WW Taught This Teacher to Put His Health First

*People following the WeightWatchersprogram can expect to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week.

As told to Sara Green

As a teacher, you prioritize everyone but yourself. I was getting to work at seven in the morning and not leaving until seven at night. It’s a very demanding and stressful lifestyle, and I was also getting my doctorate in education at the same time. I would not eat much during the school day, only to have large meals at night when I got home. My weight slowly started to creep up.

Then, in November of 2016, my doctor told me I had prediabetes and hypertension. If I didn’t get it under control, I’d have to take blood pressure medication and could go on to develop type 2 diabetes. I had never had health problems before, but my weight was the tipping point. That diagnosis was the red flag that finally made me put myself first.

In January of 2017, I noticed a WW at Work flyer up in the school where I taught. It felt like it was a sign from the universe. I joined the small Workshop group with my colleagues and genuinely loved the whole experience. It was refreshing to be around people who understood the weight-loss journey, and hearing their stories gave me inspiration to make it through the week. In addition to helping me reach my goals, I created lasting friendships thanks to that Workshop.

I love that WeightWatchers works with my life, not against it. I'm incredibly social and there's no way I could follow a plan that doesn’t allow me to eat out all the time. But with WeightWatchers I can go to my favourite restaurants or grab fast food and still lose weight. WW teaches me how to choose nutritious options that fit into my Budget, pointing me toward meals that are high in fibre, protein, and healthy fats. But sweets can still fit in, and that’s a good thing because I love doughnuts! And if I go over Budget, I can always get back on track the next day.

In the beginning, all I cared about was losing weight. Now, I understand that this journey is really all about wellness: I’m no longer prediabetic and my blood pressure and blood glucose are back within a normal range—which was the best news to receive. I even started running and completed my first half marathon!

When I’m feeling like I need a dose of inspiration or am having a bad or stressful day, I turn to Connect. That community is amazing. I see what other members are cooking or how they’re working out, and it bumps up my own energy and excitement. I love that I’m on this journey with a million-plus people and we’re all working toward a similar goal. For me, that goal is to live a fun, purposeful life—and I'm not missing a beat!