Love and Weight Loss: Sandy’s Story
Losing someone we love is quite possibly the most difficult thing that we have to go through in our lives. Dealing with such a loss may seem impossible to do…until you meet someone like Sandy Aker. Sandy, 55, recently lost her best friend, her soul mate and the love of her life to pancreatic cancer. Her husband Eddie passed in September. She could have shut-down emotionally and lost herself — and you couldn’t blame her — but Sandy did something amazing. Instead of falling down, she picked herself up and decided to continue being someone who loves and lives…hopes and smiles…dreams and inspires… because that is the person who Eddie loved.
Sandy is using the strength and support that Eddie gave her 
during his life to help her accomplish her goal of losing weight. Life’s obstacles made it difficult for Sandy to maintain any consistency with her diet and fitness over the past few years. She had to assist Eddie with his daily tasks as his condition worsened; eventually he even lost his sight. She also had the responsibility of the family business that she and her sister own and operate, which left her little time for things like sleep and exercise.
“Running a business, going to doctor’s appointments and helping another person every day leaves you little time for yourself,” said Sandy.
As time went by the stress, the lack of sleep and life’s daily grind took its toll and Sandy gained weight. By the time that she had decided to join LA Fitness and work with personal trainer Anna Barrio, Sandy weighed over 180 pounds—the most she had ever weighed. So, what was the main culprit for Sandy’s weight gain?
“Lots of fast food, I didn’t realize how bad it was until now,” said Sandy. “Now I just try to make the best choices — lots of vegetables and salads, lean meat and healthy snacks.”
The healthy food choices are working, and so is a regular exercise schedule that has Sandy working her butt off…literally. Over the past four months Sandy has made progress in leaps and bounds, and now she weighs 153 pounds. But she isn’t stopping there, over the next eight weeks she would like to get to her goal weight of 135 to 140 pounds. Her story is so uplifting, in light of what she has been through, that I decided to follow Sandy for the next two months to get updates about her progress, and share with you exactly how she is accomplishing such amazing results.
“This is a mindset,” said Sandy. “Once you make up your mind, you can do it. Exercising makes you feel so good — it wakes up your brain and heart — being fit is so wonderful. You can accomplish anything want to do…it is never too late”
FOLLOW Sandy on her journey by signing up for our email updates, and get to know more about how she lost weight and battled through plateaus.
Posted on March 5, 2012, in fitness, Helpful, LA Fitness - Real Stories, LA Fitness Blog - Living Healthy, Motivation, Weight Loss and tagged blog la fitness, exercise, exercises, fitness, goals, LA Fitness, la fitness blog, la fitness comments, la fitness reviews, lafitness.com, Lose Weight, Sandy, weight loss. Bookmark the permalink. 16 Comments.
Very nice, it is very good!
Way to go Sandy. I know all about impossibility that it takes to make time for oneself, as I have been a single dad for 17 years and most of my time was spent shuffling kids back and forth from school, games, doctors, etc. NOW that my baby is 18, I now have time for me and for my workouts because of the gain in weight that I also attained. I have also had 3 back surgeries since 2005 but that has and will not stop me from going to the gym. Good luck, well you don’t need much of that I see as you have made up your Strong mind to help yourself. You go girl. God bless: JR
Sandy, unbelievable! What an inspiration you are. You look great.
Go job Aunt Sandy! We love you and you are a great role model!!
Amazingly similar story to Sandy – I still feel the loss of my friend and partner Rob to lung cancer after only 9 months of a terrific relationship. I moved back home with my Mom and it seems we both share empathy using food. I am as heavy as ever… will try to use your story as inspiration to get my act together and get healthy and emotionally stong. Thanks for your sharing. RAL
Keep on trucking Sandy, you are truly an inspiration to us all! Keep up the good work!
SUCH an inspiration you are to many people. There is no excuse and you just proved it! ! ! I’m rooting for you!
I am so so proud of you Sandy. And I am so honored and humbled by your words. You ARE a role model for people. Eddie is so happy and he will always be with you.
I am sorry for your loss Sandy but it really will help you to heal by making new goals all the time …..and achieving them. Your husband is undoubtably with you every day giving you the strength you need and feeling proud to have had such a strong person in his life. God Bless You in your life’s journey.
I think what you have done is awesome. I think being on the road to fitness is the road to personal success!
Reblogged this on Inspiredweightloss.
SANDY,,,YOU ARE SUCH AN INSPIRATION TO ME…YOUR POSITIVE WAY ABOUT YOU MAKES ME WANT TO BE A BETTER PERSON AND TRY HARDER AT EVERYTHING I DO…YOU ARE NOT A QUITTER,, YOU ARE A GO GETTER…LOL
You are such a great inspiration on everybody, I am so proud of you! Keep up the great work Aunt Sandy.
Thank you Sandy for your message. It has encourged me to stay on my diet and to keep going to the gym.
You go!
I hope you keep going just like you are meeting your goals. I understand how you feel my husband passed away on january 27 and we buried our selves going out to eat everynight and then me going out and i just joined the gym a few days ago but it gets us out of the house and keeps us from the restraunts for something to do. Good luck in all you do.