The woman, who tied the knot with her husband for the second time after shedding 134 pounds to fit into her dream wedding dress, says exercise and “healthy, fresh food” helped her shed those extra pounds.
Mother of three Christina Jordan, 40, from Queen Creek, Arizona, says her March 2001 wedding day was the best day of her life because she married the man of her dreams, Derek, who is now 41 years old
But now a certified dietitian said her obese 271-pound frame made her about 100 pounds heavier than her fiancé, which meant she had to choose a dress that she could fit into, which was “not her style.” , but was one of the only options in the outfit. size 24.
Christina struggled with her weight throughout her life and drank soda for breakfast and throughout the day, then ate fast food for dinner and finished with a milkshake and fried for dessert.
Fast forward 20 years and Christina looks unrecognizable after shedding 134 pounds and 10 clothing sizes after completely overhauling her diet and exercise regimen, replacing fast food with organic salads, smoothies and fish or lean meats.
Christina Jordan, 40, from Arizona (pictured on the second day of her wedding to husband Derek, 41), was able to wear her dream wedding dress after hitting her target weight of 137 pounds.
Christina Jordan, 40, a certified dietitian and writer from Arizona, remarried her husband after shedding 134 pounds (pictured on her wedding day in 2001, before weight loss).
Christina, pictured after her weight loss, believes the transformation was due to major lifestyle changes, including exercise and eating “fresh, healthy” foods.
The couple renewed their vows on their 20th wedding anniversary in March 2021, when Christina felt “incredible” at 137 pounds and wore her dream size 4 wedding dress.
Christina, who is also an author, said: “When Derek and I got married at 18 and 19, I was over 100 pounds heavier than him.
“He didn’t care. The love and bond we shared together, the deep friendship we had, made appearance irrelevant.
“The dress I wore was a size 24. Although I enjoyed my wedding day, my dress was not exactly the style I dreamed of.
Unrecognizable: The bride (pictured on her second wedding day) looks completely different after shedding a huge 10 dress sizes
Dream dress: According to Christina, when she first married Derek in 2001, she had to choose one of the only dresses that fit her. The second time (pictured), she was able to choose something that suited her style better.
Husband Derek (pictured right) always inspired Christina that “she is beautiful and that he will always love her” and that she is “worthy of love.”
“Wedding dresses were limited in styles in my size. I ended up choosing a dress based on my size, not my personal style.
“Last March we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary.
“We decided we wanted to do something special, renew our wedding vows and celebrate our second honeymoon.
Christina has revealed she has struggled with her weight since she was a child and says she was “tortured and bullied” because of her size.
“To renew our vows, I had a gorgeous dress made by a good friend of mine who makes bespoke wedding dresses.
“I felt incredible in my new wedding dress. Absolutely stunning, sexy, powerful and strong.”
As a result of Derek’s love and support, Christina said she has gained the confidence to “achieve her dreams of losing weight and getting well.”
Christina, who is the mother of her and Derek’s three business boys Zander, 18, Axton, 15, and Collin, 11, said she’s struggled with her weight since childhood.
As an “extremely overweight” teenager, she recalls that she was often bullied at school for her size, and later in life she also went through awkward moments due to her obesity.
She explained, “I used to be tormented and bullied because of my size.
“There were times when people made fun of me and it really hurt my self-esteem.
“It was only when I met my best friend, who is now my husband, who helped me say that I am beautiful and worthy of love.
“Once at Disneyland, we just boarded the ride Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
“A young man working there asked me to get off the roller coaster. I will never forget the words he said.
He said, “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to get off the ride.” You’re too big for a seatbelt.
“The whole crowd of people heard and looked at me, giggling among themselves.
“People waiting on the side of the road also heard and watched how I was forced to cancel the trip.
Christina, pictured here with husband Derek, says their relationship has brought a deep, meaningful love that has helped her transform herself.
After her own success in losing weight, Christina wrote a book called “Half My Size” about her struggles and victory over her weight. She hopes it helps others
“I ran away from him as fast as I could and ran down the hall to the exit with tears of disappointment and embarrassment streaming down my face.”
Christina said her confidence skyrocketed after meeting her husband, who told her that she was beautiful and that he would always love her, no matter her size.
Mom added that Derek’s unwavering admiration and support gave her the confidence to achieve her weight loss and recovery dreams.
Christina has made huge lifestyle changes to help her lose weight, including starting regular workouts and eating lots of healthy, fresh foods, which helped her reach her goal weight of 137 pounds.
Christina’s diet
Breakfast: soda
Afternoon snack: soda
Lunch: 100 calorie snack
Afternoon snack: soda
Dinner: Large French fries, cheeseburger, pizza or some fast food.
Dessert: large cookie, creamy milkshake and large fries.
Christina’s diet now
Breakfast: tropical smoothie.
Afternoon snack: eggs and berries.
Lunch: Salad with fish or shrimp.
Afternoon snack: making watermelon lemonade.
Dinner: fish or venison with vegetables and salad.
Dessert: Herbal teas
Among the changes, she replaced soda with water or homemade watermelon lemonade.
Christina also kicked her fast food habit, replacing hamburgers and fries with salads, vegetables, and lean protein.
She said: “My husband has always been the most amazing and incredible person in my life.
He always supported me and loved me throughout our life together.
“Every single day since I met him, Derek has told me that I am beautiful.
“It is this kind of real, deep and meaningful love that helps someone change.
“We all need Derek in our lives, someone who will support us, cheer for us and love us no matter how we look.
“I truly believe I wouldn’t be where I am today if he hadn’t supported me on this journey.”
Christina now helps others realize their dreams of becoming better versions of themselves by sharing her knowledge as a Certified Nutritionist.
She also wrote a book about her struggles and overcoming her weight titled Half My Size.
She added, “Now that I’ve lost weight, I feel absolutely amazing and like a whole new person.”
“I am no longer the woman I was before I started this journey. I am stronger, wiser and more confident.
“It won’t be easy, but it’s worth it. If I can do it, then you can too.”