Hello! My name is Adele, I am 28 and live in the Nation's capital- Ottawa! I have been following the WeightWatchers® program for almost one year and have lost 70 lbs. I am approximately 25 lbs from goal, and with WW, I KNOW I will hit it! As I share more about myself, I would like to start by telling you about my “why” for joining WeightWatchers.
I once described myself as a vibrant overachieving perfectionist. In my very early 20s, my weight gain intensified and those qualities started to disappear. I was overweight, unhappy, lethargic, and to be honest, wasn't too nice at times. I externalized my discontent with a grumpy attitude, and an "I can’t" approach to life. On top of this, health issues started to creep up, and I knew things were getting bad.
December 2016, we celebrated a birthday and the picture on the left was taken. When I saw it I was mortified; I did not recognize myself and I felt gutted. This picture was my absolute final straw. I didn’t want to be or look like that person anymore. The next day I signed up for a gym membership. That same night I was rushed to the ER with appendicitis. During recovery from surgery, misery kept me company. I realized I put so much into everything else that I never put anything into myself (other than copious amounts of food). Laying there, I felt sorry for myself. I was fed up being unhappy with how I looked, felt and acted. I decided once I got the go-ahead from the doc to resume activity, THIS WOULD BE IT! I would change my life. With the help of a great support network and a program like WeightWatchers, I did exactly that.
I give a heartfelt thank you to WW Canada for being a fab program that worked, and continues to work for me! My health issue are improving, I am happier, nicer, and fully engaged in life.
One of the most effective changes I made to help me lose 70 lbs was to meal plan and meal prep. Mid-week, I start planning what my next weeks’ meals would look like. This helps me with: groceries, ensuring I am within my daily point budget, and it gives me more free time during the week.
I don’t get bored with it and I try to add small variations to each meal. I admit that meal prep was trial and error at first- some things held well for a few days and tasted great reheated, while others did not. It is a learning curve, but the payoff is worth the initial time you need.
With the guidance of Smartpoints, and with meal prepping, I have learned:
- Food is my fuel - I plan meals that have nutrients for my body and that will sustain me so I’m not feeling starved.
- I can enjoy healthy food – veggies, fruits and meats can be prepared in so many ways for variety and flavour!
- Meals don’t have to be complicated to be good - you don’t need to be a chef to meal prep.
- Having a meal plan, even a partial one, is an integral component to better choices!
An initial reason I joined Instagram was to get food inspiration for my meals. I wanted to learn how everyone else on WW used their points and what foods I could incorporate into my meals. I continually connect with the IG community for support and inspiration. I have received so many great recipes, found new blogs, and have been able to share successful and not so successful recipe “experiments” with followers and friends. I love that I have a connection with many of you.
I never ever worked out when I was younger. I had no interest and didn’t think it was for me. Secretly, it’s because I was afraid to try, struggle, and fail.
Signing up for the gym, and actually getting there allowed me to find a new interest in improving my personal fitness.
Although I am not a pro, nor would I label myself as athletic, I now like to go workout (most of the time)! Seeing what my body can learn to do has been incredible.
I incorporate weight lifting, cardio and a variety of fitness classes into my routine. I YouTube videos on weightlifting, I ask people at the gym for help, I ask friends for fitness advice, and I simply just TRY. I have struggled at the gym, I have succeeded at the gym. For me, working out has become a pastime, a release of frustration, and a test to see how far I can go.
I try to get 3-5 workouts in a week (schedule permitting). When I can’t go to the gym, I try to go for a walk either at lunchtime or after dinner. I also try to park far from the building, take the stairs instead of the elevator, dance while I am cooking, or go to the further water fountain to fill up my bottle!
My favourite workout? The one that involves family and friends. Over the last few months, my support group has joined the gym and we try to get some workouts done together. It’s great for accountability; we encourage each other, and we laugh.. a lot!
Being happy, healthy and realizing that I am FINALLY living my best life is what fulfills me.
Being able to travel, being comfortable with friends and family, not shying away from a camera, spending time with my husband, and being confident in my own skin is what this life is all about! I am fulfilled every day!
This year specifically, my husband and I travelled a lot! The program taught me how to understand food and my relationship with it. I was able to enjoy culinary dishes around the world while using the WW program to guide me to stay on track! We walked thousands upon thousands of steps, and I never asked to sit down. I wasn't out of breath, and I realized I was keeping up! I freely walked along the beach in a bathing suit, not caring about what I looked like in the eyes of others, because to me, I felt great!
I find fulfilment in the feeling of liberation; being liberated from being overweight. WW really has been the gatekeeper to a free, fulfilled life! I will never be able to really put into words how great it feels to be on carefree vacations; on not missing out on life experiences because of my weight, or from restrictive diets.
WeightWatchers has helped me shed the person I wasn’t, and helped me find the person I was meant to be! The program lets me live life while providing effective tools that allow me to feel and look great! I love that I am living my best life now!
