Success Files: Cecily

Hey Gang…it’s inspiration time again! *woohoo* I love featuring people that are winning this weight loss battle! Cecily’s story will definitely get you motivated. 🙂

1. When did you start Weight Watchers?
June 4, 2002. It was a warm and sunny day, and I was wearing a terra cotta colored dress — okay, CAFTAN — from Making it Big. I should have known then that if I was buying clothes from a company called MAKING IT BIG that I had issues. *lol*

2. With all of the weight loss programs/diets available, what made you choose WW?
Fear. I didn’t want to be sliced open like a Thanksgiving turkey. Even though I knew people who have had great success with Weight Loss Surgery, I didn’t want to go that route. I have never seriously tried to lose weight before. You heard it here folks – this is my FIRST “diet”.

3. How much weight have you lost?
As of 04/14/03, 106.2 lbs.

4. What is your favorite aspect of the WW program?
Flexibility and choice. There is literally NOTHING that is forbidden to me. If I want to eat Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, I can — I just have to make sure I plan for it and eat low-point foods for the rest of the day. I also like that I’m slowly starting to feel like I’m in control of my eating.

5. Favorite low point snacks?
I’m a sugar FREAK, so it would have to be Tootsie Pops. Only one point, plus I get chocolate!

6. Do you plan to become a leader? If so, why?
I’m on the fence about this one. WW has been such a help to me, but I’m not sure if I’m the “model” WeightWatcher. I don’t divide my food days into “good” days and “bad” days, and I don’t feel guilty if I have a day where I don’t eat according to plan. That’s not to suggest that everyone on WW feels this way, but I’m not sure that my attitude is completely in line with the program, even though I follow it to the letter MOST days.

Also, I don’t agree with WW’s target weight range for my height (126-145). For someone who came down from a high of 350.6 lbs, I honestly don’t know that I could maintain a weight loss that drastic, so with my doctor’s okay, I set my goal weight at 170 lbs. That’s 25 lbs higher than WW’s highest recommended weight for my height – yet strangely, it’s 23 pounds LESS than my body fat analysis recommended as a healthy weight for me. If I get to 170 lbs, I will have lost 180 lbs – more than half of my body weight. I think that’s something to be celebrated.

My group leader thinks I should become a leader for the simple fact that there are so few leaders in my area who have had the experience with having to lose over 100 pounds. In that respect, I would love to be a leader, because I know all too well how it feels to be the only one in a meeting who isn’t worried about their size six jeans being tight, but who is worried about not being able to buy a car because the seatbelts aren’t long enough, or who has to deal with going to movies and not being able to fit into the seats, or who knows the absolute joy involved in being able to tie your shoes while standing up for the first time in your adult life.

7. Favorite WW moment? (i.e. meeting Fergie, receiving an award,etc.)
Having the people in my meeting cheer for me when I got my 100 pound magnet. So far I haven’t met any WW celebrities, but if I’m ever in your neck of the woods Courtney, I’m looking a sister up! *lol*

8. What is your typical exercise program?
Jumping to conclusions. *lol* Seriously, I try to do about 50-60 minutes of cardio 3-4 days a week. That usually involves about 30-35 minutes on the elliptical trainer, 25 minutes on the treadmill, and about 5 minutes of warm up on a recumbent bike. I also do some weight training, concentrating on toning my upper and lower body. My favorite class (so far) is my “BodyTone” class, which is similar to “THE FIRM” body sculpting system that you see advertised in infomercials. I also have plans to take swimming lessons this summer, so that I can add some variety to my workouts.

But let’s be real – there are some days – especially when I’m up to my dreadlocks in school work – that I just can’t make it to the gym. On those days I pop Leslie Sansone’s “Walk Away The Pounds” into the DVD player, or I take a break from school work and walk around campus and walk up and down stairs. Any movement is better than none at all, so I try to make sure I get at least 20 minutes of leisurely walking in each day.

9. What tips would you like to offer program newbies?
TRUST THE PROGRAM. TRUST YOURSELF. BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE WORTH IT. Until you can do those three things, you will fail. No ifs, ands, and buts about it.

10. How do you plan to reward yourself for reaching goal weight?
Hmm…I should get to goal right around the time that I graduate from my master’s degree program, so my reward will be wearing a graduation gown that doesn’t look like it was made by Georgia Tent and Awning. *lol* I also mentioned to my hubby that Disneyland would make an excellent grad trip, so the greatest joy for me will be stepping onto roller coasters and not having to worry about whether I’ll fit.