Dawn - the Driven Diva
Fayetteville, Arkasnas
33 years old
Starting Weight: 170 (this is my starting weight
with PNP so I guess that is what I should go with), at my highest weight and
what I have worked for years to get under control I weighed 208 and just 3
years ago after having my 1st baby I weighed 194.
Current Weight: 153
Target Weight: 140
What finally made you decide to lose
weight?Tired
of feeling bad and unhappy about myself. Tired of hating to go shopping
b/c nothing fit or nothing looked good. Tired of feeling like when people
looked at me all they saw was fat.
What type of diet did you follow? No specific diet, calorie counting, eating
fruits, veggies, and lean proteins.
Why did you choose this diet? I have done WW points
system in the past several years ago so I knew how many cals to take in but I
am not one that can eat a moderate amount of junk food and lose weight even if
it is in my calorie range. I must eat good clean foods in order to drop the fat
so that is what I do.
How long were you on your diet
program? Off
and on for several years but most recently since June after the birth of my 2nd
daughter.
What kinds of physical activities do you
like doing to maintain your weight and to stay fit? Running, step
aerobics, weight lifting I used to do moderately but now I am more into it and
I love it and I feel that it has really changed the shape of my entire body.
What were the most difficult obstacles you
had to overcome or are still overcoming? Social eating and eating out of boredom and not just
when I was hungry. My family and my husbands family all live close by so
we have a lot of gatherings and we have a lot of friends so that means more
gatherings. Working through these and trying to make it not just about
the food is such a challenge for me but I am doing so good at it and have
almost over come it. I know I will never be perfect but I think I can be pretty
close. Being able to control myself in these situations is the thing I am most
proud of throughout my entire journey. Having control over my food and it not
ruling me is so empowering and I love more than anything having this feeling.
How do you keep yourself motivated? I think about where I was
and how unhappy I was and sometimes I try on a pair of my size 18 pants and
then I think back to when I wore a size 20 and how I DO NOT want to go back
there again. That really keeps me going. Also, having a great
community like PNP really keeps me on track. I love posting and getting
feedback and just knowing that someone is interested in the exercise I am doing
or the food I am eating. I love seeing the questions that other post b/c it
usually helps me as well. Most importantly, knowing that I might inspire
someone else or give them words of encouragements truly helps me stay focused
on my goals and where I want to be and helps keep me motivated.
Do you have any weight loss tips for our
readers? To
be honest they are mostly self-help tips b/c I think that is the most important
thing. When you get your mind in the right place you can truly accomplish
anything you want to. Believe in yourself and never give up b/c the only
reason you will not get to where you want to be is if you quit. If I must state some weight loss tips then I would say PLAN
and follow through with your PLAN!
Do you think it will be easy to fall back
into your old patterns? I can actually answer this question with a big ol’
NO!!! I never want to go back to where I was and feeling like I did about
myself. For a few moments or maybe a day or two here and there I might
catch myself eating too much and not exercising enough but I quickly get a hold
of myself and get back on track b/c a few moments of quick pleasure is simply
NOT WORTH IT! I want to be how I am now and where I know I am going WAY more
than I want to eat some chocolate or hamburger and fries. I simply LOVE MY NEW
LIFESTYLE and all of the rewards that come with it. I have no doubt in my
mind that I will ever go back to where I was many years ago. That time in my life
is in the past and it is going to stay there. My only regret is that I didn’t
do this sooner but I am just so thankful that I am doing it now.
How do you prevent this from
happening? I
stay tuned into my PNP community where we are all in the same boat and all
going for the same goal. I PLAN PLAN PLAN my eating and I grocery shop
regularly.
Do you have a favorite Web site or blog
that helped or inspired you to lose weight? In the beginning I was a faithful weight
watchers board reader (which is where I found Corinne) and this site http://www.freewebs.com/dimpledn/index.htm
this is Carla who really inspired me. I still read the WW board and
check Carla’s site for updates often. Plus, I read sisterskinny.com daily
and weightwatchen.com daily.