pounds by Making This Promise to Herself

Her Husband Cheated on Her - So She Lost a 100 Lbs and Turned Her Life Around
Diet & Exercise

Her Husband Cheated on Her - So She Lost a 100 Lbs and Turned Her Life Around

In life we make commitments. Most often when people think about the concept of commitments they think of relationships or even marriage. But there are tons of commitments that can be made over the course of a lifetime. It can be a commitment to your career, to travel, to your family, etc. But most importantly, a commitment to yourself.Betsey Ayala's commitment to herself changed her lifeBetsy Ayala struggled with her weight her entire life. The scale would read between 200 lbs and 210 lbs throughout her 20’s, and after Betsy gave birth to her daughter, her weight reached a peak of 260 lbs.When Ayala gave birth to her daughter in June 2013, she suffered from postpartum depression and anxiety. Since she was suffering with her mental health, she was not as concerned about her physical appearance at the time.Betsy tells People, “My brother suggested that I try to eat better to feel better.”Ayala continues saying, “I had a newborn, and I didn’t have the will to cook, so I learned about Herbalife shakes and I gave it a shot. Slowly I started to feel better, and I started losing weight even though that wasn’t my intention — my intention was to feel better overall through good nutrition.”Betsey found out her husband was cheating on herBetsy slowly eased into a healthier lifestyle and started seeing the number on the scale drop without trying. When Betsy Ayala had lost her first 30 lbs, she found out that her husband was having an affair. Ayala and her husband had been dating since she was 17.Facing betrayal and a potential new mentality of victimhood, Betsy Ayala chose to make a commitment to herself when the commitment she had made with her husband crumbled.At that point, my whole world fell apart.Ayala recounts to People, “For a couple of months we were trying to figure out if we could make this work, and it ended up not working out. At that moment, I thought, ‘This is not going to define who I am. I don’t want to be the way I have been all these years.’ That drove me to make a permanent change in my life.”As a mother, Betsy wanted to be a positive and active role model for her daughter. She says, “I wanted her to be proud of me and have an example of a strong mom that perseveres despite whatever happens, and have a happy life.”She wants to be a positive role model to her daughterIn that instant, Betsy Ayala’s life changed. She says, “That moment was when I decided that I wasn’t going to be the same person I was before.”Betsy lost 103 lbs after that moment. In 2014, Ayala began working out regularly and overhauling her diet. She ditched the soda, processed foods, and junk, except she does have one cheat meal a week. Ayala also incorporated exercise into her daily routine, with only one day off a week.According to Betsy, leading a healthy lifestyle has become natural to her by now. She says, “At the beginning it was hard, but it’s honestly not as hard as you think it is.”Ayala explains, “Once you feel good and you make that change and you see how amazing it feels to feel good, it just becomes part of your life. For me, it’s second nature. I don’t question going to the gym — it’s part of what I do.”Betsy continues, “And even eating right, it’s not, ‘Oh I have to eat healthy today.’ It’s part of my life now. I enjoy it.”Betsey chooses to live life on her own terms While Betsy Ayala’s husband could not maintain the commitment he had made to her on their wedding day to be faithful, this did not break Betsy down. She chose to live life to the fullest on her own terms and she took the action to do so. What began as a change in her diet to feel better mentally turned into a commitment to an entire body and life transformation.When you feel good and you’re good with yourself both mentally and physically, it changes your perspective on life.BetsyBetsy lost the weight, the cheating husband, and her old mentality. She replaced old and more destructive habits with positive ones, even becoming a wellness coach for others. While some commitments we make in life are celebrated by others loudly through parties, gifts, and accolades, some are celebrated simply through how we feel about ourselves.Always remember to put yourself first. Make the biggest commitment of all, the commitment to your happiness and health, and watch the positive results improve your life. A commitment after all is a dedication to a worthy cause, and you, no matter who you are, are always going to be worthy.More inspiring stories:Woman Lost 70 lbs And Turned Her Life Around After A Sudden Wake-up CallWoman Cruelly Teased By Bullies For Her Appearance Gets The Last LaughTwins Lose Over 250 Lbs Together By Supporting One AnotherAt 480 Lbs, He Received a Deadly Wake-up Call And Turned His Life Around

At 300 Lbs, This Woman Transformed Her Life After Seeing Herself in a Picture
Success Stories

At 300 Lbs, This Woman Transformed Her Life After Seeing Herself in a Picture

Jasmine Parent always struggled with her weight, but it wasn’t until she saw herself in a picture alongside her closest friends at an annual Christmas gathering that she finally committed to a healthier lifestyle.At the time, she weighed around 300 pounds."I had this moment where I saw myself in the photo, and I just hadn't realized how different I looked and how much weight I had gained," Jasmine, of Halifax, Nova Scotia told Health.com. "That photo was the end of me not coming to terms with it."A former college basketball player, Jasmine remembered feeling like she’d finally got a handle on her weight in her senior year, but that changed when her father passed away in 2013.To cope with her painful loss, she turned to food for comfort."I began emotionally eating without even really realizing it," she said. "For the three years after my dad passed away, I was just gaining, gaining, gaining." Her diet kept on getting worseIn 2016, Jasmine and her partner, Jeremy Crawley, welcomed their first daughter and were filled with joy, but their eating habits were getting out of control.“Everything we did, every celebration, every night was, let’s get chips and pop and takeout,” she told People. “Everything went from a box or a bag into the microwave or the oven,” she said. “We rarely ate vegetables.”Jasmine’s weight went up to 250 pounds, and when she got pregnant a second time, she started feeling the toll her weight was taking on health. She sometimes needed Jeremy’s help just to sit up in bed in the morning.Being incapable of doing physical things like that really hit me. How do you go from being a university athlete to — less than 5 years later — your partner is lifting you out of bed?After her second daughter was born in 2017, Jasmine’s weight reached 300 pounds, and Jeremy weighed 333 pounds, at his heaviest."I felt miserable physically, emotionally and mentally," said Jasmine. "I wanted to have more energy for my children."First step of action: dietWhen she caught a glimpse of herself in a group photo with her best friends at Christmas that year, she was shocked but also knew it was time to take action.Having discovered the motivation to transform her life, Jasmine was inspired when she came across a 21-day meal plan while browsing Instagram. The program cost 20$ which she recalled was close to the amount she’d spent on McDonald’s the week before, so she signed up and teamed up with Jeremy for the challenge.They made the New Year’s resolution to get healthier together in January 2018, and started by tracking their calorie intakes in an app. “We went into our cupboards and threw out all junk food and anything processed,” said Jasmine, adding that they switched to whole foods. If we couldn’t grow or harvest it ourselves, we decided not to eat it.Jasmine ParentWithin two months, they both lost over 30 pounds by not only making more conscious decisions about what they ate, but also by working out and supporting each other when motivation swayed.Today, her life couldn't be more differentBy the time Jasmine got pregnant with their third child, she was down 120 pounds and Jeremy had lost almost 90. "I worked out on the elliptical the day I gave birth," she remembered.Today, Jasmine is a certified fitness coach and nutritionist and says that her weight loss has done wonders for her mental health, and coming off the anxiety medication she’d been on for years has been one of greatest successes.I always say I no longer sweat the small stuff... Now, things just kind of roll right off of my back. I'm so much more relaxed. Life itself feels less stressful because my overall mood has improved.Jasmine ParentJeremy and Jasmine still exercise together every morning, and even ran a 5k as a family unit.“We used to take the girls to the playground and I would just stand there and watch," Jasmine remembered. "But now I'm running up the steps and going down the slide and then going across the monkey bars."

Woman Loses 140 lbs After Being Denied Entry To Every Rollercoaster Ride
Diet & Exercise

Woman Loses 140 lbs After Being Denied Entry To Every Rollercoaster Ride

In 2017 Sophie Trewick was looking forward to a day of fun at the Alton Towers amusement park in Staffordshire, England. Instead of leaving with an anticipated smile on her face, Sophie left the theme park mortified but motivated to change.Trewick and all of her friends were given fast track passes so that they wouldn’t have to wait in the long lines to see if she would be able to “fit on each rollercoaster.”She decided to take her trauma and turn it into motivation Sophie was a 331-pound college student at the time and the Alton Towers staff believed that because of her size she may not be small enough to fit safely on the rides. Unfortunately for Trewick, the fast track passes would make no difference to her experience except expediting her embarrassment. Sophie was quoted telling the Daily Mail, “I felt ashamed and humiliated when I was turned away from each ride.”As if being rejected from a day of fun over and over again wasn’t humiliation enough, one of Sophie’s friends humiliated her even further. Sophie says of the moment, “It was so embarrassing. One of my friends actually said to me ‘I am glad you are fat as we get to jump straight to the front.’”I felt ashamed and humiliated when I was turned away from each ride.Sophie Trewick to Daily MailWhile the embarrassment and hurt was immense that day, it catalyzed Sophie to make serious changes in her life moving forward. Sophie is quoted saying, “I went home that day distraught, and knew I had to change. I joined Slimming World the same week and I have never looked back.”Slimming World is a weight loss program and community that approaches losing weight with a no-hunger eating plan, gently introduced activity, and an incredible support system. Founder Margaret Miles-Bramwell OBE created Slimming World in 1969 in an attempt to provide others with a positive and different approach to weight management. Sophie clearly found the right weight loss program for herself because in the two years following that embarrassing day at Alton Towers, Sophie lost 140 pounds!Sophie’s struggles with her weight all began in her childhood when she dislocated a hip during gym class and was unable to exercise throughout her recovery. Additionally, at the age of 11, she became addicted to fast food, and her relationship with food spiraled completely out of control.As time went on, Sophie didn’t learn how to properly prepare meals for herself and she would choose to purchase takeout food from restaurants instead of cooking at home. Trewick was so self-conscious about receiving judgemental looks from her peers that she would take cab rides to campus instead of walking. Sophie’s main comfort foods of choice were Domino’s pizza, cheesy chips, bacon sandwiches, and chocolate brownies.Tiptoe if you must, but take the steps.Sophie TrewickBut now Trewick makes healthier food choices and her success can be seen in the many before and after photographs on her Instagram page. After the incredible weight loss, Sophie has even returned to Alton Towers and enjoyed the rollercoasters without the fear of being turned away from each ride. Her incredible transformation however is most evident in the brilliance of her smile and renewal of self-confidence shining through in her Instagram photos.Sophie's lifestyle changed drasticallyIn November of 2020, Sophie raised money for bone cancer by entering a fitness challenge requiring her to do 2,000 burpees during the month of November. She regularly shares her journey online through her Instagram page where she posts pictures of her adorable Labradors, her fiancée, incredible Slimming World approved meals, and of course, her radiant self!In a caption of a before and after weight loss picture, Sophie says on Instagram, “summers consist of long walks, bike rides, and fun instead of hiding away in my bedroom.” The caption tells a tale of a woman’s triumph but also years of incredible pain.Sometimes taking the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life.Sophie Trewick Sometimes motivation comes from unlikely places. When you take a negative and turn it into a positive, you gain control over your agency and this can change the narrative to your whole life. Sophie may have gone home distraught on that first day at Alton Towers, but within years of that nightmarish incident, she returned to the amusement park and finally had that fun and gleeful time she anticipated having back in 2017.There is victory in defeat- it only depends on how you look at itSophie owned her destiny. She did not let negativity get her down for long; she repackaged it to propel herself and made a change for the better. Sophie’s healthy lifestyle has transformed her life. In doing what she thought was impossible she has proved to herself and to any onlookers that change is within reach. While sometimes the events that motivate us to make those changes in our lives are traumatizing, upsetting, and hurtful, that doesn’t mean that we can’t utilize them to our advantage so that we can live fuller lives. Sophie took control of her situation and as a result, is living a positive and healthy lifestyle.There is victory in defeat if you look at it from a different angle. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. To quote Sophie herself, “sometimes taking the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tiptoe if you must, but take the steps.” Take the steps required to get to the place you want to be in life. Even if you start with baby steps, as long as you’re moving forward in a certain direction, eventually you will be successful!More inspiring transformation:This Man Lost Over 600 Pounds After Choosing To LiveAt 70, This Woman Defied All Odds By Starting Her Fitness JourneyThis Woman Lost Over 200 Pounds By Shifting Her MindsetThis Woman Lost 160 pounds To Be A Better Mom And Kept Fighting Even After Cancer Diagnosis