54-Year-Old Teena Lost 166 Lbs. With “Old-Fashioned Grit and Determination!”

At 5'4'' and 332 pounds, Teena Henson was miserable. She knew she needed to change, but felt the word "diet" already set her up for defeat. So the 54-year-old underwent a "lifestyle change" instead.

After her hometown of Gilmer, TX opened an Anytime Fitness in 2011, Teena realized, "It was in my hands now. I had to ask myself, 'What are you going to do with it?'"

She walked into the gym on March 8, 2011 and never looked back! "I did this with old-fashioned grit and determination," Teena proudly states. "No diets, no magic pills, no surgeries, just exercise and eating with common sense and balance."

Via The Huffington Post

Now weighing 166 lbs., the brown-haired Texas A&M fan used to drink six to eight sodas a day before setting out to lose weight. "I made unhealthy food choices that I can sum up in two words: fast food," she admits.

"Now, I work out six to seven days a week," she shares. "If my family or friends can't find me, they know to check the gym. The cost of a gym membership is no excuse; what price do you put on your life?"

Besides cutting out soda and sweeteners, Teena has also made small changes to her favorite recipes, but doesn't deprive herself of her favorite foods. "If I want a piece of cake or candy, then I eat it, I just don't overdo it," she says.

Related: Read How 6 Real Women Lost a Combined 603 Lbs!

When asked about the secret to weight-loss success, Teena gets frank. "There isn't one," she reveals. "You have to find what works for you."

Teena says her transformation has given her a second chance at life. "It is so exciting to be able to do things as simple as cleaning the house without having to sit down every 15 minutes," she explains to Huffington Post.

"I can go places with friends and family because I no longer feel like a giant embarrassment to them or myself…Reaching this point in my life is the greatest feeling."