Close Ad

weekly column

Robert Downey Jr.'s Wife: Why Susan Levin Is Known as the Miracle That Saved RDJ
Marriage

Robert Downey Jr.'s Wife: Why Susan Levin Is Known as the Miracle That Saved RDJ

With 17 years of wedded bliss, Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Levin (now Downey) make up one of Hollywood’s most enviable couples. Their love story isn’t a traditional one, however. Before she was known as "Robert Downey Jr.'s wife," or the co-founder of Team Downey, the longtime film producer met the actor at one of his lowest points. Robert had just spent close to a year in jail and finished court-ordered rehab for his widely publicized addiction.Robert could have lost his movie career for good. But then, in 2002, he talked his way into a role in a thriller called Gothika by agreeing to get most of his pay after filming. The experience changed his life, in more ways than one. Robert Downey Jr. not only met his future wife, but also the person who would turn his entire world upside down — in the best way possible. On Aug. 27, 2005, the couple said “I do” after two years of engagement. In 2012, they had their first child, son Exton Elias Downey, then welcomed daughter Avri Roel Downey in 2014. (Robert also has a son, Indio Falconer Downey, from his marriage to singer Deborah Falconer.)How Susan Levin & Robert Downey Jr. Worked Through Their DifferencesSusan Downey and Robert Downey Jr. (Photo by Michael Buckner/WireImage for New Line Cinema)How Did Susan Downey Meet Robert Downey Jr.?Robert met Susan in 2003, on the set of the supernatural thriller Gothika, her “first full-credit producing job." (She was co-president of Dark Castle Entertainment, and executive vice president of production of Silver Pictures.) However, it wasn’t love at first sight. Far from it. RELATED: Robert Downey Jr.: Never Give UpAsked In 2009 whether she was immediately attracted to her husband, Susan laughingly admitted to Harper’s Bazaar, "Not even a little bit. The main thing I remember about meeting him was thinking how strange he was.” “I thought he was a brilliant actor, but it didn't go beyond that," she added. "I saw him more like a professor or someone's older brother.” Years later, Susan again noted how she initially thought Robert was “interesting but weird.” To illustrate her point, she recalled a dinner with cast and crew during which “everybody else ordered Japanese, but Robert told us how oatmeal was the 'super-food'. He brought his own packets of oatmeal to have at lunch. And he had this box of various herbs and stuff. And then he started doing these yoga moves." But the producer’s feelings began to change a few weeks later, as the pair got to know each other. Remembering the exact moment when she began to view the actor in a different light, Susan said, “One day [after filming], when we were on the treadmills, Robert goes, 'Levin, you wanna go to dinner?' and I said, 'Eh, I'll grab something to eat.’ So we agreed to go change and meet in the lobby and as he walked down the stairs toward me, I remember looking up at him and suddenly thinking, ‘He's really cute.’"She Believed in "Running Toward What Scares You”Photo: InstagramAn attraction may have begun to develop, but the actor and the producer couldn’t have been more different. As The Hollywood Reporter pointed out, Susan was an honor student who graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California. Robert, meanwhile, was a high school drop-out and recovering addict who had struggled with substance abuse for years. RELATED: What Is Emily Blunt and John Krasinski's Secret to Staying Fantastic Forever?Luckily, the differences didn’t faze Susan one bit. "I think there's something about running toward what scares you,” she told Harper’s Bazaar, admitting she chose to follow her heart rather than get hung up reservations about incompatibility."More than anything, I never doubted it,” she said. “There was something in my gut that knew really quickly. I knew three months in that this was it."Six months later, Robert proposed. However, just because Susan was following her gut didn’t mean she was doing so blindly. When He Nearly Reverted to His Old Ways, She Wasn’t Having It"I did meet Darth Vader, for like a minute, right after the movie wrapped," Susan recalled of Robert's addiction. "I said immediately, 'This isn't gonna work.' I made it clear that to stay with me, nothing could happen."RELATED: How Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen’s Dedication to Charity Has Enhanced Their 20 Year RelationshipTheir love was so strong that it gave Robert the ultimate push he needed to change things for good. In July 2003, he reportedly tossed is remaining drugs into the ocean, and vowed to never touch them again. Susan credited the power of true love. "I think he saw what we had," she said. "There was something magical there, something we couldn't put our finger on.”Their Relationship Is “Perfectly Symbiotic”Photo: InstagramAccording to Harper’s Bazaar, Susan’s unofficial nickname in Hollywood is "The Miracle That Saved Robert Downey Jr." The Iron Man star certainly agrees with that assessment. He credits Susan with inspiring him to do better."I guess the only way to explain it is that I've become more like her,” he revealed. She Didn’t Just Help Overcome His Demons, She Helped Build a Successful CareerSpeaking in 2010 with the Herald, Robert admitted, "The old saying is true — behind every good man there's an incredible woman. I owe a huge amount — if not all — of my success to Susan. We make a great team." Case in point: His love helped Robert to snag some of his most high-profile roles in Hollywood, including that of Tony Star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There's also the lead in Sherlock Holmes, after Susan told director Guy Ritchie that he’d be great for the part. (Susan was a producer on Sherlock Holmes and its 2011 sequel.)RELATED: Gisele Bündchen’s Feelings on Tom Brady’s Return to Football Reveal the Challenges That Come with a 13-Year MarriageBut it wasn’t a one-way street, by any means. Robert has also had a positive impact on wife Susan. Before meeting Robert, Susan was “very focused, driven, rigid, work-oriented. I didn't care about having a family or making a home. I didn't think about kids. [...] And then I had someone who came in as a tornado, this creative, beautiful ball of insane energy and passion. And it completely opened me up."They Make Each Other Better Photo: InstagramAs Susan shared with Harper’s Bazaar, they’re stronger as a unit than they’ve ever been apart. "He always says that we became this third thing when we got together — something that neither of us could have become by ourselves — and I think that's true," she gushed. RELATED: Paul Bettany’s Hilarious Response to Jennifer Connelly’s Triumph Says A Lot About Their 20-Year MarriageGuy Ritchie may have summed it up best, however, when he called their relationship “perfectly symbiotic." “They each represent the other side of each other's coin," he said. "There's no clashing over the same space, although they're always looking in the same direction. It's a very rare thing they have."If there’s one thing everyone can learn from Robert and Susan, it’s that a successful relationship requires mutual respect and admiration. The union cannot be lopsided. Rather, it must be a perfect balance in which both parties feel fulfilled and empowered to be the best possible versions of themselves at all times, both individually and together. More inspiring love stories:Mandy Moore and Taylor Goldsmith Rebuilt Their Marriage From “Trauma”Meryl Streep Fought Through the Tragic Loss of Her First Love to Find HappinessHow Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre’s Love Broke Their RulesAmy Schumer and Chris Fischer’s Marriage Blossomed From Their Idiosyncrasies

Woman Loses Over 200 Pounds By Facing Her Demons
Diet & Exercise

Woman Loses Over 200 Pounds By Facing Her Demons

Starting in childhood, Kara Beck understood she was “different” from her peers.“It was obvious I was bigger and it made me look older,” Beck told TODAY.She was 8 years old when doctors diagnosed her with pre-diabetes, and 12 when she started getting bullied by schoolmates because of her weight. Still today, Beck remembers hearing the whispers behind her back Boys called her “fat” underneath their breath as they walked past her, and even one of her friends called her a “red cow” when she wasn’t around.“I was very careful. I was always so sensitive and tried to stay out of situations that would provoke bullying," said Beck. “There were more things said behind my back... than to my face."As she grew older, she developed unhealthy eating habits as a way to cope with the emotional scars left behind from all the bullying.“The bullying was just damaging my psyche, at this point, and creating this really unhealthy self-image and relationship to my body," she said. “That turned into my bad relationship with food.”In high school, Beck lost 70 pounds, but started self-harming. Worried for their daughter, her parents helped her get treatment for anxiety and depression, and that included antidepressants. Soon after, she regained the weight she’d lost.“Bingeing habits really started when I got into my later teenage years," Beck said. "Those bullying instances were fuel for that.”She and her husband Nathan got married when she was 19 and they planned to have children, but only after she’d lost weight.Things didn’t go according to plan — just as Beck started to lose some weight in 2016, she found out she was pregnant. At the time, she weighed nearly 330 pounds In March 2017, when she gave birth to her son Samuel, Beck peaked at 368 pounds.“Before my pregnancy, mentally, I had gotten very good at avoiding my weight,” she said. “When I was pregnant I was visiting the doctor every month and then every week and I had to see it and address what was happening." That was when I thought ‘Oh my gosh I need help.’After a doctor told her about gastric bypass surgery, she started following people on Instagram who’d gotten the procedure and eventually found the inspiration to take the leap herself. She finally got the surgery in January 2018.“Your body has changed and you have to adjust to that,” she said.She’s had to learn about proper nutrition and build a new relationship with food. Her body no longer enjoys the same amounts of sugary and fatty foods it had gotten used to.Her key to successFor Beck, more than anything, increasing her self-awareness has been key to her success.“You have to analyze your thought patterns and feelings,” she explained. Am I actually hungry? "You have to be able to ask yourself why you are doing the things you are doing in the first place."Since getting the surgery, the 25-year-old admits that losing weight and staying healthy takes work and that it hasn’t always been easy.But by making small, incremental changes to her eating and exercise habits, Beck has gone from 368 pounds down to 160.When she first started exercising, she could only do 15 minutes at a time before she felt exhausted. Now, she goes to the gym for an hour, six days a week.Kara's lesson to us allFor Beck, being healthy means more than just physical wellbeing, it means dealing with her anxiety and depression too.“I am working on the mental aspect and that will help me keep going further,” she said. If you don’t deal with the mentality and the habits that got you there you won’t see results.After having lost 200 pounds, she decided to have excess skin removal surgery on her stomach.“The skin was a double-edged sword," Beck said. "I saw it as a badge of honor but it also reminds me of who I used to be, which holds me back."Today, she feels more confident than ever and is proud of what’s been able to accomplish. She was able to turn things around by facing her underlying pain head-on and dealing with it. If you can get through that, you can get through anything.More transformation stories:Marissa Schillaci-Kayton’s Motivation to Lose 100 Pounds Came From an Unexpected PlaceMotivated and Inspired By His Wife, Richard James Adair, Jr. Lost 100 PoundsAli Shinn Lost 90 Pounds By Making Small Changes That Add UpSean Hennessy Loses 60 Pounds By Running Toward Sobriety

Man Loses 60 Pounds By Running Toward Sobriety
Exercise

Man Loses 60 Pounds By Running Toward Sobriety

For Sean Hennessy, sobriety led to weight gain-- until he fell in love with running.Hennessy, a former lacrosse player, was 16 years old when he began abusing drugs and alcohol. Growing up, he was always athletic. He started playing soccer early on, then switched to lacrosse, which earned him a college scholarship.Henessey ran to stay in shape, but sports were his passionOn the outside, Hennessy appeared to be thriving, but he was still struggling with substance abuse.He was 26 when he finally decided to get clean. For Hennessy, that meant redirecting his motivation for sports into staying sober.I began to value my mental health more than my physicalHennessy told Men’s Health, “Poor eating habits and a lack of physical activity led to a quick weight gain of 30-plus pounds.”Sobriety over sportsAt the time, he weighed over 200 pounds and over the next decade he was able to stay sober, but his weight slowly kept creeping up.“Any definition I had in my stomach, back, sides, legs, and shoulders was gone,” he said.Up until then, he’d attempted to keep his weight under control through a combination of running and crash dieting, but quickly found out that it wasn’t the right approach.In the summer of 2018, Hennessy reached 245 pounds and the extra weight started taking a toll on him. He had trouble keeping up with son, he wasn’t getting proper sleep and experienced the horrible pain of a gout attack.The moment of realizationIt was when he looked down at the scale during a doctor’s visit that summer, that he realized he had to make some changes to his lifestyle.After years of mistreating his body and having no interest in weight lifting, Hennessy immersed himself into running. Along with adopting a daily running routine in August 2018, he cleaned up his diet by eliminating soda, fast food, and sweets.By April 2019, he was down to 175 pounds“Running has become the primary outlet for physical health, sport, activity, mental health, and personal accomplishment,” said Hennessy.His wife has been on her own transformation journey and not only is he proud of her weight loss, but her success motivates him to keep going.Now, he’s just happy to be able to watch his two sons grow up.Running has been instrumental to my recovery over the yearsThis year marked 11 years of sobriety for Hennessy, and he celebrated earlier this month by completing the New York City Marathon.“I smile every time I see I have set a new personal best on the app I use to track my runs,” he said, “and can't wait to see my family when I complete that race.”More transformation stories:Marissa Schillaci-Kayton’s Motivation to Lose 100 Pounds Came From an Unexpected PlaceMotivated and Inspired By His Wife, Richard James Adair, Jr. Lost 100 PoundsAli Shinn Lost 90 Pounds By Making Small Changes That Add UpAngel Diaz Beats Food Addiction, Loses 191 Pounds to Be Present for His Family

Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green's Divorce Wasn't the End of Their Love
Marriage

Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green's Divorce Wasn't the End of Their Love

At first glance, Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green’s relationship appears to be picture-perfect. However, since first meeting in 2004, the couple has faced more challenges than most. Their romance has seen a LOT of ups and downs (including a near-divorce), but the actors have managed to work through their issues, find their footing, and come out the other side deeply in love. These days, they’re fully devoted to one another and their three children: Noah, Bodhi, and Journey. Here’s how the struggling lovebirds overcame a slew of challenges and ended up on top.What we can learn from Megan Fox and Brian Austin GreenAt first, they weren’t on the same page Megan Fox first met (and became instantly smitten with) Brian Austin Green when he guest-starred on her show, Hope & Faith. From the outset, their compatibility was tested. For one, Fox was just 18 at the time while Green was 30. For another, he had just gotten out of a serious relationship with his Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star, Vanessa Marcil. The couple had actually called off their engagement just the year before and shared a two-year-old son when Green’s journey crossed Fox’s in 2004. Most importantly, their feelings weren't mutual at firstRecalling their first encounter in a 2009 interview with The New York Times, Fox reminisced about the specific moment when she realized Green was something special. "I liked him right away," she said, recalling, "Everyone was around the monitor watching a scene, and Brian accidentally touched my leg. I remember literal electricity shooting through me and out me from every direction. It was like magic."Unfortunately, Green was not on the same page. Opening up on an episode of Barstool Sports’ KFC Radio, Green admitted that the connection wasn’t instant for him. Explaining that he "wasn’t looking for a relationship at the time," the actor remembered thinking, "This can’t f***ing happen. This isn’t going to happen, no way."That all changed when he realized he might lose her "It’s funny, I kept pushing her away early on, because I was like, ‘I don’t want a relationship,’" he continued. "And then she was like, ‘Well cool, I’m going to go date.’ I was like, ‘Wait a second, I didn’t say go date, please!’"That was his aha moment and their love quickly blossomed into an engagement in 2006. Their careers got in the wayDespite Green finally coming around to the idea of being in a committed relationship so quickly after his split from the mother of his first child, the pair soon faced another major bump. Not long after their engagement, Fox’s career really began to take flight, as she landed major roles in the Transformers franchise, as well as the lead in Jennifer’s Body. Meanwhile, Green continued to solely work on the small screen with one-off appearances and a short stint on Freddie, which lasted a single season. As he admitted to TV Guide in 2008, their diverging career paths began to test their relationship. He revealed, "We have more time away from each other now than we’d like." By February 2009, that separation had taken its toll and the wedding was called off. Both actors kept rather quiet on the subject, but Fox appeared to place some of the blame on age when she justified, "Marriage isn't a realistic goal for someone who is 23, that's all." I just wanna concentrate on becoming a better person before I try to commit to being someone else's wife.She took time to better herself Keeping her word, Fox took time to work on herself, and decide what she wanted at that stage in her life. By the end of that same year, she knew Green was who she wanted. And she wasn’t afraid to push the failure aside and give love another try. Rather than holding any resentment against her, Green took a step back and worked to understand Fox’s side of things. As he told Access Hollywood, he knew she needed the time apart to figure things out. He said, "She was 18 when I met her, and she went through an enormous change in her life because of her career in general. So she went through the natural period of, ‘I’m not sure if I’m ready to be in such a settled relationship.’ I have an 8-year-old, and he was two at the time that Megan and I met. She helped me raise him, and that’s a huge responsibility."Jump to June 2010 and the couple was engaged again and, just two weeks later, they wed in a secret ceremony in Hawaii. In September 2012 they had their first child, Noah Shannon, then their second, Bodhi Ransom, in February 2014. Unfortunately, those gnawing insecurities then popped out of the shadows yet again.They found a new perspective In August 2015, Fox filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, but the universe had other plans. In April 2016, she announced she was pregnant again and everything changed. Putting the focus back on their family, the couple found a new perspective and reconciled. Fox even filed papers to dismiss her divorce case in April 2019.Reflecting on the couple’s breakups and makeups, Green told HollywoodLife that, over the years, they’ve learned the three major keys to wedded bliss. First is staying grounded — “Our marriage is very normal at home” — then there’s communication — “We discuss everything. We try and be as open and transparent as possible with each other” — and finally, embracing each other’s differences. “The more we talk about things and through things, the more we understand each other,” Green confessed, elaborating, “We’ve really come to appreciate the differences in each other more so than we did before." Noting that it’s easy to get competitive and lose sight of what’s important, Green added that the No. 1 thing to remember is the importance of being a team. "I think that if you lose that competitive nature and you make it a team effort, the team can always produce more than a single person," he reasoned. Why not have all of my strengths and all of hers and come together on something?Yes, "marriage is hard," as Green concluded, but at the end of the day, it’s imperative to remember that sometimes love takes work — and that’s okay. Rather than giving up or putting too much pressure on yourself to have the perfect relationship, it’s healthier to take things day by day, talk through issues, and not get discouraged. All you can do is your best and, even if you’re not always on the same page, by putting in the time you can still end up on even (happy) ground.More inspiring love stories:Carey Mulligan Married Her Childhood Pen Pal, Marcus MumfordAdam Brody and Leighton Meester Refuse to Let Drama Poison Their LoveKurt Russell Stepped up for Oliver and Kate Hudson When Goldie Hawn’s Ex LeftJennifer Lawrence’s Husband Found Her When She Wasn’t Looking for Love

Woman Loses 90 Pounds By Making Small Changes That Add Up
Diet & Exercise

Woman Loses 90 Pounds By Making Small Changes That Add Up

Ali Shinn was on a family vacation in the Florida Keys in 2014, when she saw a picture of herself in a bikini, sitting by a pool, with her back turned to the camera and broke down in tears.“I couldn’t believe that it was me,” she told Yahoo.“When I got back from that trip I made a promise to myself that I would get healthy and be that happy kid who was so full of life again.”Things started to change once she hit puberty“The summer after middle school I went from a 5‘9”-beanpole to a curvy woman,” she said.She’d gone from being a self-proclaimed tomboy to getting unwanted attention by her peers because of the way she looked.Ali struggled with depression and her body image all through high school, and turned to her laptop and food for comfort.“I’d spend hours tucked away in my room on the internet or playing The Sims and eating until eventually all my 'curves' went away,” she remembered.By the time she was 16, she weighed nearly 200 pounds and started feeling the consequences of her lifestyle choices.“I lost the stamina I once had, my clothes didn’t fit how I wanted, and I was just uncomfortable with myself,” said Ali.She tried losing weight several times but it wasn’t quite at the top of her priority list.She struggled to make a change“In college I partied too much and fell into the routine of eat, sleep, drink,” she said.She spent hours at the gym, trying to stay in shape, but the weight kept piling on until she reached 266 pounds.“At that point, I had stopped caring and just pretended I wasn’t that big. I’d tell everyone I was 180 pounds, throw on my bikini, and put a smile on my face,” said Ali.But after she caught a glimpse of herself in the photo her stepmom took of her on vacation, she knew something had to change.“I wanted to be able to chase my pups and not get winded. I wanted to hike and swim and run (and be good at it). I wanted to put on clothes and feel good in my own skin,” she continued. I made a promise to myself and haven’t stopped since.Small changes led to big transformationAli knew that she’d have better luck losing weight by making small, consistent changes, so she started by cutting back on her drinking.“I had been in such a depressive state for so long that I was drinking all the time. Cutting down was a huge step in the right direction for me,” she said.After a couple weeks, she began taking her dogs on hour-long walks every day and quickly noticed the weight starting to come off. It was until 2015 that she started making changes to her diet. She tried keto, weight watchers, calorie counting and fasting, but nothing stuck.Ali eventually decided not to restrict herself and to eat what she wanted, while she focused on making healthier choices and controlling her portions.Feeling confident, she was ready to build strength and discovered her love of at-home workouts after a friend introduced her to Beachbody.When I tell people how I lost weight, I tell them I learned how to eat a piece of pizza instead of the whole pie.What Ali's journey can teach usShe’s lost 90 pounds and continues to workout at home and walk her three dogs every day.She’s found that cutting out heavy drinking, walking her dogs every day, and increasing her water intake; the habits she built early on in her weight loss journey, are crucial to her success.“I can eat pretty badly, but if I maintain those three things my weight doesn't fluctuate much,” she said.Ali still struggles with emotional eating but it’s something she constantly works on to overcome.“Losing the weight helped me figure out who I was and what I wanted out of life,” she said. Every day I feel a little closer to the person I truly am.More transformation stories:Marissa Schillaci-Kayton’s Motivation to Lose 100 Pounds Came From an Unexpected PlaceMotivated and Inspired By His Wife, Richard James Adair, Jr. Lost 100 PoundsJamie Bell Dropped 90 Pounds To Be a Healthy Role Model For Her KidsAngel Diaz Beats Food Addiction, Loses 191 Pounds to Be Present for His Family

Jennifer Lawrence's Husband Found Her When She Wasn't Looking for Love
Love Stories

Jennifer Lawrence's Husband Found Her When She Wasn't Looking for Love

There are a lot of sayings about finding true love when you least expect it or when you’re not searching for it and it is easy to dismiss them all as clichés. However, there is truth to them and Jennifer Lawrence is proof of that.In November 2017, the Oscar winner split from director Darren Aronofsky (who was 21 years her senior) after 14 months of dating because, according to sources, they were “at different places in their lives.” She had decided to take a break from acting, and from chasing love — “I definitely wasn’t at a place where I was like, ‘I’m ready to get married,’” she told the Naked with Catt Sadler podcast. That is when she unexpectedly met her husband. Her story is proof that you cannot control the timing of all life’s milestones. Jennifer wasn't looking for lovePhoto Credit: Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock.comIn the spring of 2018, Jennifer was introduced to Cooke Maroney, an art director, by her best friend, Laura Simpson. They had an instant connection. Although the pair managed to stay out of the spotlight, a source confirmed to Page Six in June 2018 that the relationship had been “going on [for] a few weeks.” In June 2019, Lawrence shared how she had immediately let her guard down, telling Naked, “I just met Cooke and I wanted to marry him. We wanted to marry each other, we wanted to commit fully.” When asked to elaborate on what made her certain they were right for each other, the Hunger Games actress explained: I started with the basics. How do I feel? Is he nice? Is he kind?"This is the one, I know that sounds really stupid but he’s just, he’s — you know. He’s the greatest person I’ve ever met," Jennifer continued, "He really is, and he gets better."In addition to their obvious attraction, Jennifer's passion for acting is perfectly aligned with Cooke's love of art. Her new husband pushed her out of her comfort zoneIn addition to all of their common interests, Lawrence and her beau also share a drive to succeed. Cooke Maroney may not be a household name, but his career is just as impressive as his famous spouse’s. The Gladstone Gallery where he works represents such prestigious artists as Carroll Dunham (as in Lena Dunham’s father), Richard Prince, Anish Kapoor, and Ugo Rondinone. On top of that, he’s worth an estimated $25 million, according to Metro UK, which is nothing to scoff at, even when compared to the actress’ $130 million net worth. What’s more, the lovebirds also push each other to be better versions of themselves. Speaking about her decision to take a yearlong break from acting in 2018, Jennifer revealed it was a life-changing experience, not in the least because Maroney forced her out of her comfort zone. I feel like I got to know myself in the past yearShe told Naked, "I met somebody, I fell in love, and I started a new life in New York."Jennifer elaborated on her new life: "I have been doing things that I didn't actually think that I could [...] I’d get nervous before going to restaurants, or I felt like I couldn't go to dive bars. There were just certain things, like, 'Oh, I can't do that.' And then the past year, I've just been doing all of that. And I feel like my life is more well-rounded because I took time off."How she knew...Jennifer may not have been thinking about marriage in early 2018, but that quickly changed when she met Maroney, as she confessed to Entertainment Tonight: “He's just the best person I've ever met in my whole life. It was a very, very easy decision."And so, after less than a year of dating, the couple got engaged in February, then tied the knot in October 2019. Like much of their courtship, the nuptials remained under wraps, but People was able to confirm that the ceremony took place at the lavish Belcourt of Newport mansion in Rhode Island. Around 150 guests were in attendance to share their special day, including a slew of A-list stars, like BFFs Emma Stone, Bradley Cooper, and Adele. Why the rush? According to Jennifer, she saw no reason to wait because she knew their bond was right. Calling Maroney her “best friend,” she told Naked, “I want to legally bind him to me forever. And fortunately the paperwork exists for such a thing. It’s the greatest. You find your favorite person in the planet and you’re like, ‘you can’t leave.’” Be ready for love when it finds youJennifer Lawrence's story is a powerful reminder that the right connections often find you when you least expect it. While at the prime of her career and moving on from a high profile breakup, she was still bold enough to embrace love without reservation. All it takes is for us to be receptive and take that fateful jump when it feels right.Which might just be the most important lesson of all: Even if you’re not searching for it, when love finds you, be bold enough to embrace it without reservation. More inspiring love stories:Carey Mulligan Married Her Childhood Pen Pal, Marcus MumfordAdam Brody and Leighton Meester Refuse to Let Drama Poison Their LoveKurt Russell Stepped up for Oliver and Kate Hudson When Goldie Hawn’s Ex LeftStephen and Ayesha Curry’s Teenage Missed Connection Paid Off in a Big Way

Motivated and Inspired By His Wife, This Man Lost 100 Pounds
Diet & Exercise

Motivated and Inspired By His Wife, This Man Lost 100 Pounds

Richard James Adair, Jr., had been overweight for most of his life, but he had never made a conscious effort to change his unhealthy habits until he was inspired by his wife’s weight loss success.“I would eat anything and everything,” Adair, a software architect from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, told Men’s Health. By the time he turned 40, he weighed over 300 pounds and he believes that working from home only helped him gain more.“I started to get to the point that I was taking a break to catch my breath going upstairs for the night,” he said. “I couldn't even mow the lawn without multiple breaks.”Then his wife decided to make a changeAdair had watched his wife try to lose weight with limited success until she discovered the keto diet.Inspired by her success, Adair decided to give it a try. At 344 pounds, he started his own weight loss journey on New Year’s Day, 2019.Adair couldn’t go full keto because he’d gotten his gallbladder removed, so he instead focused on cutting out as many carbs as possible. Five months in, Adair was comfortable with his diet and began counting his steps. His initial goal was 4,000 steps daily and he increased that number over time until he was walking 10,000 a day. Since then, he’s transitioned to counting calories, he cycles to work, and runs regularly.In 10 months, Adair has lost 102 pounds, down to 242. His goal now is to drop another 23 by the end of the year.“My quality of life has never been better,” he said. “I need to work to get winded now. My kids have trouble keeping up with me.”He gives credit where credit's dueAdair said it wouldn’t have been possible without his wife’s support and encouragement. He credits her for showing him that change is possible.“She has accomplished just as much as me, if not more,” he said. “I spent years feeling like I was so far behind that it would be easier to just ride it out until the end,” he continued.Today, he looks forward to continuing his progress to a healthy weight and he’s eager to inspire others to do the same.I would say to anyone that feels they can't begin this journey to just try.Adair continued: "Pick something small and change it. Then pick something else and change it. Those small things add up and before you know it you have a new normal. A healthy normal."Looking for more uplifting content? Check out our article of motivational quotes.More transformation stories:Marissa Schillaci-Kayton's Motivation to Lose 100 Pounds Came From an Unexpected PlaceIan Sullivan Lost Nearly 150 Pounds Through Discipline and Healthy AddictionJamie Bell Dropped 90 Pounds To Be a Healthy Role Model For Her KidsAngel Diaz Beats Food Addiction, Loses 191 Pounds to Be Present for His Family

Her Motivation to Lose 100 Pounds Came From an Unexpected Place
Exercise

Her Motivation to Lose 100 Pounds Came From an Unexpected Place

Marissa Schillaci-Kayton had always struggled with her weight, but after it started having a negative impact on her health, she decided it was time to make a change."Somewhere in my late 20s, I really lost my way and completely failed at taking care of my health," Marissa told Yahoo."I went from a highly active job that I biked to every day to an office job that required me to drive," she said.Her unhappiness dragged her downBetween her work and graduate school, Marissa encountered a lot of stress and stopped taking care of herself."I stopped engaging in activities that I once loved because they felt too tiring, my insomnia was out of control and I always felt like I was waiting for things to get a little worse," she remembered.As Marissa grew increasingly unhappy with how she looked and felt, she knew it was time to give weight loss another try.“I spent a significant amount of time doing research and thinking about the best approach for me,” said Marissa.She found her motivation onlineShe turned to the internet and found both information and inspiration on the "progress pics" subReddit.“I saw people succeeding at what had felt so insurmountable to me, some of whom started with higher mountains to climb,” said Marissa.While many of the transformations often took more than a year to complete, seeing a lot of people make progress in just a few months helped her stay motivated early on in her journey.The baby steps that grew biggerMarissa started off by taking walks and counting her calories. She struggled to become more active at first, but made a deal with herself to walk 30 minutes a day, three days a week. Eventually, they become longer and more habitual.As she lost weight and built up her endurance, she started doing more activities like hiking, Zumba and a running program. She eventually joined a gym and a good friend taught her how lift weights.At first, I had to take inventory of the internal changes, because the external stuff takes a bit of time.“Because I was more active, I started to sleep better. I had more energy, my mood was better, I wasn't struggling with issues like migraines as much.”Seeing her hard work pay off motivated her to keep going and her transformation inspired some of the people in her life to start their own weight loss journeys.How she motivated others“It stopped just being me on a journey, but rather a collective 'us' of important people in my life, all working on our health,” she said.Then Marissa suffered an ankle injury that needed surgery. As difficult as it was for her to rest throughout the healing process, it gave her an opportunity to reflect on how much she’d taken her health for granted for most of her life."I spent time thinking about how much of my life I had spent in front of the television, and how there are some people who do not leave their house at all because of their health," Marissa said."I decided I didn't want those things for my life and did everything in my power to ensure that I spent as much time as possible being active out in the world," she continued.The ultimate motivationMarissa was able to lose 100 pounds since she started her journey and continues to make her health a priority, so she can be the best version of herself.“My husband, my family and my friends — all deserve the best version of me. They deserve to spend time with my happiest, healthiest and most confident self,” she said."They deserve to live in a world where my health and well-being is not something they have to worry about."More transformation stories:Alisia McKinnon Lost 100 Pounds After Health Scare, Achieved Her Longtime DreamIan Sullivan Lost Nearly 150 Pounds Through Discipline and Healthy AddictionJamie Bell Dropped 90 Pounds To Be a Healthy Role Model For Her KidsAngel Diaz Beats Food Addiction, Loses 191 Pounds to Be Present for His Family

Carey Mulligan Married Her Childhood Pen Pal, Marcus Mumford
Marriage

Carey Mulligan Married Her Childhood Pen Pal, Marcus Mumford

“Love letters are becoming a lost art form, which is very sad,” Carey Mulligan proclaimed back in 2013. “To have a love letter from someone, to hold it in your hand and know that you can keep it for your whole life… well, that’s an amazing thing,” she explained. And she sure would know. Mulligan is a bit of an expert when it comes to love letters and the power of words. The actress and her rock star husband Marcus Mumford used to pen letters to one another as kids and now that they’re enjoying wedded bliss, they haven’t forgotten about their roots. More specifically, the lovebirds still regularly write love letters to one another, cherishing the importance of open communication that comes straight from the heart.From childhood sweetheartsCarey Mulligan’s romance with Marcus Mumford reads like the ultimate rom-com script. The British actress and her musician beau, who’s best known for being the lead singer of Mumford & Sons, first met when they were kids and managed to build a lifelong relationship thanks to letters. Although they’ve never spoken about those early years publicly, according to insider sources, Mulligan and Mumford first crossed paths when they attended the same church camp around the age of 12. They hit it off and, as the summer came to an end, they kept up their friendship and nurtured it through hand-written notes. To pen pals...According to the unnamed source who spoke with The Sun, the pair became full-fledged pen pals, as they "began sending each other letters through their churches when they were kids." Time passed and Mulligan and Mumford reportedly lost touch, as they began pursuing their respective careers and dating other people. Then, fame thrust them back together and their strong childhood bond did the rest. They reconnected as adultsThe couple actually reconnected at a house party in Nashville in February 2011. Mumford & Sons performed that night, but even before that, Mulligan and her rumored boyfriend at the time, Jake Gyllenhaal, were spotted having dinner with Marcus' band at a local restaurant. While the tabloids focused on Mulligan and Gyllenhaal, they missed the real sparks that began to fly between the actress and her longtime friend. Even though Mumford & Sons went on tour shortly after that party and Mulligan’s acting continued to take her around the globe, being apart was nothing new for them. Besides, they had a secret weapon: letters. The very thing that kept them connected at a young age is the same thing that has allowed them to remain connected as adults, even when they’re physically apart.A “practical romantic”Just one month before she rekindled her relationship with Mumford, Mulligan spoke with The Telegraph about dating and her approach to relationships. I’m a hopeless romantic and I always say how I feel. I love love stories.It’s no surprise then that she would cherish the act of writing (and receiving) a love letter to such an extent.During that same interview, the Great Gatsby star also revealed another important element of her personality. I suppose that’s the romantic side of me, but I am quite practicalShe continued, "My friends at school used to say, ‘If a guy texts you, you can’t text back for three days.’ I was always like, ‘Bollocks! Text back!’ I’m a practical romantic."It’s that practical romanticism that ensured she didn’t waste any time once Mumford was back in her life. Just five months after they started dating, they got engaged, then said “I do” on a farm in Somerset, England in April 2012… less than a year after the courtship began. Jump to 2015 and they had had their first child, daughter Evelyn, then in 2017 came their son, Wilfred. Their bond inspires them to give backBut Mulligan and Mumford aren’t just aligned on the romantic and family fronts, they also share a major passion project: charity work. Both act as ambassadors for War Child UK and, as Mulligan noted in an interview with People, they’re very hands-on. "Marcus and I have been to the field and we’ve seen the work," she revealed, recalling a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo. If there’s one thing we can all learn from Mulligan and Mumford’s successful, decade-long relationship, it’s the importance of speaking from the heart and going that extra mile with romantic gestures, as well as the fact that happily ever after doesn’t happen overnight. True love can ebb in and out of your life for years before everything aligns and the timing becomes right. When that does happen, all you have to do is be open to the possibilities ahead... and be a practical romantic. More inspiring love stories:Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn Show the Lasting Power of Childhood FriendshipAdam Brody and Leighton Meester Refuse to Let Drama Poison Their LoveKurt Russell Stepped up for Oliver and Kate Hudson When Goldie Hawn’s Ex LeftStephen and Ayesha Curry’s Teenage Missed Connection Paid Off in a Big Way

Dad Beats Food Addiction, Loses 191 Pounds to Be Present for His Family
Diet & Exercise

Dad Beats Food Addiction, Loses 191 Pounds to Be Present for His Family

Angel Diaz didn’t think he’d ever be able to overcome his food addiction until a friend asked him if he was considering bariatric surgery.“The fact that he was worried about my weight and health was an eye-opener that my situation was probably worse than I thought,” Diaz told Yahoo.At his heaviest weight, Diaz weighed 405 pounds“Ultimately though, I knew I didn’t want to die early and miss out on the lives of my two kids and leave my wife to raise them alone,” he said.Diaz struggled with his weight for most of his life and was always self-conscious about the way he looked as a kid.By the time he turned 18, Diaz weighed 325 pounds and decided it was time to give weight loss a try. With loss comes gainOver a six-month period, he lost 125 pounds by making changes to his diet and through exercise, only to regain it back, and then some. The more weight he gained, the more unhappy he felt“I was a very negative person. I felt as though I was stuck, helpless, and hopeless,” Diaz remembered.When his friend voiced concern over his health, Diaz didn’t feel ready for surgical intervention, but he did feel ready to give natural weight loss one last try.“So, we made a deal. If I couldn’t lose 100 pounds naturally in a year, I would start to seriously consider surgery,” said Diaz.The fear of leaving his family behind drove him to jumpstart his weight loss journey by completely overhauling his diet. The first big change“I knew for me to be successful, I would have to eliminate all unhealthy food,” he said. Diaz focused his efforts on tracking his calories, cutting out all added sugar and artificial sweeteners from his diet and counting macros. Within weeks, he started to notice his energy levels improve.“After the first month, I realized that I actually was going to lose the weight this time. It was just a matter of waiting for time to pass.”The game-changerTwo months into his transformation, Diaz began incorporating exercise into his routine by going out for jogs.“The first night I jogged 0.19 miles and thought I was going to die,” he remembered.“The next night, however, I went back out there and ran a little farther. The following night I did the same — until eventually I ran 1 mile without stopping.”After losing 88 pounds and despite his anxiety of being overweight and out of shape, Diaz pushed outside of his comfort zone even more by signing up for a gym membership.“As soon as I started in the gym I began looking forward to going every day and really enjoyed strength training. I’ve been going to the gym, consistently strength training and running, five to six days a week since June 2018.”It was all worth it in the endSince the beginning of his weight loss journey, Diaz has lost 191 pounds and feels better than ever. His sleep apnea and high blood pressure have been reversed, he can run 1 mile in under 7 minutes and is able to lift weights heavier than he ever thought possible.For Diaz, the mental and emotional changes are the most rewarding.“Since losing the weight, my mentality has completely changed. I feel as though I have a new lease on life,” said Diaz.“I am a more positive person: I wake up happy, I go to sleep happy, I’m a better father, a better husband, and just overall a better person."More transformation stories:Alisia McKinnon Lost 100 Pounds After Health Scare, Achieved Her Longtime DreamIan Sullivan Lost Nearly 150 Pounds Through Discipline and Healthy AddictionJamie Bell Dropped 90 Pounds To Be a Healthy Role Model For Her KidsJake Patricio Lost Over 100 Pounds by Channeling His Anger as Motivation