Cheryl lost 86 lbs*
*At 6 months, participants in a clinical trial of the WW weight-loss program lost an average of 9.7 lbs (5% of body weight). And, people who track their food more often lose more weight. When actual WW members track their food at least two times a week for 6 months they lose on average 16.6 lbs. (7.9% body weight). Cheryl lost weight on a prior program and is continuing on WeightWatchers.
In Cheryl’s words:
“Through three pregnancies and years of being happily married, I found myself becoming very comfortable. I had tried WW twice before, and each time I’d lose weight, I’d gain back twice as much. In the spring of 2013, I was starting a new career as a hair stylist, and I noticed the way the other stylists dressed. They had great hair and followed all the trends—I wanted to carry myself the same way. I wanted clients to look at me and trust that I could do the job, so I decided to join WW again. This third time, I was ready to change.”
Cheryl tried new things
Measuring my portions
“Baby steps and experimentation: that’s how I started transitioning to a healthy lifestyle. I decided to focus on portion control first. If I made chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese for my three kids, I still ate the same meal. The difference was, I measured out my portions, which was very eye-opening! I also experimented: I started drinking water more often, but when I got bored, I’d add in lemon or lime. That was tiresome, too, so I tried variations of hot tea including my go-to recipe with lemon, lime, mint, and ginger.
My biggest experiment
"After losing about 40 pounds, I hit a plateau. Up until that point, I’d only changed what I was eating. It was then I decided to start moving more. I began by walking on the treadmill 2 miles/hour for 20 minutes three to four times per week. As I gained endurance, I started running. From running, I discovered Zumba, which I truly love because it doesn’t feel like work. Now the activitiy has become a part of me.
How Cheryl’s success with WW has improved her life
Becoming an instructor
"When I started taking Zumba classes, I thought to myself, “I want to become an instructor one day.” I vowed to commit myself to a lifetime of fitness, and I knew that if I were in front of a class, the accountability would help me stay on track. I became an instructor for Strong by Zumba, which involves using your bodyweight for muscle conditioning and toning. I also got my traditional Zumba instructor certification, and I’ll be certified in PiYo, a workout that combines Pilates and yoga, this month. I like to say that I’m a hairstylist by day and a fitness instructor by night!
A new life
"Since embarking on my journey, I’m an entirely different person inside and out. I feel like I didn’t start living my life until I joined WW. Now I surround myself with positive people; I do things that make me happy. My WW Coach calls my family, “the fun family” because in the past few years, we’ve vacationed, camped in a tent, gone roller skating, ice skating, and hiking. I’m not afraid to try anything anymore. I feel unstoppable."