Woman finds her inner athlete, loses more than 100 pounds in the process

It can be easy to think that someone who is struggling with their weight is unhappy with their body or unhappy with their life. But that isn't always the case.

Megan Benischek, 28, of Cedar Rapids, had always been heavy, but has always enjoyed her life.

A 2005 graduate of Center Point-Urbana High School, Benischek studied at Kirkwood Community College and the University of Northern Iowa, graduating in 2010. She now works as a creative video designer at KCRG-TV9/Fusionfarm.

But after college, something was missing. 'I just kind of woke up one day and I was bored because in college you're always doing something, always have places to go, always have people to see. I was just bored. I thought, 'I should do something.' I got on the scale and I was like, 'Yeah, I know what I'm going to do.''

That day Benischek weighed in at 366 pounds.

She started walking after work. As it often does, life got in the way when things got especially busy at work and she fell off the wagon for a while, but she did lose 40 pounds between 2010 and 2012. At that point a health coach at work told Benischek she needed to change the way she ate and to get more exercise.

'Then I dropped another 40 pounds.' She admits she then fell off the wagon again. 'I stayed pretty stagnant, then in September of 2013, I joined Farrell's and I have been addicted ever since. Now I'm down to 241 pounds.'

She works out at Farrell's six days a week. Starting at 6 a.m. she does 45 minutes of kickboxing or resistance bands. 'We're always taught to encourage each other and push each other on the mat. It's intense.'

For someone who never liked to exercise, Benischek looks forward to the challenge of her daily workouts. 'I like working out now, I enjoy it.'

Perhaps no one is more surprised at how much she loves to exercise than Benischek herself. She admits she was no athlete in high school. 'I was the choir geek,' she laughs.

She also enjoys the challenge of cooking and eating more healthy food. 'I know in order for me to progress forward I have to eat healthy. Again, it's just another challenge. I love challenges. I love being pushed to see how far I can go. I'm constantly looking for new recipes so I don't get bored.'

Benischek grew up eating what she calls 'farm food. It's good, wholesome food, but maybe not that good for you.'  Now, she challenges herself to find new, more healthy ways to cook some of her favorite meals. 'Last week I found a recipe for butternut squash macaroni and cheese. It doesn't taste like Mom's, but it will do the trick to curb that craving.'

She now eats six small meals a day, and each meal contains a protein and a carb. She doesn't count calories.

'And on the seventh day I can eat pretty much whatever I want. That is my saving grace because, like everybody, I want to eat a bagel or a peanut butter cup, but I wait until that day.'

She appreciates that losing weight is a physical as well as a mental game. 'You just can't deprive yourself. You can have it, but maybe not as much as you'd like.'

Each week she peruses the grocery ads and looks for new recipes. 'It's a challenge every week to find something that's different to cook, something that I like. I don't want to get stuck because I've come so far. There's no way in hell I'm going back to 366 pounds. It's just not happening.'

Benischek hopes to inspire her friends and family, posting photos of her healthy recipes on Facebook.

As Benischek has dropped more than 125 pounds, she's enjoyed victories along the way. 'To be able to shop in the junior section, that was a great day,' she says.

Benischek still is losing weight. 'I am trying to get to 175. My dream would be 175. Anything below 200, I would cry that day.'

She appreciates all the support her family and friends have given her as she's worked to lose weight and improve her health.

'I have some of the best friends. They loved me then; they love me now. One of my friends wrote in my Christmas card last year and it brought me to tears, 'You were a hottie then, you're a hottie now. Just keep going after it.'  It's stuff like that that pushes me, positive comments like that.'