Cathy Lost 115 lbs
“ I needed to become comfortable with the fact that I was in for a long haul so that I would not get discouraged.”
Carrying over 100 pounds of extra weight, Cathy had a nagging suspicion that she just wasn’t all the woman she wanted to be.
After the birth of my second child my husband sat me down to express his concern about my health. He was clear about the fact that he loved me and didn’t care about what I weighed, but hoped that I would make an effort to be more active and make healthier choices in my life. It was then that I realized at the rate I was going I might not be there for my kids one day. I also felt that my husband was getting the raw end of the deal in our marriage. I definitely wasn't the woman he married and he probably never in a million years thought that I could ever get to more than 100 pounds overweight.
Accountable to me
Those realizations helped me to make the decision to subscribe to Weight Watchers Online. I decided to follow the plan online because I really didn’t feel I had time to attend meetings. I also felt that I was the type of person who really is most accountable to myself. I found it easy to commit to getting on the scale each Wednesday morning without fail. I made the decision to subscribe to Weight Watchers Online, because as the mom of two I really didn’t want to eat or prepare different meals than the rest of my family. I preferred learning to control portions and create healthier options for everyone.
When I started I decided that I needed to take some time to get my head around the idea that what I needed to lose would take me quite a bit of time, perhaps as long as two years. I needed to become comfortable with the fact that I was in for a long haul so that I would not get discouraged. I had done countless quick-fix diets in the past, only to regain the weight. This time, for myself and my family, I was committing to a new lifestyle instead of a diet.
Added activity
Without much difficulty several months passed and the weight was coming off. My greatest hurdle came when I decided that I needed to add activity to my plan. I am a naturally lazy person, so finding the motivation proved difficult. In the beginning, I joined our local park district gym and started walking on the treadmill. I couldn't do much and didn't last long each time, but I noticed I was internally creating challenges for myself for the next visit. Eventually I worked myself up to 45 minutes on the elliptical at a pretty intense level and I love it. Now I try to work out four or five days a week.
Today I am living a completely different life. I feel great about being who I am as a wife and a mother. I have energy to share with my husband and children. I love the way that my husband looks at me today and the feeling that I am finally “normal.” I am glad I tackled this when I did because my kids are still young enough that they might only remember the healthy, fit mommy, not the one that they might have been embarrassed by. For anyone thinking about starting Weight Watchers my advice would be to go for it. It probably seems hard to imagine, but truly it was easy. Don’t wait!
| Cathy’s Tips |
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If hunger isn't the problem then eating isn't the solution. I use Weight Watchers Online everyday, for everything. I log my food, I find recipes, I've loaded all of my own recipes into it and have developed them into plan-friendly meals. Set small attainable goals if you have a lot to lose because otherwise it may seem like it's not possible. Forgive yourself and move on when you blow it, don't beat yourself up for too long. Weight Watchers yogurts and ice cream bars are a staple in my house. Plan, plan, plan! I try to figure out what my day will be like first thing in the morning. Sometimes things change and I have to adjust, but most of the days planning allows me to know ahead of time how many points I have for snacks during the day, and for me the fewer surprises, the better. |