How can a traffic ticket lead to a 200-pound weight loss?
Jannette Colantonio, of Summerville, shares her story of how an embarrassing traffic ticket led her to make drastic changes to her life and waistline.
Obesity Epidemic in South Carolina
According to Live 5 News, thirty percent of South Carolinians are overweight. South Carolina is one of a dozen states where close to one-third of the population is obese. Obesity brings obvious health concerns like diabetes and heart disease among others. One health concern with the obese population that many are not aware of is people suffering from obesity are 60 percent less likely to buckle up when driving than that of non-obese individuals. Additionally, obese people are 56 percent more likely to die in a car accident.
Not a Statistic
So, what do all these statistics have to do with Colantonio? Colantonio found herself in two of the three statistics and hoping to avoid becoming the third.
At 408 pounds, Colantonio could not get a seatbelt across her frame. She knew as soon as she saw the blue lights behind her car why the officer stopped her. Colantonio recalls trooper Mark Amos as being “very kind” when he wrote her the traffic ticket for not wearing a seatbelt. Little did Amos know, instead of irritating Colantonio by writing the traffic ticket, he inspired her.
The traffic ticket was the first step on Colantonio’s 200-pound journey. “I’m sure there’s a lot of things that led up to that point, but that ticket was like reality in my face,” Colantonio recalls. “And I don’t know if I would have done it as quickly if I didn’t get the ticket.”
How did she lose the weight? Colantonio is proud to say she lost the weight without the help of surgery or pills, but instead through her own willpower and determination. Her willpower and determination are an inspiration to her husband, Matthew Colantonio and trooper Amos.
“Hopefully she’s going to set a prime example of what you can do and how you can better yourself,” Amos states.
Matthew Colantonio states to those aspiring to get healthier, “Anything they want to change, you just have to have motivation to change it.”
As for Janette Colantonio, she hopes to get down to her goal weight of 145 pounds. She hopes to continue to inspire people with her weight loss journey through her Facebook page.
South Carolina Social Security Disability Lawyers
Suffering from a disability and being unable to work can leave you feeling hopeless. Denials for Social Security benefits can further this hopelessness and leave you feeling you have no other options. What you might not know is that close to 80 to 90 percent of those applying for Social Security benefits receive a denial. What does that mean for you? It means a South Carolina Social Security disability lawyer at the Strom Law Firm can assist you. Our Social Security disability lawyers will assist you in filing an initial application or in filing for reconsideration. We will stand by your side throughout the Social Security disability application process. Call us today for fill out a web form for a free consultation to see how we can help you. 803.252.4800.
