Tina Lawson is committed to living a healthy lifestyle for herself and her family. Photo: Rachel Nadeau
Tina Lawson had a weight-loss wake-up call after a health scare.
Tina Lawson gave birth to a beautiful 6-pound baby girl in April 2010. During her pregnancy, Lawson managed to gain 60 pounds and tipped the scale at 250 pounds. She attributed it to a combination of poor diet and lack of exercise. She was eating for two, so she felt that she had “the green light to eat whatever I wanted.” She drank sweet tea and gorged on French fries daily. Poor food choices and lack of physical activity caused the pounds to pack on quickly.
For Lawson’s height and pre-pregnancy weight, she says, she should have gained only 11 to 20 pounds during the pregnancy—a far cry from 60 pounds. She was able to lose 20 of those pounds, but the other 40 stayed in place, and she was happy and comfortable at her new weight. What she didn’t realize was that her health was in danger.
Shortly after her daughter turned 2, Lawson attempted to donate blood while at work. As a routine precaution, blood pressure is taken before a donation and Lawson’s blood pressure was so high (190/100) that she wasn’t allowed to donate. The nurse told her that she was at high risk for a heart attack. That was the wake-up call she needed to lose the extra weight she had been carrying for the past two years.
Lawson sought out the advice of her physician, who wanted to prescribe medication. She told the doctor she would be back in six months.
Beginning a workout regimen after being out of the game made Lawson nervous. She wasn’t even able to walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded. She started slowly. As the weeks progressed, she was able to walk faster.
Between the treadmill, interval training, plyometrics (jump training) and strength training, Lawson liked the full-body workout she was receiving. Within six months she had lost 30 pounds. She continues to work out at Orange Theory Fitness in Maple Grove five days a week and do strength training at home two days a week. “I really enjoy weight training,” Lawson says.
Life outside the gym is different too—friends and family notice the change. “They look to me as a role model. I got a couple of girlfriends to get on the bandwagon, too,” Lawson says. Now when her daughter asks to go to the park, they don’t drive anymore—they run the mile that it takes to get there.
Brandon Saude, a personal trainer at Orange Theory Fitness, sees many post-partum women in this same situation. After giving birth, they are unable to shed weight. Many come in looking for the “magic bullet” to melt off the pounds. For those struggling with weight loss, he advises, “It’s not a sprint; it is a marathon.” Saude says that Lawson came in with a lot of motivation and persistence—a good combination for weight loss and the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. Lawson’s hard work has brought her down to a healthy 163 pounds. Her blood pressure is within normal range and she feels better than ever. She and her husband are expecting another child. “This time around it will be different,” Lawson says.
Tina Lawson’s Best Christmas Gift
“The most memorable Christmas gift was from my dearest husband. We had only been dating for three months, and he bought me a plain bed pillow without a pillow case, and he handed it to me in the Target bag, unwrapped. It was the worst and best and most memorable.”
Orange Theory Fitness
8121 Wedgwood Lane N.; 763.657.1313
