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“Just the little changes that I made over time helped,” Walling said. “Little changes, lead to big changes when you're consistent with them.”
In November 2010, Walling was visited by her brother, John Reed, who had also undergone a healthy change. He introduced Walling to lifting weights at the YMCA and helped her learn how to exercise outside of treadmill and recumbent bicycle.
Her new training program, which she continued throughout her time with the YMCA along with small changes to her diet and lifestyle helped her lose nearly 160 pounds as of today. Walling reduced her body fat from 50 percent to just under 30 percent and is continuing to work her way to a healthier life.
“Consistency is the key,” Walling said. “It's saying 'This is life. This is not a diet, this is a lifestyle.' I've just lived my way down the scale and lived my way from 360-plus pounds, and I'm at 200 now, and I have further to go. It's a journey. I'm going to get there; it's just a matter of time.”
In addition to looking healthier, Walling said her transformation has helped her in many other ways. Before, Walling was taking two blood-pressure medications a day and diagnosed as pre-diabetic; since her changes, she has been taken off her medication and is no longer in danger of diabetes.
“I have found that focusing on little victories is a great encourager,” Walling said. “I was just reading yesterday in a weight-loss journal, where I wrote back in 2011, that it was easier to turn over in bed. Wow. I had forgotten that it used to be a chore to even turn over in bed.”
After her experience, Walling discovered a love for exercising and a want to help others reach their goals. Walling began studying to become a certified personal trainer earlier in the year and took her exam in September. She joined the YMCA staff in October.
Having experienced a significant weight loss, Walling said she is unique to the personal trainers in that she knows what it's like to be unable to physically do certain activities.