Courtesy of Gabriela Portillo
Name: Gabriela Portillo
Age: 32
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Start Weight: 205 pounds
End Weight: 150 pounds
Time Running: 11 months
I’ve struggled with my weight my entire life, and I was always the “bigger” girl. But it wasn’t until my 20s, when I started university, that things became significantly worse. I quickly gained weight, and the “Freshman 15” became more like the “Freshman 50.” I mistreated my body, eating out for many of my meals and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. I always had joint pain, achy knees, and a sore back.
At my peak, I weighed 205 pounds. I was so desperate to lose weight that I tried every fad diet—skinny teas, juice cleanses, detox pills, any quick-fix I could get my hands on. I spent years yo-yo dieting, losing and gaining back the same 10 pounds. I pretended like the weight didn’t bother me and tried convincing myself that my life was always going to be this way.
In November 2017, I returned from a three-month backpacking trip across Europe, but I felt defeated because there were many things my weight kept me from doing on this trip. When I went to put on my winter coat and couldn’t zip it up, I broke down in tears. How could I have let myself get to this point? This was my breaking point.
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The next day, November 27, 2017—two weeks before my 29th birthday—I joined the gym and started my Instagram account, @nomorecake4gaby, for accountability. I knew I was ready to make a change, so I vowed to be healthier by my 30th birthday.
Over nine months, I quickly lost 70 pounds, but I did it all wrong. I ate restrictively, over-exercised, and obsessed over the scale. It wasn’t sustainable, and I gained back nearly 50 pounds.
Part of my routine at the time included running, because I believed it was the best way to lose weight, but I despised it. Every minute on the treadmill felt like an hour, so eventually, I stopped.
For my diet, I needed to find what worked for me, so I started to count calories. Now, I stay in a calorie deficit and include all types of foods in my diet. I have come to learn that everything in moderation is the key, and restriction only leads you down a dark hole of feeling shame and/or guilt around food. I have also learned how to read nutrition labels and be informed of what nutrients (macros) I’m putting in my body.
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Fast forward to May 2020. The gyms had recently closed because of the pandemic. Working in the hospitality industry, I was also unemployed and in a huge rut. I spent all of April 2020 permanently on my couch feeling sorry for myself until I finally decided that enough was enough.
I decided to give running another chance, but this time I wasn’t running to lose weight and burn calories. I was running for my mental health and to simply get my body moving. I started running intervals until I quickly built my stamina and was able to complete my first 10k on May 31, 2020. It took me 1 hour and 20 minutes, but the feeling of accomplishment was like no other. I haven’t looked back since.
I continue to run consistently, going out about three to four times a week. I track my runs on Strava, but I also use the Nike Run app and my Apple Watch. I created my own five-week training plan in September 2020 that set me up to run my first ever half marathon in October 2020. The following month, I recorded my first ever 100-mile month. I couldn’t believe the girl who could barely run one mile was running 100 miles a month.
I’ve challenged myself to run 100 miles every month since. March 2021 will be my fifth consecutive month of 100+ miles, and I plan to keep it going for as long as I can. My next goal is to run my first-ever full marathon on May 31.
I have lost 55 pounds in three years and am currently maintaining. When I restarted my journey in May 2020, I got rid of this notion of having a “goal weight” and just focused on building a healthy relationship with food and moving my body for the right reasons. There has definitely been some ups and downs, which just goes to show that weight loss is not linear. I am finally on the right track.
For so many people (including myself), 2020 was a challenging year and took so much from so many of us. I lost my job. My wedding was postponed. I had so many reasons to give up, but I turned to running, and it became quite literally my therapy. I run to clear my mind. I run to help me relieve stress. I run because it keeps my heart healthy. I run because it makes me feel empowered. I run because it makes me so damn happy! Running has been life-changing for me.
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Weight Loss Transformation Gabriela Portillo — Run to Lose Weight - runnersworld.com
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