Hanna Losee with Workout Anytime fitness trainer Jason Spindler.

WARSAW — Three years ago, Hanna Losee began her weight loss journey. Now Losee wants to share her experiences to motivate others who are pursuing healthy lifestyle changes.

After reaching her heaviest weight of 398 pounds. Losee decided to make a change.

For years Losee had tried everything to lose weight. She had tried dieting programs and working out. No matter what she did, Losee continued to gain weight.

In July 2014, Losee had her first appointment to begin her journey to a healthier lifestyle by attending her first gastric bypass surgery meeting.

Leading up to the surgery, Losee had to receive a psychological evaluation, and meet with a dietitian and a nurse monthly.

Fifteen months after that first meeting, in November 2015, Losee had the surgery that would forever change her life. The surgery was successful in helping Losee lose weight, what Losee hadn’t anticipated were some additional side effects. Losee is now lactose intolerant and is unable to eat several types of food due to the surgery.

Despite those additional challenges, Losee says they are worth giving up in order to keep the weight off.

Losee said the surgery was, “The hardest thing I’ve ever done…and the best thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.”

The surgery was not the end of Losee weight loss story. Losee said the successful surgery helped the weight come right off. However, her weight loss eventually plateaued and Losee knew she would have to make additional changes if she wanted the weight to keep coming off.

Losee also wanted to pursue a healthy lifestyle, “I’ve never had any health issues….but I knew if I continued down the path I was, I was going to develop those.”

In May 2016, Losee began working with her personal trainer Jason Spindler at Workout Anytime in Warsaw.

Spindler said he has been impressed with Losee’s progress throughout the last year. Spindler said during the first training session Losee had struggled through two sets of squats. A little over a year later, Jason says Losee could complete an entire workout doing squats.

Even though Losee has lost almost 150 pounds since her weight loss journey began, she says she’s not done yet. Her focus has changed from concentrating so much on her weight. Losee stays away from the scale most days and instead focuses on how her clothes fit and her overall fitness goals.

Losee says her life has improved so much throughout the last three years.

“I’m back to my old self that I used to be. I don’t hide at home anymore. I like to go out and I like to hang out and be around people…I used to dread going out or going shopping with my friends.”

Losee wants her experience to be an inspiration to others. She wants to encourage people that they can accomplish their goals if they work hard and stick with it. Losee advises those who are trying to lose weight to stay away from fad diets and not expect quick results.

“It’s really, really hard, but it’s worth it. Don’t expect results overnight.”

Losee attributes a lost of her success to working with her trainer Spindler.

“I need someone to tell me what I need to do….He pushes me past what I could do on my own.”