Jessica is losing weight slowly but surely through Weight Watchers and exercise

Jessica

-City & country: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
-Age: 29
-Weight before diet: 250 lbs.
-Weight now: 185 lbs.
-Target weight: 155 lbs.

December 16 2006

In addition to becoming healthier and looking and feeling better, a sense of accomplishment is what Jessica is achieving through her weight loss journey. Though she finds the length of time it's taking her to lose weight frustrating, it's been worth it. Read on for more about Jessica's motivations, the role of Weight Watchers, and her confidence in her present lifestyle.

-What finally made you decide to start with a weight loss program? 
I saw a picture that was taken on my 25th birthday – it was so horrible I didn’t recognize myself.  Then, a few months later, I got some scary cholesterol-numbers from my doctor…I joined Weight Watchers the next day.

-What type of weight loss program are you following? 
Weight Watchers

-Why did you choose this weight loss program? 
I’d heard that it was the most doctor-recommended diet, and that it was affordable and realistic.  I really didn’t *think* that I was capable of weight loss, however.  After the first week, I lost 5.4 lbs – the second week, I lost 4.6.  10 lbs in two weeks and I was hooked!

-How long have you been on your weight loss program?  
A looooong time – three years.

-What kinds of physical activities do you like doing to help you lose weight and stay fit? 
I’m very active now – I run, walk, bike, rollerblade, use the elliptical machine, take yoga, lift weights…I love exercise and have run 2 5Ks and am training for a marathon!

-What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome or are still overcoming? 
Well, I also quit smoking the same day I walked through the doors at Weight Watchers – so obviously that was a hurdle, but hand in hand with my weight loss, my smoking cessation made exercise and healthy living just that much easier.  I love to cook, so rather than be sad about having to use healthier ingredients, I’ve made it a fun hobby to try to “lighten up” recipes.  I also love wine, so I’ve had to cut way back on that… now I make sure that I’m usually drinking red wine (heart healthy!), and limit myself to only drinking wine on the weekends or special occasions.  I also looove to eat out, so I’ve had to learn to check restaurant menus online or have them faxed to my house before I dine out – walking into a restaurant with a plan always keep me from making bad last-minute decisions.

-How do you keep yourself motivated? 
I think about why I’m really doing this… not only for health and happiness, but for a sense of personal accomplishment and because I’m doing something I NEVER thought I was capable of.  Someday, I hope to be a Weight Watchers leader, and in order to be hired, you have to be within your weight watchers healthy range.  So that is will what keep me going until the bitter end – I want to help other women who feel like life is out of control realize that they CAN change… they CAN do this.  If I can, anybody can.

-Do you have any weight loss tips for our readers? 
Just don’t quit.  Take it one day at a time.  Focus on the journey 5 lbs at a time.  Little changes add up in the long run.  And my motto:  “Each day that you do this, you’re better off than the day before.”  There’s not deadline or race to the finish line… just don’t quit.  As Nemo said, “just keep swimming.”

-Do you think it will be easy to fall back into your old lifestyle pattern? How do you prevent this from happening?  
I get frustrated sometimes that it has taken me so long to lose weight… I’ve seen friends lose almost twice as much in half the time!  But then I realize that this truly HAS become my lifestyle now, which means I’m not likely to gain the weight back.  I recently went for several months without any losses… and while it was very frustrating, I never gave up, and I never gained… I just kept using the healthy tools and habits that I’d adopted, and then got serious again (I got over my plateau, ultimately, by increasing my exercise).

-Do you have a favorite Web site or blog that helps or inspires you to lose weight? 
I’m on WeightWatchers.com all the time – the message boards are great when you need some support.  I don’t have many overweight family members or friends, so finding a community of people who really understood what it was like to be significantly overweight was overwhelmingly powerful.  It has contributed to my success in more ways that I can articulate.  The blogging community in general is very powerful as well – I blog at Weight of My World, and on my “sidebar” you can find links to many of the blogs I frequent.  Pink Bunny Foo Foo, Emily’s Big Adventure, and Snackie’s Pudge-Free World are three of my faves!