Name: Vanessa Wallace
Age: 33
Location: Santa Rose, California
Occupation: Business Development
Start Weight: 264.2 pounds
End Weight: 210 pounds
Time Running: 7 years
Before I started running, when I was in college and in my early 20s, I had an unhealthy relationship with food. I ordered take-out constantly and made very poor food choices— lots of soda, fatty foods and junk foods, and ate very few fruits and vegetables. I also enjoyed a good party, which in college meant late night shots, beer, and pizza.
I identified as the fat, funny friend. I thought if I accepted my weight and used my humor to distract people from my size, I could avoid how I felt about myself physically. I was not living my life to my fullest. I struggled even walking up a flight of stairs. At nearly 265 pounds, I did not trust my body.
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I graduated from college in 2009 with a degree in performing arts. I was 21 years old with a ton of musical training under my belt, but I couldn’t land a second audition for anything. I realized I had to change my habits in order to look the part as well as keep up the physical demand of being a performer.
I went for my first run with a friend in the summer of 2012. It was only 2.25 miles, but it was the LONGEST run of my entire life. I was so tired, but afterwards I felt so strong and proud that my body could do that, and I wanted that feeling again and again.
At first, I was running 3 to 4 days a week using the Runkeeper app to keep track of my progress. Eventually I completed a 5K mud run. After that, I took on my first 10K. And in February 2015 ran my first half marathon. Now, I have completed 22 half marathons, 5 full marathons, and one ultra marathon.
Vannessa’s Must-Have Gear
→ Kea Peak Rrucker Visors — Super fun prints and a great trucker visor to keep my crazy top knot contained on a run!
→ Oiselle Rogas Shorts — The absolute perfect pair of running shorts for letting my strong quads be free on a short or a long run!
→ Aftershokz Air Headphones — These bone conduction headphones allow for rocking out to my tunes, but also keep me safe so I can hear my surroundings!
→ Koala Clip — This is the perfect piece for tucking your phone and credit cards away into your sports bra for having your items with you but out of your hands.
I run 5 days a week, and strength train a few days a week. I would like to PR my half marathon and my marathon time, and additionally would like to run one of the World Marathon Majors. I was supposed to run the Chicago Marathon in 2020, but have deferred to a later year. I can’t wait to run the Chicago Marathon in the future!
My diet is much more balanced now. I still struggle some days because I love sweets, but now I know the value of eating fruits, vegetables, and lean protein, and drinking enough water in order to feel good and stay active. Don’t get me wrong, I still indulge in my traditional bacon cheeseburger and fries after a marathon because that’s my favorite post-marathon meal! I believe in a healthy balance so I am not deprived of proper nutrients, and can still enjoy the foods I love.
These three tips helped make my running journey a success.
✨ Love your body through every stage.
The biggest thing that has helped me on my journey is appreciating my body at every stage of my weight loss. I try not to think conditional thoughts like “when I weigh x, I will...” or “when I hit my goal, I’ll be...”. Instead, I think about where I am now and appreciate what my body can do at its current size. I don’t focus on the future, I appreciate the now.
✨ Surround yourself with people who share your values.
Through my weight-loss journey, especially in the early stages, it was important for me to spend time with people who I knew were people who would keep me motivated and positive about my journey. This included friends who would invite me to walk with them, helped me stay focused on my nutrition goals, and encouraged me. This was so important to help me change my mindset!
✨ Take it one step at a time.
It is so easy to want immediate perfection, but the key to success is small changes that become good habits. This may look like challenging yourself to drink enough water each day, then challenging yourself to eat enough fruits and veggies each day. Just keep making small changes and they add up to make a big difference.
This has been a journey over the last decade. I’m not at my lowest weight currently, but I’m down over 50 pounds from my highest since I started my journey.
While my weight loss was a physical change, it’s been a mental change even more than that. When I was heavier, I didn’t know how to be my true, authentic self because I was so worried about what people thought of me as a fat person. After losing weight and realizing I was not defined by my weight or the number on the scale, I’ve allowed myself to live a full life and try things I never would have otherwise done. Weight loss and running have changed my mindset and allowed me to not be afraid to live my best life!
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