104 lbs down!

I started this story to maybe submit to weight watchers online, and thought I'd post it here for some feedback. What do you think?

As a Physical Therapist I have always known that weight management is a mathematical equation: food in and exercise out must balance each other. Growing up I was thin, confident, smart, and very athletic. Of course, I thought I was fat. Over the past 12 years I have learned what being fat really means. I used food to comfort me through all things, and this is how it added up: Freshman year: add 5 lbs. Marriage Sophomore year followed by my husband's diagnosis of MS: add 20 lbs. Add another 25 lbs for his diagnosis of cancer. Add 20 lbs for my football sized cyst. Add 20 lbs for completing my doctorate in less than 7 years with all of that drama. Next subtract 30 lbs for low carb dieting and add 50 more for eating that first piece of bread. Add 25 lbs for not being able to have children. Add 20 lbs for a stressful job. Around 250 lbs, as I ate tuna and celery and watched my skinny coworkers eating French fries, I completely gave up and decided to eat french fries and whatever else I wanted whenever I wanted because I obviously was going to be fat anyway.

The next time I stepped on the scale was years later, and I was over 320 lbs and shocked. I didn't like being so heavy. I felt tired and embarrassed but knew I could lose the weight when I wanted and really started trying. It took a few of my dearest patients and coworkers gently guiding me to weight watchers for me to take the plunge. I was quite skeptical that it would work. Eat 38 points and lose weight? My coworkers were eating 21! Don't I have to starve a little? Don't I have to eat raw vegetables and baked fish? Tofu and soy? No bread or sugar whatsoever?

The first week I simply watched my portions and followed the good health guidelines: I weighed with my shoes on and I lost 5 lbs. I was shocked. Being a voracious reader I had read the entire literature and knew 1-2 lbs was average after 3 weeks, so I began to mentally prepare myself: one pound a week is 50 in one year. If it took 3 yrs at least it would be gone and I'd be healthy again: besides it took 12 years to gain it all!

With prayer and God’s gracious help, amazingly each week I lost! The first six months I lost an average of 3 lbs a week with ups and downs. My leader was so supportive, always helpful and encouraging and happy for the small loss weeks. My coworkers were amazing. A few of them had success with weight watchers meetings and utilize the online tools and were my constant resources and cheering section. I even began utilizing the message boards and WW online resources at night to cut out any potential snacking. All of my coworkers helped keep me on track and noticed my new lunchbox, baggy clothes, and new recipes. I recreated my favorite "bad" now called high point foods and celebrated each pound never to return. My husband followed suit and we became healthier together. Soon there was food left on our plates, a much smaller grocery bill, but a higher clothes bill that balanced that equation.

Although I was having great results with point counting on the flex plan, I eventually grew tired or writing down everything and having to eat points to continue to lose even when I wasn't hungry. At the advice of my leader, I discovered the core plan! Nutritious whole foods, no fast food, and nothing in cellophane became my motto. Each time I hit a plateau in weight or experienced boredom, I changed something big: my exercise plan, my food plan, or my environment. Eventually I learned more about my body than I ever imagined. My body, like my living room curtains, needs change. I still switch between the core and flex plans. I learned to change my exercise plan frequently as well. I began with very simple exercise and tried new activities weekly. I tried belly dancing, yoga, biking, and very simple aerobics. As I became hooked on exercise for stress relief and improving my health, I discovered variety was the key again: biking one week, swimming one week, and walking the next. I even joined a gym and worked out at home on our new Wii Fit video game! Rest too, became an important part of the equation. The change of pace kept me motivated and my body losing weight.

9 months from that first weigh in, I had lost 100 lbs and celebrated not with food, but with a fancy new heart rate monitor and sexy Victoria Secret lingerie! Although my body was not at goal, I learned to be happy with my shrinking figure. Finally I could shop for clothes with my sisters and friends in the “normal” sections, and donated all of my plus size clothing every 25 lbs. I fell in love with biking, swimming, and walking and even structured our vacations around biking trails. I committed to performing a triathlon in 2009, and felt a new drive when exercising became training. I finally began to see food as fuel and not comfort or points. I still have difficulty losing some weeks, but use them as motivation to change something big to avoid the dreaded plateau.

By the spring of 2009(18 months from the first weigh in) I plan to make it to my next goal: attending, but not having to pay for weight watchers meetings!!! Fall 2009 I will complete my first triathlon. In one piece. My leader and coworkers will see me cross the finish line with tears: tears of joy, not tears of embarrassment from wearing spandex in public!

What I tell people now is weight watchers works. It is everything I already knew to do, but with the tools and support to actually do it. I am a work in progress. With God’s help, I will reach my goals. And now the process of keeping that pesky equation balanced continues, and living and keeping the weight off forever begins. My leader reminds us weekly that whatever you did to lose the weight is what you have to do to keep it off. So change will be my lifelong habit! ...I can’t wait for maintenance. Or skinny thighs. And new living room curtains, just to keep it interesting.

See Below for Progress Pictures
July 2007: 320 lbs, size 26/28













July 2008 230 lbs, size 20
















October 2008: 217 lbs, size 16 (today!)