Mina Viscardi-Johnson of Bradford West Gwillimbury spent 2018 undergoing a complete weight loss transformation and fighting her way towards better health. In 2017, Viscardi-Johnson weighed a dangerous 412 pounds. She’d already been diagnosed with diabetes, high cholesterol, and a thyroid disease, among other serious health conditions. She knew that if she didn’t change her ways fast, she might lose her life as a result of her extreme weight. After major diet changes, guided workouts, and the support of many family and friends, she was able to drop a whopping 176 pounds, according to BarrieToday.
This success did not come without months of hard work and determination. Viscardi-Johnson knew that if she really wanted to stick to her decision to lose the weight she’d have to find a way to hold herself accountable. She began an Instagram page to share her weight loss journey and show off the progress she made along the way. With so many people watching to see her results, she knew she couldn’t give up. “I hit rock bottom, and I knew I needed to make changes, to become more mindful of my health, of those I loved and what mattered to me, so I began what I call my journey of mindfulness,” she said.
Area woman shares ‘inspirational’ weight loss journey on TV https://t.co/nyxla5RavApic.twitter.com/uW6sP7jm2Y
— BarrieToday (@BarrieToday) January 14, 2019
While she knew regular workouts were essential to her weight loss plan, it was nearly torture to go to the gym. She was ashamed of how much she had let herself go and could hardly get up the energy to walk around the track once. However, her husband loyally came along each time, working out with her and encouraging her. Eventually, she had the confidence to join the Slimpossible Challenge at the leisure center, perhaps the biggest game-changers in her journey thus far. The weight loss challenge provided her with a tribe of supportive friends, workout techniques, and a new found belief in herself. For the first time, she really believed she was capable of accomplishing what she had set out to do.
Now, almost two years after she began her weight loss journey, Viscardi-Johnson is healthy and happier than ever. This past week she shared her experience on The Marilyn Dennis Show in hopes of encouraging others to make a change for the better. Jillian Michaels, a personal trainer and television personality, praised Viscardi-Johnson for her bravery. “I hope you’re really internalizing what an incredible accomplishment that is,” Michaels told her.
“I can’t imagine there’s anything harder, and you’ve done it. What you’ve done is breathtaking and inspirational.”
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