[bblessed]

I have struggled with my weight since I was about 14 years old. When I graduated from high school in 1991, I weighed 217 pounds (I am 5’7”). With the stress off of me from school I started losing weight. Encouraged by the loss I stopped eating and lost even more weight. I decided to join the Army and left in May 1993 weighing 136 pounds. It was very unhealthy though because I simply did not eat. My diet for months was Dr. Pepper and cigarettes. One of my biggest fears of going to Basic Training wasn’t the physical exercise but they were going to make me eat. I was terrified of gaining back the weight I had lost. I did gain some weight in Basic but they said the diet was so restricted that if you needed to lose weight you would and if you needed to gain weight you would. When I left Basic and AIT Trainings in August 1993, I weighed about 150 pounds. It was a very healthy weight because I was fit and eating a balanced diet.



I went to Korea after Basic Training where I met my future husband. We got stationed in Texas after we left Korea where I promptly returned to my bad habits of fast food and driving everywhere I went even if it was to the corner store or post office. By the time we got married in August 1995 I was back up to about 170 pounds. I immediately got pregnant with our son and gained about 40 pounds when pregnant and finished my pregnancy about 210 pounds. It took me 3 years to get the courage up to lose weight again. I started Atkins in September 1999 in anticipation of my first trip to the Caribbean and lost 30 pounds in less than 4 months. Of course the weight started creeping back on after I stopped doing Atkins and when I got pregnant with my daughter in August 2001, I weighed about 200 pounds. The doctor advised me not to gain more than 15 pounds but no matter what I did I was still gaining weight. I finished my pregnancy at 240 pounds.



Needless to say, I was VERY discouraged and did not want to lose all that weight again. I was hovering around 230 pounds and a very tight size 18. I halfheartedly attempted Atkins again in January 2003 and tried SouthBeach this past summer. Nothing worked. I finally got motivated in October 2004 and started Weight Watchers and walking 2 miles a day. The weight started coming off but I knew I needed more toning. My butt got really big when pregnant with my daughter and my stomach is all out of whack after her emergency c-section. I decided on Pilates after reading everyone’s successes here. I wanted to challenge myself to do something I would normally never do and have found that I love WP!!!! I soon found that I looked forward to doing the workouts and always felt good after them. It amazes me that I can enjoy the exercise and want to do them again because I normally despise any form of exercise. I lost 25 pounds and was down to a size 16 by Christmas and then increased my workouts. I started doing more accelerated Pilates workouts and upped my walking to 4 miles when I got my Christmas present, a treadmill. Who would know I would EVER ask for a piece of exercise equipment for Christmas??? By March I was down to a size 14 which was my personal goal. That was the size I got down to after I had my son and knew I was happy at that size. But I still kept going with the workouts and found by May that I was shockingly in a size 12. I can’t even remember being a size 12 before ; )!!!!! I met my other personal goal of 175 pounds (weight I got down to doing Atkins) in late May. I was preparing for a trip out of state in mid June and was almost shocked speechless when I went to try on clothes. Size 12’s were too baggy and 10’s were fitting great. I am sure I looked like a lunatic in the store as I stood there with a huge smile from ear to ear and tears in my eyes. What I thought was never possible is and made me a total believer.



As of today, July 21, 2005, I have lost 65 pounds and am down from a tight size 18 to a 10. I weigh 165 pounds. I haven’t weighed this since I was in the Army in my early 20’s. That is so unbelievable to me. I always told myself I was fat, destined to be fat and would never be thin. I made further excuses because I had kids. I have to say that with all the toning that Pilates has done for me, I think I look better than I did before kids. My body is slimmer in the hips and my thighs are more toned than they have ever been. I give credit to Weight Watchers for helping me get my eating under control and teaching me not to binge when the mood hits. But I give Winsor Pilates the credit for this new body. There is so much definition all over my body that I didn’t have even when I was in the Army and working out for hours a day. I couldn’t even wear a bikini when I was in the Army but I could today if weren’t for my stretch marks and that is after 2 kids!!!!! I have 10 pounds to lose to get to Weight Watchers goal of 155 pounds for my height and I am going for it!!! I never in a million years would have thought that I would attempt that goal. It seemed way too much but through this process I have learned to believe in myself and stop limiting myself with the “nevers”. I never thought I would lose the weight and I never thought I would be in control of my body.



I want to say to anyone who thinks they can’t do it or it is too much work that if I can do this then you can too. I was so unhappy but did nothing to change. It was not going to happen by itself and I had to take charge. It has been hard work but so worth it in the process. I heard a great saying the other day and it made a lot of sense. “Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.” I don’t normally like the word thin but I like it in this saying. Thin means so many things to different people. To me, it means that nothing will bring as much satisfaction as reaching my goals. That helps me get through the cravings and when I feel like I can’t take one more step on my treadmill. You are worth every bit of effort. Take the time to get yourself healthy and you will be a much happier person in the end.



Before:


After:



Before:


After:




Before pics were taken November 3, 2004 after I had lost over 10 pounds. I took them as I started Pilates even though I never imagined I would share them anywhere!!!



After pics were taken today, July 21, 2005 in my new size 10 pants from Gap. I never thought I would be able to wear clothes from anywhere but Lane Bryant ; ) Pilates ROCKS!!!!!!!!



Mellissa