Age-mazing woman loses 100 pounds and enters beauty pageant
Dreaming big is something one of our newest readers, Jill Knapp from Idaho sure did.
Jill before and after 100 pound loss
Here is her letter to us:
Hello Glam Gals
My name is Jill Knapp. I found you on Facebook and had a long visit at your web site. I love it!! My Birthday is on my 15th and I will be 42. I recently celebrated hitting 100 pounds of weight-loss. I am still in shock. I would love to share my story about how I lost the weight, if you are interested.
Thanks,
Jill
Well, as we all know losing weight is never easy, but for Jill the hard work has really paid off and she is living her dream.
To get the full story you can go to her blog called, Get Up and Get Moving and read her inspirational account of what motivated her to just do it!
So, Happy Birthday Jill, and thanks for writing to us! We’re are all celebrating with you!!!
Jill in the Mrs. Idaho America pageant
Impressive! To say the least. Great Message. She looks amazing! I need to take some lesson’s from her…….
She is amazing. the good old fashion way, HARD WORK! We all should take lessons from this beautiful lady. Wonderful Work! Great Example to all woman.
Wow!! She looks Hot!
Happy Birthday toooo YOU!!
Love her site. Congratulations on getting your diabetes under control!
Truly inspiring!!!!!!
I saw her web site and all I can say is WOW! 100 pounds gone and now she is running in pageants. What a woman to admire. Thank you for featuring her article gives me hope I can get my weight off.
I was privileged to stand next to and compete with this wonderful, amazing woman at the Mrs. Idaho America Pageant. There are not enough words to describe how powerful Jill’s story is. She is beautiful inside and out.
Way to go my friend!
I have lost 80 pounds after having bypass surgery. I wish I could have done it the natural way. You look so incredible I can’t believe my eyes. Good for you! You are the BIGGEST LOSER without going on the Biggest loser.
What a great example you are!!
Good for her! So many can benefit from this message. I love that she went from being 100 pounds overweight to being in a pageant. Very INSPIRATIONAL!!
She is Beautiful!! I only can hope I look that good at 41
There are two things to aim at in life; first to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind has achieved the second.
By:Logan Pearsall Smith
You are enjoying your successes, Not only that but after reading your blog I can tell you are sharing your success with others. Keep sharing your message. You are god sent to do so! You are not only beautiful you are a wise, strong woman.
God Bless
Hi Kelly,
We sure agree with you! Thanks for sharing and sending more support!
It is not very often you see a woman lose 100 pounds and then do a beauty pageant. I went and visited her site and she placed in the Top 6. I know I am 39 and would not dream of standing in front of so many people and wear a swim suite. She looks like she is in her 20′s!!
YOU GO GIRL!
Inspiring!
I saw this link on a friends page on Face Book.
I went to her site and even with a broken foot she lost weight. Many woman give up but it’s obvious she wanted it bad enough. Look at her now. I am in the battle of weight loss and am not winning at the moment. This person motivated me. Thank you for adding her to your site
Hi Story,
We love that everyone is sending in warm wishes… this is just what we were hoping for! Thanks for taking the time to write in!
Hi Carina,
YES! Yes!! We can attest that she seems truly beautiful from the inside and outside! Great to hear from you and thanks for writing in!
Hi Dorothy,
You were very brave to have gone through bypass surgery and congratulations on your victory of an 80 pound loss! WOW, that is amazing too!
Thanks for your comment and we applaud anyone who has a desire and dream and goes for it, no matter what method.
Keep up the good work and thanks for writing in. We love to hear from all of our readers!
Hi Jordon,
What a lovely quote, thanks for sharing. We are now super charged that we could share her story with so many people!
Thanks for taking the time to write in and send her well wishes…we do too!
Hi Choe,
Great to hear from you and thanks for writing in. We are glad that you went to her site and got to get a feel for this strong and dedicated women!
We are cheering her story and feel blessed to get to share it!
Hi Sondra,
You sound like a good sport and sweet person and good friend too! Thanks for confirming that she is a truly wonderful person… she sure sounds like it and from the looks of all the comments rolling in, she is touching the right nerve!
Great to hear from you and I’m sure you had a fun time at the pageant too.
Thanks for supporting your buddy!
Hi Angela,
Great to hear you piping in… thanks for taking the time to write.
We are all feeling very inspired today! Its great to hear some good news in these times and from such a sweet gal!
Keep us posted on your progress of your dreams! We can all dream bigger and feel like we can achieve great things now that we read that Jill has!
My friend sent me this link. I have been overweight for a few years now and just got diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about 6 months now. I am 42 and as I was looking through this lady’s blog I realized I have not saught out proper support.
She had some Ideas that I never thought of. Great information and what a strong woman. Losing 100 pounds is really something to be proud of.
I left her a comment on her site as well but wanted to say think you for putting this on your site.
Hi Kristy,
Thanks so much for writing to us and being motivated by this story. That is just want we hoped for… for those to have a little spark to keep going!
You will do it! We will root for you too! Please keep us posted and we hope to hear from you soon! Good luck!
Hi Tammy,
Yes, you are so right! She was so brave and we see so many women after they loose weight, still see themselves and dress themselves with their old weight in mind. Jill really has embraced her new self and is just radiant and loving life! What an inspiration indeed!
Thanks for taking the time to write in, we love hearing all these positive “Go Girls” to our fellow sisters!!!
Diabetes to pageants? The two don’t usually mix but in this case I have to say that they do. Her weight loss story is wonderful and should be heard. Thank you for putting this on your site. I went to her site and I will be going back. What a truly inspirational story.
I will share this with others.
Happy Birthday Wishes To Her. She looks so healthy.
Don’t eat to much Birthday cake..
For real?? Wow! That is so much weight to loose without assistance.
Her blog is very inspiring. My mom is going to have to visit it. She has weight related health issues and could use a booste of support.
Great meassage! By what I have read, Great Woman!
I think this article is great and the reason so many respond is because this lady went from having diabetes, doing something about and now is making something of her life. Great message. Thank you both for putting her article on your site.
JILL my dear sweet friend. I’m so proud of her. She came to my house for lunch yesterday and I never could get sick of her EVER! WOOHOO GO JILL!
Really this lady is a true life story. When I look at her before and after picture it looks like 2 totally different people. Here’s to you! All 20,30,40,50 and beyond should follow her example.
This is what life is made of.
REAL LIFE STORIES!!
Here site clearly shows her push to share her message. Keep moving your message.
Lucky you Tina that you know her personally
Gorgeous!!!! Are You! My mother always taught me true beauty starts in the heart. Your message is telling me just that. I love your message. Your site had me not being able to stop reading. So many exciting posts. Congrats on the win in the Mrs. Idaho Pageant. I could not do that. You are a amazing to get up in a swimsuit. You do look great and so young. Not even close to 41. More like 21.
Anyway, Thanks for passing some hope my way.
Sincerely, Jasmine
I have dropped 55 and have about 60 to go. Being off of med’s for my diabetes is my goal. Good for you Jill. You give me HOPE that I can do this.
Thank you!
Keep spreading the good word and Happy Birthday!
Hi Jasmine,
Thanks for commenting. We are so happy that this article has touched so many of you! Thanks for writing…Jill deserves to see all this outpouring of love in response to her story!
Hi Sandie,
Lets do share this message… there is so much frustration out there with our weight. It is encouraging that she could do this on her own.
Thanks for writing in, your voice is so important to keep this moving as well!
Cheers!
JoJami and Deborah
I noticed she did 6 small meals a day. I have Diabetes and that is what my Dr just put me on 2 weeks ago. It’s working. Thank you for puting her message on your site. I needed this message. Real people making changes. She is not some celebrity that has had a cook, trainer and a life coach. I read her story and was amazed she did this on her own. And was impressed that she got a trainer in the end.
Thanks again. I have been a advid reader am so happy you put this on your site. I will visit her personal blog as it gave me hope!
Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.
Author: Thomas Jefferson
My battle is keeping it off. Inner strength is what it taeks and if she lost 100 pounds she for sure has that!
Thank you for this powerful message.
I just posted this article on my blog.
What a inspiration. I am a fitness trainer and am so impressed with this ladies message.
I visit this site often. Thank you for posting her story. To really go from being that over weight to doing the Mrs. Idaho Pageant really say’s something. She looks wonderful. I know she must feel as wonderful.
Great Message!
Real! Great Inspiring Message!
I knew Jill when her and her husband lived in Northridge CA many moons agao – I have been reading the glam gals awhile now. I could not believe my eye’s when I saw these pictures. I thought there is my dear friend Jill.
She has such an amazing heart and she was born that way I swear. I have not been in touch with her for years but left a message on her blog in hopes we can get back in-touch.
She is one great woman and I know she must be loving that so many are inspired by her story.
My sister needs some of your motivation. Her Dr said she needs to loose 80 pounds since she was diagnose with Type 2 diabetes.
Thank you for having this on your site. I am going to forward it to my whole address book.
Hi Stephanie,
You have a truly special friend that shared this with you. We so glad that you found her story helpful and now have some new ideas to explore to get you healthy. Thanks for writing in and telling us that you found this inspiring! You are so welcome and we are thrilled it could be of help to you and all the others that have written in. We wish you the best of luck on your journey and keep us posted on your progress.
Best of luck to you!
JoJami and Deborah
Hi Angie,
Great to hear from you! We are so happy to see so many well wishers to Jill and we thank you so much for taking the time to write! Hope to see you around more on FAF and we know Jill will be thrilled to have you on her blog as well!
Cheers!
JoJami and Deborah
Hi Tiffany,
What a great idea to share this with your Mom… it really is an inspiring story for everyone to read!
Loved hearing from you, and thanks so much for writing in! By taking the time to give us your feedback, it gives us the motivation to share more stories like this to you all!
So thanks so much!
Hi Kim,
Yes, your comment is a true one! Your welcome and thank YOU for taking the time to comment. Deborah and I have been BLOWN away at all the comments and Jill is beyond thrilled and wrote to tell us how she shed tears of joy to hear all these positive responses! We can’t thank our readers enough for taking the time to write in and wave your flag of support!
Wow…
Hi Casey,
Great to hear from you! Thanks so much for writing in… yes, she sure is!!
Hi Shiann,
We are so glad that you can pass this onto your sister! What a gift!
Great to hear your voice on our site and we thank you so much for passing our site forward to others.
We sure appreciate it!!!
Thanks for taking the time to write to us…we hope to hear more from you and all your friends!
Cheers,
JoJami and Deborah
She looks so healthy for her age. My mom is just 2 yrs old of her and we were staring at her picture together. My mom has a ways to go to get to where Jill is at LOL. My mom lives on your site and really this is a great message.
Cindy and Joan my MOM
Thank you so much for all of your comments. My soul is so touched and I have had to wipe my eyes many times while reading them. Yesterday I had such a busy day but got a few text from friends saying I had to check out all of the comments.
You all can do anything you want in your life. You just have to put your mind to it!! Be strong and make your goals happen what ever they may be. It took getting a health problem for me to wake up and start realizing it’s not until I start giving to my self by getting my health under control that I can give to others.
It’s my hope that other woman won’t have to get a health problem to start taking ME time. You can’t give away what you don’t have so today on MOTHER”S day go Take a bath, Read, Relax, and enjoy your family and tomorrow wake up and set some new goals. Learn something new, Start a new class, Start to exercise, Get out of your comfort zone and grow and stretch.
Again, Thank you all for the wonderful comments. I feel so blessed that so many of you wrote in and I once again blessed to share my message.
Sincerely, Jill Knapp
I added your site and Get Up and Get Moving site to our new’s letter for June. I am a nutritionist in Virginia and love when after a trial as hers was she shares from what she went through. Diabetics need real life people to hear about so they know they have the power to change.
I can write out food plans all day but it’s not until the person starts to believe in the fact that they can change will my food plans be effective.
Great Message!
Great Body! You can tell she worked hard for it. I know once I hit 35 it got harder to get in shape.
Maybe some of her motivation can where off on me.
I am a diabetic and every time I see my Dr. He get’s on my case about losing the weight. Loved her story.
I saw this site on my friends FaceBook page.
Great site! Very Informitive for those of us living with diabetes. If you can do it so can I. Thank you for sharing your message.