Who: Claire Lam
Occupation: Owner of Kerzeri Corp., a boutique web experience studio
City: Toronto
Age: 31
By The Numbers: 210 lbs at my heaviest, currently 128 lbs, for a total weight loss of 82 lbs.
The Weight Gain: I was an extremely active kid — I won track and field events, played varsity sports and competitive badminton. I wasn't, by any means, the skinny kid, but I was fit. The weight gain began when I started working after university. I worked 100 per cent in front of a computer and was doing 12 to 13 hour days.
Final Straw: At first, I didn't have a goal to lose the weight — I just wanted to build my career and didn't worry about changing my diet.
But I was getting sick every month, I was smoking nearly a pack a day, working ridiculous hours and I didn't want the lifestyle anymore. I joined the gym, started taking group exercises classes and quit smoking. I've never looked back.
"I wanted to impact as many lives as possible with what I considered 'saved' me, and I decided to become a fitness instructor."
The Plan of Attack: I took group exercise classes and became more conscientious about what I ate. I loved it so much, I wanted to impact as many lives as possible with what I considered "saved" me and shortly after, I decided to become a fitness instructor.
In the first year, I lost 55 lbs in six months. I gained some weight back a few years later (~160 lbs) when I started my company and stress got to me. Since then, I have lost more weight and am the fittest I've ever been. In the last eight months, I have since lost 42 lbs, 16% body fat and 13 inches overall.
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