Amazing Weight Loss: Woman Sheds 300 Pounds on Her Own

Shannon Davis lost 300 pounds all on her own, without surgery or a gimmicky diet. The Colorado woman said she did it by putting in the "time and effort." Davis is show here with a friend on a visit to the Rocky Mountains. (Courtesy Shannon Davis)

For every pound you want to drop, there's a diet plan, surgery, high-tech gadget or reality-TV show promising to get you to your goal, faster, cheaper and easier than the rest.
But what happens if you strip away the conveniences of today's high-tech, "we want it now" world, and try to lose the weight the hard way?
One Colorado woman did just that and succeeded, losing 300 pounds in nearly three years all on her own, with no surgery or gimmicky diet to take credit.
"There is no magic bullet," Shannon Davis told weight loss "You cannot lose weight without putting in the time and effort.
"It's not easy. It's simple sweat equity."
And sweat is certainly something that Davis -a 39-year-old master's degree student who also works full time and cares for her mother -- knows something about.
She is now committed to a seven-days-per-week workout routine that consists of an hour of cardio for four days and weightlifting with her trainer the other three.
That is a far cry from where Davis found herself three years ago -- a 589 pound woman unable to leave her Broomfield, Colo., home, much less jump on a treadmill.

Courtesy Shannon Davis

Shannon Davis lost 300 pounds all on her own,..

  

Courtesy Shannon Davis

Shannon Davis lost 300 pounds all on her own, without surgery or a gimmicky diet. The Colorado woman said she did it by putting in the "time and effort." Davis is show here with a friend on a visit to the Rocky Mountains.

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"I was afraid to go out," Davis told "GMA." "I knew people would stare, judge me and make comments about me."
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Comments from her friends made her say enough was enough. They warned her she was going to die if she didn't change.
So she got off the couch and headed for a local gym, but couldn't even make it one step on the treadmill.
"There was no way I could walk on the treadmill at 589 pounds," she said.
But she kept moving.
"I'd go back to the pool and walk back-and-forth for an hour," Davis recalled of the first days in her weight-loss journey. "I didn't want people to see me. I wanted to be invisible.
"Things have changed a little bit," she said.
Gaining While Losing
Changes for Davis have come not just on the outside -- she now stands as literally half the woman she used to be -- but on the inside as well.
She no longer beats herself up over food cravings and has learned to enjoy an indulgence, in balance with her everyday, healthy diet.
"Everybody messes up," Davis said. "That's the thing about dieting everyone needs to learn: Everyone makes mistakes."
Davis says she follows a healthy diet of three simple meals per day, and stays satisfied with the reduced intake compared to her previous daily calories by focusing on the quality of the food, not the quantity.
"I eat quality food," she said. "Lots of greens, lots of vegetables, lots of lean meats. I love apples."
But that doesn't mean she's immune to cravings. She has learned, over a long, hard three years, how to handle them.
"If there's a cookie around, I want the cookie," Davis said of her favorite treat. "You have to forgive yourself and you have to indulge on occasion."
But indulging for Davis now means celebrating with friends, not food, something she would have never even considered three years ago when she spent her days alone in her home.
This weekend Davis will host a "300 Pound Down Party," bringing together the network of friends from across the country she's assembled along her journey down the scale.
Each friend is on a path similar to Davis', an element she sees as crucial to her weight-loss success.

Weight Loss Plan

#  Go to your doctor to find out exactly how much you should be aiming to lose, if any. Your doctor can also help you determine whether you're physically capable to do strenuous exercises and workouts. They can also give you some basic tips on calorie counting and decide what will work best for you. I understand many people don't like the stress of going to the doctor with the possibility of being diagnosed with something critical, but just get over it and go. It's not going to hurt you. In fact, it will do the ''exact opposite''. It's better to know now when it's early than later in bed at three in the morning.
#  Go to the local supermarket and stock up on fresh, healthy food. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's healthy and non-healthy so don't stress over this too much. The key here is that you're going to be doing a lot of snacking throughout the day so try to buy [a lot] of snacks. No, I don't mean Lays Potato Chips and Doritos. I mean berries, melons, assorted nuts (except cashews), Nature Valley granola bars, apples... you get the picture. Oh yeah, pick up a couple of sticks of sugarless gum (Orbit is best, in my opinion). They're very helpful when dealing with snack cravings.
#  Buy or make your own calendar. This will be the number-one most important thing here. If you're feeling artistic, you can make your own calendar using a computer software program and design to your heart's desire. Just make sure you have enough months in your calendar  (EX: If you're aiming to lose 30 pounds, have at least 4 months. If you're aiming to lose 100 pounds, have 12 months. If you need to lose more than 100 pounds, I'd recommend asking a doctor how long it should take you).
#  Pick a day where you don't have much planned (preferably within the week) and circle it with a Sharpie marker. This will be your starting point. Go to the back of your calendar and circle an appropriate day in which you will finish. This way, you'll have a specific deadline to meet which will give you a path to follow. Now it's time to get logical and a little creative. Take three Sharpie markers of different colors (let's use blue, pink, and gray in this case). Using three forms of exercise (strength training, walking, and cardio in my case), assign a color to each.
#*Strength Training = Blue
#*Walking = Pink
#*Cardio = Gray
#*Mark on your calendar which days to do each specific workout.
#*It's better to assign your tasks randomly so that a) you won't get sick of the same routine and b) so that you can "shock" your body into losing weight.
#  Post your calendar in a spot where you'll always see it and don't forget to do what it says. If it says you have to do cardio, do it. If you're a little sore, don't make it so intense; jump rope if your muscles are sore.
#  Assign yourself a reward at the end of every other week if you manage to keep on track. For reward week, make the reward worth more. Here are some examples:
#*After 2 weeks - day of relaxation
#*After 4 weeks - manicure at the salon (yes, guys can get manicures, too; have those nails buffed!)
#*After 6 weeks - dinner at an exquisite restaurant
#*After 8 weeks - haircut and dye
#*After 10 weeks - bowling night with your friends/family
#*After 12 weeks - buy three new outfits at your favorite store
#*After 14 weeks - facial and massage at the spa
#*After 16 weeks - shopping spree!
#  Remember the age-old saying, "Don't give up!" It's true, do NOT give up. The hardest part about losing weight is getting started, so the earlier you start, the more you'll be inclined to finish. If it helps, think about your next reward week. Imagine yourself cutting into a tender piece of steak in a dimly-lit restaurant wearing a cherry red dress or showing off your bowling skills to your buddies down at the local alley.
#*Try not to think about the facial massage or shopping spree when you're only at week two because you'll get discouraged if you don't lose the amount of weight you hoped you would lose. If you're on week 3, only think about that manicure!
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Weight Management

Use these strategies for long-term success
By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column
There are lots of ways to lose weight. The question is, how do you lose weight and keep it off? Atkins advocates argue that their diet works -- as do many other diets that strictly limit food groups or calories. But is losing weight worthwhile if you go right back to your old eating habits and regain the weight? Most folks who use restrictive diets regain the lost weight and then some. That's why "diets don't work."

So What Does Work?

The bottom line with weight loss is that you have to eat fewer calories than you burn -- regardless of whether the calories come from carbs, protein, or fat. Still, the weight-loss approach that works for someone else may not work for you because losing weight is very individualized. It is up to you to find the right fit.
Regardless of the type of weight-loss program you choose, there are some fundamental keys to success. There are numerous weight-loss plans that are effective because they are built on these fundamentals for permanent weight management:
Strategies for Success

• Make small changes in your life that work for you. Can you drink 1% or 2% milk instead of whole, and then when you're accustomed to that, eventually switch to skim? How about trying lighter or low-fat versions of your favorite mayonnaise, salad dressings, cheeses, snacks, etc.?
• Eat with a sense of purpose: Savor the flavors and engage your senses so that you truly acknowledge that you are eating. Forget the mindless munching that happens while you cook, drive, or watch television.
• Control your portions. Successful dieters don't supersize their meals.
• Eat a diet consisting of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat protein sources, and limit the total amount of fat, alcohol, and treats.
• Start your day with a healthy breakfast that includes some protein, in the form of low-fat milk, yogurt, lean meats, or an egg. Many overweight people skip breakfast. Start living life like a thin person, and make breakfast a healthy habit.
• Find physical activities that you enjoy or sneak exercise into your daily routine by walking to work, taking the stairs, or parking in the outer reaches of the parking lot. Whichever you choose, do it daily, for the cardiovascular, stress reduction and calorie-burning benefits.
• Don't try to manage your stress with food. Many people eat in response to stress. Unfortunately, food does not help you cope with stress; it simply adds calories to your daily total. Find more effective alternatives: exercise, take a bath, call a friend, surf the internet. Just steer clear of the kitchen!
• Keep track of what you eat each day with a food journal or diary. This is an excellent way to acknowledge what you eat and be proud of your accomplishments. Take time to celebrate your achievements and reward yourself for all your hard work.
• Read labels to determine the healthiest food options. Nutrition labels offer a wealth of information to help you make good choices. Pay attention to the serving size, calories, fat, sodium, and sugars.
• Stay motivated! It is easy to fall off the wagon, but when you have a buddy to help and support you it is easier to brush yourself off and get right back on the eating plan. Let your friends and family support and help you through the rough times.
• Find a local Family Physician in your town