About 35 pounds ago, I was frustrated with my weight and trying to find inspiration to get me moving. I needed to lose the extra baby weight I’d been hanging onto. But mostly, I wanted to define myself as “healthy” again.

I joined Weight Watchers and started making changes in my eating habits.  At first, that was all I focused on, and I thought I would incorporate exercise once I reached a goal of 10% weight loss.  With eating, my motto is “knowledge is power” and keeping a food journal was an eye opening experience for me.  It really helped me identify what I was putting in my body, and made me aware of the changes that I needed to make.  I was a junk food, fast food junkie!

I made small changes in my diet I NEVER imagined I would do.  Now, instead of four regular sodas a day, I drink one diet soda, and I choose healthier snacks. But the two biggest changes were in my serving sizes, and reducing the amount of fast food I ate.  Now, when I do eat out, I check the menu on line and make my choice based on protein, calories, fat and fiber. I eat far less then I used to at a meal, and amazingly I have yet to leave a meal hungry!  Another adjustment I made was to not eat after 6:30 p.m. 

Once I hit a goal, I immediately set another and wrote it everywhere so that I’d see it often.  I weighed myself weekly and made new goals each week.  Sometimes it was literally taking it day-by-day, or even bite-by-bite, but as the choices became my new reality, it became easier.  Then it was time to add exercise. 

Written by: Kristi S