A Big Loss—But an Even Bigger Gain
After
|
Before
|
| Name |
Kim |
| Age |
42 |
| Height |
5'5" |
| Was |
347 lbs
|
| Lost |
211.8 lbs*
|
| Weight |
135.2 lbs
|
| As of |
23/04/2008 |
|
| *Results Not Typical |
|
"Every morning I'd plan out my whole day in my QuikTrak™ with pencil, then copy over in ink when I'd actually eaten them."
|
|
Kim was a yo-yo dieter for years until Weight Watchers helped her lose weight. She was able to shed more than 200 pounds!* Now Kim's a meetings Leader sharing her diet tips. Her story is so inspiring that we checked in with her again to see how she's maintaining her success. When I was at my heaviest—close to 350 pounds—my husband always told me I was beautiful and held me while I cried. He knew I couldn't lose the weight for him, or for my four wonderful kids—I had to make a change for me.
Just after I joined Weight Watchers meetings, my father passed away, and at his memorial I was ready for a binge. I walked downstairs to a table filled with food from friends and family; right in front of me was a dish labeled "Weight Watchers Apple Crisp" for a POINTS® value of 2 per cup. I took that as a sign, and didn't stray from following the POINTS Weight-Loss System. Losing a little at a time, the daunting amount of weight I had to drop didn't seem so impossible. Two years later to the day that I joined Weight Watchers meetings, I became a Lifetime member.*
Been There, Done That
Since reaching Lifetime, I've become a Leader, and it's the biggest thing in my life now. I'm very accessible to my members because I've been where they are. I know how they're feeling, and there's nothing anyone can tell me about food that I haven't experienced myself. I tell stories about my own struggles, and I stress to them that Weight Watchers is a really livable program.
Kim's Key Move
Keeping the weight off has meant changing all of my recipes using the Recipe Builder on WeightWatchers.ca (I'm also a Weight Watchers eTools subscriber). There's no excuse for sticking with meals that are high in POINTS values when you can change a few ingredients and make a just-as-delicious substitute—and not have to limit your portions drastically. I make tasty, healthy dishes and bring in samples each week for my members—like a small pot of soup—so they can see how excellent healthier cooking can be. I even hand out the recipes.
The Magic of Maintaining
I still wear my POINTS bracelet every day! Weight Watchers isn't a diet to try for a few months—it's a lifestyle change. My grandparents are both Lifetime members too, and my family always provides encouragement. I also draw strength from my meetings members, who look up to me and count on me not to go astray. My daughter is 20, and we can swap jeans—if that isn't a reason to stay on track, I don't know what is!
Kim's Tips:
- You have to love your new way of eating as much as you loved your old way—so make it yummy, enjoyable and fun by creating recipes your mouth waters for.
- Celebrate vegetables. My cream of broccoli soup is thick, chunky and has a POINTS value of zero!
- Anyone can lose weight—we've done it a million times—but the key to keeping the weight off is to embrace your new lifestyle. Don't say, "I can tolerate this food and exercise for now." Instead, think to yourself, "I love the new me!"
- Put time and effort into your food plans. Shop for items that are low in POINTS values, and find healthy snacks that you really like.
- Have fun with baking! I came up with a fabulous, fat-free, sugar-free cheesecake that is four inches tall, but each slice has a POINTS value of just 2! It's phenomenal.
- I still write down a food plan each day, and I check off what I eat as I go. If you know what you'll eat ahead of time, you're less likely to stray.
- After being over 300 pounds for 10 years, I truly believe that no amount of weight is too much to lose. The only way you'll never lose weight is if you don't try.
Make-up provided by Clinique.
|