“Hi all! My name is Amanda Montrey and I began my weight loss journey about a year and a half ago.

When I was growing up I was super athletic and played sports year round, which made me never have to watch what I was eating, and I loved food and still do! Unfortunately when I went away to college I was not nearly as active as I had been in high school and that is when the struggle with my weight began. Freshman year I gained about 15-20 pounds but was able to drop it pretty quickly for my summer job of lifeguarding.

After that summer it was all downhill!! I moved further away from home and gained about 30-40 pounds. I was so mad at myself because I couldn’t shop at my favorite stores anymore, because I couldn’t fit into the clothes. So I went to the doctor and talked her into prescribing me an appetite suppressant. When I started taking those I worked out about 2 hours a day or 2 hours every other day and barely ate anything. So of course I dropped that weight super-fast, and about the unhealthiest way you can do it.

I was feeling pretty good about myself until my prescription ran out….ahhhhhhh.

Then the last 4-5 years, nursing school happened, nursing boards happened, new job happened, moving back to St. Louis happened, more school happened, and a few break ups happened.

I was bigger than ever, tipping the scales at about 210ish pounds and I am only 5’6”. I felt so nasty! My best friend got engaged and asked me to be the maid of honor in her wedding. That was my breaking point. When we went to try on bridesmaid dresses I think I ordered a size 14 and I was completely disgusted with the way I looked. I had been working out with Candace for maybe a month or two but was inconsistent with my diet, therefore not seeing the results I wanted.

When I got my bridesmaid dress, Candace made a plan for me, and we made it a goal for me to be in a size 10 dress by the time the wedding came. I can truly say that the body I have now, I can completely maintain with the tips and tricks I have learned during my weight loss journey. By the time the wedding came it was May of this year and I had exchanged my dress for a size 10, and truly needed an 8 in the dress because it was falling down at the wedding. I lost about 50 pounds, and decreased my body fat percentage by 10%, and I am STILL going.

My next goal is to do a bikini competition…not sure when, but it WILL happen! I am so blessed to have an awesome support system between my family, my boyfriend and of course…Candace!

For some reason I think God knew exactly what he was doing when he brought Candace into my life. I could not have done any of this without her, and I am truly grateful for our friendship and the motivation she gives me!”