Weight Watchers Essay Contest Entry

In April 2007, I gave birth to my daughter, in my home, underwater, in a birthing pool without pain killers. After I accomplished that, it changed the way I thought about what I could do. Surely, if I could do that, I could learn how to take care of my body.

In the fall of 2007 I weighed 194 lbs. I felt trapped, like I was not allowed to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. I had always struggled with my weight. I was never taught how to prepare food properly. Added to that was my complete denial of the benefits of exercise. I needed a program that would change my thinking.

The change came when my goals changed. I didn’t want to lose weight for my vanity anymore. I wanted to teach my kids how to nourish their bodies and I wanted to truly enjoy a sport as a hobby. I knew if I did those two things then the weight loss would simply be a side affect.

That September, I put my 6 month old daughter in the stroller and started to run. I used a pocket radio and listened to anything I could get reception on. One day a song came on the radio that was really intense and I couldn’t stop running. I ran an extra 4 minutes because the song made me feel unstoppable! I set another goal: If I kept running for 90 days -I’d buy myself an mp3 player.

After 3 months, I had only lost 10 pounds because I hadn’t yet changed the way I was eating. A friend of mine mentioned that she was joining Weight Watchers and asked if I wanted to join with her. I said yes and it changed my life. The weigh-ins held me accountable and the meetings began to change the way I prepared food. I tracked what I needed to eat with the online tools.

Today I am training for my very first half marathon. Whether I’m in San Francisco or San Clemente, I’m always on the lookout for a good 5 mile trail. Even if I’m in the middle of no where, I challenge myself to run for an hour so I can listen to music and podcasts on my mp3 player. People say I inspire them and that makes me feel good.