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Saskatoon
Member Since October 2008
My Story
My name is sandra and this is my story.
I was actually a scrawny kid when I was little, but around the age of nine I started to gain weight. This was the beginning of a life time of fighting the fat. Throughout my life I have tried many different methods of losing weight, just like everyone else. I did weight watchers, free to be thin, t.o.p.s and a score of do it yourself diets that all ended in failure and yo-yo dieting.
During this time I also struggled with arthritis. In my early thirties my doctor felt that if I didnt lose weight, I could be in a wheel chair by the time I was forty. Again I tried everything. There were times when I would lose forty pounds at a time, just to gain it back and a few extra for good luck.
My real weight loss journey started about eight years ago with someone I never expected, my then eight year old son. He started to pray for me every single night diligently. Every night it was "and help mommy to lose weight".
About a year after my son started on this mission for mom, I was invited to a retreat. It was there that I actually read a book that was the retraction to the book Free to Be Thin. In it the author came to the conclusion that your self-worth didnt come from counting calories or keeping diet journals. Your self worth came from learning how to accept yourself and loving yourself. Deep inside I knew the concept, I was just having trouble applying it.
A few month later my husbands employer came out with a program to help its employees purchase exercise equipment. We decided to take advantage of that and we purchased a weight bench and a treadmill. So, Christmas eve six and a half years ago I got on a scale and weighed in at 288 pounds (Im 5'4"). I then stepped onto the treadmill and started walking.
In the months that followed I quit my job, I dropped off any committees I was on and spent my days or at least 1 1/2 hours each day working out. After about a year, I had dropped 110 pounds.
Sooner or later though I had to engage back into life. I started working again and then I think the most difficult time of our lives hit. There were many things that contributed to the hardship. Needless to say I gained about 40 pounds back. Since then I have been fighting tooth and nail to get back on track. During the hard time I was diagnosed with clinical depression. Being on meds does not make the weight loss easy.
Doing it on my own was not working this time. A friend and I started power walking together and through this she lost 60 pounds. I thought I would too. I didnt. one day I walked into my neighborhood curves. I never believed in gyms before, but I was desperate. So I started on the circuit. For the first few months, nothing. I was back and forth to the doctor trying to figure out why the weight wouldnt come off. Still nothing.
When we started with the biggest loser contest, I decided to try. I had to lose weight and do well, because I was not about to let my team down. I got my groove back! During the six weeks of the contest I lost 19.25 pounds on the scale and 12.5 fat pounds. Now I have to keep going since Im going to be a grandma in july for the first time and I want to keep up to a little one again. I still have 50 pounds to go, but with the support of curves and the prayers of my family I am going to do it this time!