*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). Mallory lost weight on a prior program and is continuing on WeightWatchers.
As told to Lucy Shanker
About two years ago, my boyfriend and I had dressed up as Bugs and Lola from Space Jam for Halloween. While I felt cute in my outfit and had an amazing night, I was mortified when I saw pictures of myself in costume. The next day, instead of enjoying the memories, I spent hours untagging myself in the photos my friends had shared on social media and frantically calling them to take their posts down. That’s when I realized I had to face it: Those photos were my reality, and I needed to make a change.
Because I’ve struggled with my weight for the majority of my life, I knew shedding pounds wouldn’t be easy. Despite being very active and playing competitive sports from elementary school through college, I always felt larger than my peers, particularly after college when I’d stopped playing sports but maintained college habits like snacking throughout the day and eating late at night.
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Starting anew
After my friend found success on WW—she looked amazing!—I decided to join WW in November 2017. I went to my first WW Workshop on a Monday afternoon but ended up settling into a weekend Workshop, where I felt like I found my place. Although I’m fairly introverted, and the members ranged in age and life stage, there were so many people I could relate to.
After my first Saturday morning Workshop, the WW Coach asked me to define my “why,” or motivation for getting healthier. Beyond my short-term goal of fitting into a dress at a friend’s wedding, I didn’t want to suffer from type 2 diabetes like my grandfather. The conversation definitely helped me solidify my resolve.
Doing it on my own terms
Unlike many of the WW members I met in my Workshop and on Connect, I don’t like to cook. For me, this posed a problem around dinnertime since I’d grown used to eating out. To break the habit, I found foods that were just as convenient as takeout with lower WeightWatchers values. Thanks to pre-cooked chicken breasts, rotisserie chicken, and microwavable pouches of rice, I began to master meals like stir-frys and omelettes that took fewer than 15 minutes to make. I also started to measure my wine pours and found Cense wines, which have one fewer WeightWatchers value per glass than alternatives.
Another big change: I started eating in the morning, relying on quick and easy options like homemade scrambled eggs or turkey bacon sandwiches that made breakfast a no-brainer.
While I continued eating out with friends, I learned to look up the menu beforehand and pre-track WeightWatchers-friendly options on my WW app. This way, I have a game plan before I get to the restaurant and know I’ll stay within my daily WeightWatchers Budget, no problem.
What Mallory Ate Then vs. Now
| Then | Now | |
|---|---|---|
Breakfast | - | Scrambled eggs with lean ham, cheese, and salsa; a buffalo chicken omelette; protein waffles; or a reduced-fat turkey bacon sandwich; and two shots of espresso mixed with a protein shake |
Lunch | A cheese-filled chicken pesto panini drizzled with oil or a chicken sandwich with mayo plus a side of French fries or potato chips and a soda | A Mexican rice bowl filled with lean ground chicken or turkey with taco seasoning, beans, corn, avocado, salsa, and Greek yogurt “sour cream”; or a chicken breast sub topped with ZeroPoint veggies and sweet onion sauce, plus a bag of baked chips and a diet soda |
Dinner | Takeout or restaurant dishes like drunken noodles, General Tso’s chicken, white rice, and a few glasses of wine | Cajun-spiced chicken breast with a side of mashed potatoes or sauteed spinach; a shrimp and green bean sauté with jasmine rice; shrimp or chicken fajitas; or chicken pho; and one glass of wine |
Snacks | Potato chips, pretzels, granola bars | Protein bars, WW Turkey Pepperoni Snack Sticks, plain chicken breast, apples, grapes, tangerines, baby carrots and pepper strips with a Greek yogurt-based ranch dip |
Finding activity again
After my post-college weight gain, I felt like a washed-up ex-athlete; I was embarrassed to head to the gym. But after losing about 30 pounds on WW, I gained the confidence to join a fitness club and get active again. At first, I tried kickboxing classes. While I’ll admit it was intimidating—we punched and kicked the bag, ran laps around the gym, and performed burpees—and everyone around me made it look impossibly easy, I stuck with it and worked my way up to two to three classes a week. Slowly but surely, I began to feel more like an athlete and more capable than ever before.
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Revitalized and energized
After losing 44 pounds*, my moods have improved, my energy levels are up, and I’m even more productive at work. Even better: I don’t cringe when I see myself in photos.
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