Success Stories
- Kitty
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Hi, my name is Kitty. I am almost 41
years old, divorced for 19 years and raised a son by myself (absent father and
absent child support). I have gone from 220 to 150. A loss of 70 pounds.
I have read other success stories for inspiration in writing mine. However,
what I have found is that everyone's story is different. That weight came on
at different times in our lives and for different reasons. What I have learned
from reading those stories is that the path to being overweight and
unhealthy was different for all of us, as was the journey to a new and healthy
lifestyle.
Where do I start.. I wasn't overweight as a child, my weight came on after
my divorce. I guess too many years of caring for my son and not me. Too many
overtime hours trying to make ends meet. Too many days and nights of just being
tired and overburdened.
In looking back at pictures, I guess where I notice the weight coming on was
when I was 24 or 25. I didn't worry much about it then, I had decided to give
up on dating at that time. (Divorced for about 2-3 years by then and tired of
dating losers.)
I had become absorbed in developing a new career (I had been laid off due to
the company being sold.) and trying to attend college at the same time. So,
I had my son, who played soccer all the time, my new job with overtime, and
taking classes at the local community college. Fast food was a way of life
for our busy schedules. Unlike my son, I gained weight due to lack of activity
while he was very fit due to all the soccer he was playing. My last year of
college (1996) was the killer for me. I transferred to the university, enrolled
in their accelerated course and still had an additional 37 credits needed to
graduate. (Yes folks, I completed 67 credit hours in one year while working
full time. But it did cost me dearly.)
When I saw my college graduation picture, I cried. (I weighed in at 200 pounds.)
That can't be me! What happened? How did I ever let myself get this way? Why
didn't anyone say anything to me? Well, when my current company decided
that they weren't going to give me my much overdue promotion and
raise I started looking else where. I knew no one would hire me looking like
that so I dieted and lost 30 lbs. I got down to 170 and a size 16. I did the
spa and protein diet to get down there, but I didn't learn any new eating habits.
The job I took was as a consultant on the road. I flew out on Mondays and home
on Fridays. I had to eat in hotels all the time, and salads got boring fast!
After 1 ½ years doing this I came back home to work due to my mothers
health. (She passed away Jan. 1999) I weighed in at 220 lbs. Still wearing size
16 and some 18's. I did spend my free time in the spas at the hotels, I built
up a lot of muscle.
In April 1999, I broke my ankle and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance..
This made me decide it was time to lose weight. Gosh, I had to tell the EMT
how much I weighed before they lifted me on to the gurney. I was so embarrassed!
I was laid up on my back for a month and I lost 20 lbs. Wow, what an incentive.
But 10 lbs came back on once I was up on crutches. I finally was off crutches
by Aug of 1999 and decided to diet. Then decided since I couldn't exercise;
why bother. My weight went up to 220 again. I started this journey in
October 1999. I did the protein diet again and by Feb 2000 I had lost 25 lbs.
But I knew I couldn't eat that way forever, so I checked out Weight Watchers.
I weighed in at 196.8. It took me 10 weeks to lose my first 10%, then
24 weeks to lose my second 10%, In Oct 2000 I hit a plateau. I changed meetings
and leaders and started losing again. But my leader didn't think it was
going right, so she sent me to my doctor. In Feb 2001 my doctor set my goal
weight at 152. From Oct 2000 to Feb 2001 I lost only 7 lbs. I lost the last
4 lbs. and hit goal on Feb 10, 2001. I will
attain lifetime 6 days before my 41st birthday, Lifetime on March 24, 2001.
Now I know that 152 sounds high for my 5'3" frame, but believe me I have
a lot of muscle. I fit comfortable in size 8's and 10's though the 10's are
a little big. My doctor doesn't want me to lose much more weight,
cuz as we women age we lose muscle anyway. When I saw my doctor back in Feb
my blood pressure was 117/62, my resting heart rate was at 63. She was
very pleased. I am going in for the full annual exam on the Friday before
I hit lifetime. Nothing like fasting the day before to ensure I am at goal for
WI Saturday morning.
Now, I know I couldn't have done it without Dotti's site and all the loving
and thumping support I received from all of you here at the site! Thank you
for helping me making this success story possible.
P.S. You always hear me talking about my cats. Here they are: Obelina is the
Calico and Garth is black.
Update: I made goal Feb 10th and achieved Lifetime on March 24th, 2001.
Kitty
Photos - L-R: 25 years old; college graduation;
"I can't believe I went out in public like that!";
at Goal; Obelina & Garth (my beloved cats)
Kitty's
Email
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