I have struggled with my weight since I was a child. At 10 years old, I asked my mom to put me on my first diet. I was short and flat-chested yet I was wearing a women’s size 12 pants. I felt like a beach ball. It wasn’t that I was an inactive child — I was on the swim team and tried soccer. I was very involved in the drama program which required lots of dancing. Throughout middle school, I attempted the South Beach diet multiple times with no success.
Despite all of my attempts at diet and exercise, I hovered around a size 13/15. I lost some weight when I started college but it didn’t last. After getting married, I gained a lot of weight. I weighed myself at one point and was 230 lbs. After that, I avoided the scale and real pants. I kept getting bigger, but my exact number is unknown to me.
After seeing family photos from July 2013, I decided it was time for a change. I measured my waist and had a good cry because I was a size 20. I didn’t feel sexy, and my body image issues were affecting my marriage. And as a 22 year old newlywed, this was a bad place to be. I decided enough was enough and I started going to the gym and pro-wrestling training with my husband three times a week. I still wasn’t seeing the results I wanted so in November, I decided to sign up for Noom. I was 214 lbs. when I signed up and 45 inches around my waist.
I began doing two gym sessions a day and logging every single thing that I did and ate. The hardest part for me was eating right because I love all food that is bad for you. I love Taco Bell! But I learned very quickly with Noom that if I watched my calorie intake and got my gym time in, I could still have that burrito if I really wanted it. That was the best part for me. Noom isn’t a diet. It’s a lifestyle. I can eat anything I want as long as I don’t go overboard. As ridiculous as it sounds, the most rewarding thing about my transformation is that I can say, “I lost 60 lbs. and I did it eating Taco Bell!” Okay, maybe not the most rewarding.
I have never been so happy in my life as the day I went to the clothing store and put on a pair of jeans that were a size 10. I have a smaller waist now than I had when I was 10 years old!
For the people out there that are struggling, stop! Give your body what it needs. If you want a cookie, eat one cookie. Because, in my experience, trying to pass one up is going to cause you to eat all of them at midnight. Don’t lose weight for anyone but you. The biggest reason I believe I was successful is because my husband loved me when I was fat, and he loves me now. And he will love me when I reach my final goal. Do it for you, find the people who support you, and tell them how things are going. It took me 14 years to make it happen. Don’t give up!
