Lifetime!

Last week I officially became a Lifetime member of Weight Watchers. It was awesome! I was crying... half the members were crying! I'm just so grateful for all the people who were there, they have truly become my friends.

So, not only have I made it to my goal and made it through 6 weeks of maintenance--Now I get to attend meetings for FREE! What a reward! When I called the customer service number they even told me I'll be getting a refund since I was paid ahead a little bit. Awesome!

I'm entering the "Inspiring Stories of Change" contest for Weight Watchers this summer. The winner (3 grand prizes) gets a trip to New York for a photo shoot and a makeover. Wouldn't that be awesome?


I thought I would share the essay I wrote and the before and after pictures I'm submitting. They only allow you 400 words, so I couldn't really say all I wanted to say, but I think I got my story across. Tell me what you think!

Inspiring Stories of Change 2009

I have been overweight since I was a child. There were times when I thought changing was impossible, when I felt that being overweight was simply my lot in life. The day I turned 30, however, I felt something click inside me. I knew I could change! I was ready to lose the weight and get healthy. I had recently delivered baby #3 and hit my highest weight ever. I had chronic back pain and a herniated disk. I was sick and tired (literally!) and I wanted something different! I walked into Weight Watchers the very next day.

I picked Weight Watchers because I knew it was a healthy, long-term plan. I had tried lots of “diets”—but they didn’t last. This time was different. I walked through those doors highly motivated and completely committed to attending that meeting every single week. My leader and the group of people in my meeting have become my friends and confidants.

I knew if I was going to reach my goals I would need support, so I enlisted my family and friends to help. I started a blog about my journey and friends would post their support for me. My husband is in the military and deploys quite often, but he would call from overseas just before the meeting started to see how I had done. With this support and the science of Weight Watchers, I was a shoe-in for success!

It was a simple combination: Follow the plan and attend meetings. A simple combination that has helped me to reach goals I have dreamed of reaching for over a decade!

Weight Watchers has given me a new lease on life. I can’t remember the last time I had back pain—my herniated disk is healed! I can run and do full push-ups! I also gained the confidence I needed to get a job as a Group Fitness Instructor. I love it! Getting paid to exercise is awesome, but even better than that is helping people—people just like me, who are trying to change. I love seeing new exercisers in my classes. I tell them, “I know how you feel! I’ve been there!” I love sharing my story and helping others to know that they too can change. I tell them, “Decide what you want and go for it! Believe in yourself and you can do ANYTHING!”