Marathon Marie
After
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Before
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| Name |
Marie |
| Age |
28 |
| Height |
5'6" |
| Was |
205 lbs
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| Lost |
68 lbs*
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| Weight |
137 lbs
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| As of |
26/11/2007 |
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| * People following the Weight Watchers plan can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week. |
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“I chose to follow the plan online because it’s more comfortable for me to go at my own pace in my own home. Hey, if I slip up, that’s between me and my Master Card.”
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Marie lost weight with a prior Weight Watchers program When Marie looked at her younger brother John, who she always admired athletically, she thought, “Why can’t that be me?” Her one-year transformation from twentysomething health risk to avid runner was gradual but full-blown. In the past year, she’s run three 5ks, a 10k, a 10-mile and two half-marathons.At 26, I was 5’6” and 205 pounds. For years I had avoided going to the doctor. When I started missing work because of migraines, I went to the Toronto Headache & Pain Clinic, and they hit me with some health warnings that were much more serious. My doctor prescribed pills for the headaches and “diet and exercise” for my high blood pressure and high cholesterol. “What’s going to happen when I’m 46?” I thought.
My previous weight-loss attempt involved expensive supplements and a heavy exercise regimen that my body couldn’t keep up with. That plan was not sustainable long-term. I had to learn how to make better eating choices. I needed to know the basics, like nutritional information, food groups and portion control.
My uncle Jim, my aunt Maureen, and my sister-in-law Jeanette had all tried Weight Watchers, so I knew it was about education and didn’t involve any pills—that was my answer, not filling myself with chemicals.
Starting Line
I chose to follow the plan online because it’s more comfortable for me to go at my own pace in my own home. Hey, if I slip up, that’s between me and my Master-Card.
Sadly, that’s exactly what happened—I started in August of 2005 and immediately fell off the wagon in the fall when I had my wisdom teeth removed. A lot of people see a medical operation as a “license” to go off plan. My problem was that I stayed off until New Year's, when I celebrated with a large pizza and a bucket of ice cream. “Gut check time,” I told myself. “I cannot do this anymore.” On Jan. 1, I got right back online and started tracking.
Evaluate, Then Eat
There's a wealth of knowledge available to you when you sign up and you really have to take the time and read through it all. Previously, I would never read the packaging on anything I bought. If it caught my eye, it was in my cart. When I began the plan, I started reading nutrition labels, estimating POINTS® values on the spot and then deciding if I wanted to buy.
At home, I became very conscious of my food measurements. I went from eating whole pots of pasta to measuring by the cup. I also bought a food scale to weigh out ounces of cooked chicken, pork and beef.
The Fitness Factor
On that same fateful pizza and ice-cream New Years, I wrote down my yearend goals: lose 50 pounds and run a 5k. That second one was a long shot—I couldn’t run to the end of the block at the time. My brother John is someone I always looked up to as an athlete. He ran a 5k every year, and I would watch him jealously. If my brother could do it, why couldn’t I?
I went to the gym more and more—each time I would run faster and longer, little by little. Eventually, I was running six times a week, which my friends told me was too much, and they were right. Now I go three or four times a week.
I’m addicted to running now. Last year, John and I ran three races together—two 5ks and a 10k. Whenever people ask me what I’ve done to get healthy, I say Weight Watchers and running, and I tell them in that order.
Plateau Buster
I had a lot of success in my first six months. Then, between July and December, I only lost five pounds. There were even some weeks when I didn’t lose at all. It’s frustrating, but you have to realise that you didn’t get big overnight. (I have pictures of myself at 13 wearing an XL dress, bigger than my grandmother’s.) My point is, you’re not going to get slim overnight either.
I have a blog, which is my baby. I started posting a lot of stuff about how my weight loss was going and received nice responses from readers. I think people need a place where they can go in order to be as free thinking and forthright as they want, whether it’s serious life issues or just random musings about junk.
| Recommendations from Marie |
- Make sure you hit those healthy checks, even if they’re foods you don’t typically eat—they really do fill you up. Personally, I don’t like milk, but I make sure I get my yogurt every day so I can squeeze in my dairy.
- If you’re worried about signing up because of the cost, wait until there’s a free two-week trial and get to know the tools. Everything’s right there in front of you. It’s almost idiot-proof. You don’t even have to think. It calculates everything for you.
- If you don't go to meetings, you can still find camaraderie on the boards and meet new people. Following the plan online doesn’t mean you’re going it alone.
- People fail when they’re not honest with themselves. If you’re going to eat the same way that you did before, you’re not going to be successful.
- It’s a slow and steady race. As soon as the pants you used to have to squeeze into start fitting well, you’ll realise it’s working.
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Loving Life Online
As a program coordinator working in communications / media relations, I sit at a desk from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. I find it easier to track my foods and activity online immediately rather than thumbing through journal pages. I already have a mess of papers on my desk at work that I can’t keep track of. Having something track-able on a database that I won’t lose is so much easier. How can you not love it? It’s so neat and pretty!
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