Katie Lost 85.8 lbs
“ The tools you need are inside you. Weight Watchers just helps to unlock them. ”
After years of being overweight, Katie got home from a vacation and noticed that there were hardly any pictures of her. That's when she decided to join Weight Watchers meetings. Now, Katie and the pictures have changed for the better.
In Katie’s words:
I was overweight my whole life, with lots of ups and downs. But I had my “aha moment” when I went to New Orleans with my husband. When we returned home, I realized there were hardly any pictures of me at all. They were all of my husband, the attractions and scenery. I felt like I was being erased from my own life.
I had been a Weight Watchers member when I was 11 years old. My mother said to give it another try. I wanted to do it purely online at first, but my mother convinced me to go to meetings. I joined in May 2011.
No more tears
At my first meeting, I cried on the scale. I wondered how I let this happen; when I’d stopped looking in mirrors and buying clothes. My weight just got away from me. During the meeting, I sat and listened to the “Bravos” and asked for one just for being there. I came back to Weight Watchers and they embraced me. I’ve only missed three or four meetings total. Meetings are so important for support and ideas.
4th floor and beyond
I’m a teacher with bad knees and I work on the 4th floor. So I had trouble with stairs! About three months after I joined Weight Watchers, I started going to the gym once or twice a week. Around six months in, I set a new challenge: I went to the gym every day for a week, for 45 minutes. Then I went back to two or three days a week. Stairs aren’t so much trouble anymore.
My hubby and I go to London every February and this year, we decided to get an apartment rather than a hotel. I was worried about where I was going to work out. So I joined a gym in London. That’s when I knew I was different person.
Mindless to mindful
I think my biggest change was going from a mindless eater to a mindful eater. Weight Watchers taught me that you can enjoy food without sacrifice. I was always either on a diet or off, and thought of my eating as “good” or “bad.” Now I’ve taken those words out of my vocabulary. My good habits have even benefited my husband, who lost weight just by eating the food I’m cooking. And I’ve lost 86 pounds*!
Fun with eTools
My favorite tool is Weight Watchers Mobile app because I’m an on-the-go person. Weight Watchers would be more difficult without this app. It allows me to track and pre-track.
And I try to be as active as possible.
Good habits
For lunch, I used to go out or eat in the cafeteria. Now, I bring lunch every day. I ask myself, how many SmartPoints do I want to use? I plan. Budgeting is key. I haven’t felt deprived a single day.
The old and new me
Everything looks good on me now. There are no more pants digging into my waist or wondering what clothes I can buy.
Slow and steady
I think you have to go slow and not get too overwhelmed. Mini goals are really important. Don’t try to do everything all at once. I did everything slowly: learned how to use eTools, listened to people at meetings, started to exercise and read Message Boards in the WeightWatchers.ca Community. I found that the tools I needed were inside me all along. Weight Watchers just helped unlock them.