Debra Pasquerette loves animals. So much so that her California house—home to 9 parrots, 2 dogs, 2 cats, a lizard and one fish—could almost pass for a miniature petting zoo. All of them, except the fish, are rescues, tossed-aside pets that might not be alive without her. "They're my family," says Debra. "I've struggled with clinical depression since I was 15, and they've saved my life—more than once."
Recently, Debra's devotion to animals saved her life in another way: She shed 100 pounds. "I've always struggled with my weight. Even as a child, I used to hide and steal food," she says. "I'm a compulsive over-eater. A lot of it is tied to anxiety and other emotions." At her highest weight, she tipped the scales close to 300 pounds—and even walking her dogs was a problem. This was her wakeup call.
At age 49, Debra was ready for a change. "I knew I wanted to do something before I turned 50 that I was completely, completely terrified of," she says. And then that challenge turned up, in her inbox.
In May of last year, Team ASPCA sent her an email about a national endurance training and fundraising program dedicated to helping animal lovers walk, run or cycle to raise cash for the nonprofit. The next thing she knew, she'd signed up for her first half-marathon. And she was terrified.
"I never exercised because I was embarrassed to be seen in athletic clothing," she says. "I'm also very uncomfortable asking people for money, but this was a cause that I was so passionate about."
So Debra bought her first pair of walking sneakers and a few sweat-ready tanks and bottoms. She felt self-conscious in the clingy clothing, but decided she'd start small: A mile-long walk with her dogs in the evening. (For more ideas on how your pets can help you slim down, see 10 Ways to Exercise With Your Pet.)
Within a few days, Debra began to increase her mileage, working up to 2 miles. After a few more weeks, she logged 3 to 4 miles four mornings a week (sans dogs) and began training with Team ASPCA on Saturdays, which she loved: "There was always somebody there to say something like 'it's only an eighth of a mile more' whenever I was ready to give up."
As the weight melted off, Debra's energy and confidence increased. She also noticed her mood was brighter. "For the first time in my life, I started to look at food as fuel," says Debra. "Walking was also a stress reliever, and it helped with my depression." To her amazement, raising the money was the easy part. "People who I hadn't spoken to in 10 years would say something like, ‘We love animals and we love you. Here's $300.' I ended up raising almost $3,000."
When race day arrived in October, Debra felt nervous. Even though she was a 100 pounds slimmer, she says, "I didn't think I was going to be able to do it. At mile 12 ½, one of the ASPCA coaches, Rob, seemed to appear out of the sky beside me. I was almost delirious at that point, but he grabbed my hand and said, ‘Can you see the finish line? It's only a half-mile away. Let's go.' And then we ran across it. It was completely surreal, but I knew it was true because somebody was putting a medal around my neck and taking my picture."
Nine months later, Debra is continuing to work toward her goal weight of 150 pounds. "I'm very happy where I am, but I'm not at my goal yet. I still need to continue on this journey." Despite a few setbacks, she's confident she'll reach her goal.
Debra's Top 3 Trim-Down Tips
- Trash your trigger foods. "Even after losing the weight, there are a few foods that I've learned that I simply can't have in my house, or they'll trigger a binge: Peanut butter, cereal, and chocolate. I no longer buy them."
- Go meatless. "I was vegetarian years ago, but came back to it while I was training," says Debra. "I choose to do it because of my compassion for animals—it's a spiritual decision for me. It's also great health-wise, too." For inspiration, check out our 11 Flat-Belly Meatless Meals.
- Sign up for a CSA. "I get a box of organic vegetables delivered every two weeks, and I never know what's going to be in there," says Debra. The good-for-her bonus: Her mystery veggies inspire her to whip up new healthy dishes.
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