A spark clicked in my head, and I thought maybe I can use this to lose weight. Maybe this is a sign.
That’s how Joe Cassise described his weight loss epiphany. Did he come to this healthy affirmation after an impassioned speech by a friend? Did he watch a particularly heartwarming episode of The Biggest Loser, or see a motivational bumper sticker on the highway? No.
Joe’s weight loss story begins with a poor choice, but ends with a new outlook life, and a staggering 90 pound weight loss.
Joe Cassise describes himself as a mostly typical teenager. Already on the heavy end of the scale as a child, Joe said his weight really skyrocketed in high school due to lack of exercise and eating fast food twice a day. After high school, he enrolled in cosmetology school and started a relationship that would take its toll, both mentally and physically. “I guess I just let myself go at a young age, he said.”
The day fate knocked on the door. . . literally
Shortly after his three year relationship ended, Joe remembers being at a friend’s house when a package of pre-portioned food from Nutrisystem was delivered by mistake. Although they knew they should send the package back, Joe couldn’t help but see it as a sign. The help he needed was right in front of him.
After using the products for one month, Joe saw a 26 pound weight reduction. “It just opened my eyes,” he said. “Then I took matters into my own hands, teaching myself portion control and how to make better choices.”
Joe admits he lost most of his weight by diet alone, and while his clothes were fitting better and he looked pretty good in all those selfies he’s famous for, he knew he wasn’t taking care of his overall health.
“I realized it’s not just about being thin, it’s about being healthy,” he explained. “That’s when I decided to include exercise in my daily routine. I discovered losing weight wouldn’t shape my body, only hard work could do that.”
Today Joe uses weight training and elliptical machine to build muscle and improve his endurance.
Being so close to his goal weight can sometimes be a mental hindrance. Joe admits, “As much as that makes me want to keep going and push further, it also makes me think I’m almost where I wanna be so it doesn’t matter if I don’t eat right today.”
Joe’s Advice: “Don’t give up! It takes time, hard work, dedication, self control, and motivation. Don’t beat yourself up if you have a cheat day, or skip the gym, get right back on track tomorrow.”
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