I am a 32 year old wife and mother of three. I have always been a full-figured woman but within the last eight years, deaths in my family have put me on notice to lose the weight and pay more attention to what I eat. My father died of a heart attack and he had high blood pressure when I was 22 years old. My mother died five years later of congestive heart failure. She did not have heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure until she had her first attack two weeks after my father died. Then all of a sudden she had a plethora of health conditions. Two of my mom's sisters have all died within four to five years after her and of each other - all of congestive heart failure - THIS WAS A WAKE UP CALL!
My blood pressure is always good and I finally got my cholesterol down from 250 to 205 (still over where my doctor and I want it, but remarkably better than before). When I started on Weight Watchers I weighed 285 lbs. Starting with Weight Watchers was difficult because I always felt hungry, but then I figured out I was not eating filling foods. Once I modified my food choices and really paid attention to the plan guides, the weight came off slowly (1 to 2 lbs a week) without exercise. My husband and I joined a gym and have committed to each other we will work out at the gym at least 5x a week for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. We do 1 hour of cardio and 15 to 30 minutes of resistance and strength training. Even with the holidays and going WAAYY over my points allotment, the work outs have helped me to not gain back all the weight I lost. Within three weeks on Weight Watchers, I lost 16 lbs and have only gained 9 lbs. All due to not going to the gym and not following my plan. Now I am back in the gym and staying within my points allotment.
I am happy that my friend told me about this site because the stories and journal entries are encouraging and inspirational. It helps to know I am not alone - especially when I fall off the wagon!