Breanna Bond fought back against childhood obesity and won. As a kindergardener, Breanna weighed nearly 100-pounds. At just 9-years-old, the elementary school student weighed-in at 186-pounds.
Her mother Heidi was concerned about her daughter’s rapid weight gain. She had her tested for thyroid issues and diabetes, but all of the medical tests came back clear. There was no obvious medical reason for Breanna to be gaining so much weight.
Heidi decided to take a look at their own habits. The family was fairly sedentary, and they enjoyed a diet of rich, fatty foods. Their pantry was stocked with chips and their freezer always had ice cream in it. She knew it was time to make a change, not just for Breanna, but for their entire family.
They started with a 4-mile hike near their house. It was mandatory for all family members to join on the hike. The family began walking four times a week and Breanna was swimming five days a week on her own. She began to see the weight melting off quickly. As her fitness improved, she began adding jogs into the walks.
When Breanna went back to school after the summer was over she weighed 130-pounds. She heard other students asking about her, “Who’s the new girl?”. She has continued with her new healthy lifestyle and is down to a healthy weight of 79-pounds.
She is running in 5k races, on the swim team, competing in school sports, and recently did her first triathlon! She hopes that her story inspires others who may be in the same position that she was once in and she hopes to be a role model to other children as well.