Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009

'I am a different person': Collinsville mom drops 100 pounds

Janelle Bryant lost 100 pounds in a little more than a year.

"I am a different person," said the 41-year-old Collinsville stay-at-home mom. "The best way to describe it is my head's not caught up with what I am seeing."

What she's seeing is a fit 5-foot-3, 149-pound woman who can climb rocks in a state park, flip 30-pound truck tires up and down a street and run a 10K (6.2-mile) race.

"I was overweight for so many years," said Janelle. "Putting pictures side by side from when I started to now is amazing ... When you are on that other side, you never think it's going to happen."

Janelle eats healthy and works out five days a week, sometimes twice a day.

Saturday morning, she will run up the 154 steps at Cahokia Mounds with StayFIT moms, a Facebook fitness group she started a few weeks ago. They're calling it "Stomp the Mounds."

"Thirteen people are confirmed," she said. "We have 10 to 12 more that might come."

Want to join them? They're meeting at the base of the steps at 9 a.m. Saturday if it's not raining.

"If you don't think you can run up and down, walk up," she said. "Next time, shoot for doing more."

Janelle created the StayFIT group to challenge and support each other. Some activities are similar to those on KSDK TV's "Lose A Ton Challenge" that aired February to May. She was chosen from 400 who applied to be one of 12 featured on the show. Janelle finished third.

One of the show's perks was a year-membership to Club Fitness and a personal trainer.

"I'm still working out with my trainer (Jeremy Green) Those guys at the gym help me more than anyone has helped me."

She hit plateaus, but didn't despair.

"It took me forever to get to 101 pounds. I could tell my body was changing. Muscle weighs more than fat. You have to keep plugging on. Examine everything you are doing. If you're doing everything right, keep going."

At the end of September, Janelle ran her first race, a 10K in Maryville.

"I would have probably rather had a 5K, but the race was for Pastor Fred Winters. ... I did really well. I had to take a couple breaks. My husband (Michael) did it with me. He said, 'Can you run this last part?' I had my headphones on. I was amazed I was almost done."

Monday for lunch, Janelle sat down to chicken, green beans, cheese, applesauce and almonds -- a protein-packed favorite.

She stays away from sweets most of the time.

"Last week, I had some Tootsie Rolls. It was quite a few. I felt horrible. In the past, that would have sidetracked me and got me down. I have to keep going, I work a little harder to cancel them out.

"I'll have to watch what I eat the rest of my life. Five pounds can come back in a snap. If that happens, five turns into 10. I know I will have to watch."

Janelle joined Weight Watchers in August 2008 after a trip to the emergency room caused by sky-high blood pressure.

"I was close to 40 ... I have a young son (Jaryn, 8). I need to be around for him."

Jaryn is getting used to a more fit mom.

"The change didn't happen overnight," said Janelle, "but I picked him up from school one day and said, 'I will race you to the car.' He stood there and his mouth dropped. That's something different for him to see. We're more active as a whole family."

If you want to be part of the StayFIT group, but you're not on Facebook, e-mail Janelle at rockin4jc@hotmail.com