I've been losing and gaining weight since I was in high school. I even got to attend the infamous fat camp twice as a teenager. I've lost over 80lbs several times as both a teenager and an adult. Each time I gain it back plus some. This time by the time all is said and done, I'll have over 150lbs to lose. It seemed almost unreal. That number was unrealistic to me. It's probably why I kept putting it off and was afraid to step on a scale for months. I was afraid I had crossed into the 300lbs zone. Deep down I knew I had; that's why I wouldn't step on the scale.
I began this portion of my journey on April 17, 2016, a few weeks before I joined my first DietBet. I've always done Weight Watchers in the past. I couldn't this time. Weight Watchers never has people like me. It's women trying to lose 20lbs, 40lbs, at the most 50lbs. It's hard to relate, and harder to feel inspired when you are the fattest person in the room with the most the lose. I decided on trying Jenny Craig since there wouldn't be any thought put into my food choices. I'm a binge eater and emotionally eat. I always have. I needed something easy and structured to get me started.
I've always been one to follow an eating plan to the tea. It's not hard for me to lose weight. What's hard is starting the process and committing to it, and then maintenance once I've lost it. But at this point, I ate my way to a level so bad that I couldn't even eat without getting winded. I started small with my exercise. I began taking my dog on walks every day going further and further each time. I started doing squats and push-ups in the morning before work.
My first weigh in at Jenny Craig came and I had lost 9lbs in a week. It was good to hear, but I knew it was 9lbs out of 150lbs+ so it still didn't feel like a victory. One of my friends who probably has 15lbs to lose told me to join his DietBet. I checked it out and thought, what a great way to earn some extra cash while it's easy to lose weight!
I joined as many DietBets as I was allowed in the hopes of earning the biggest payouts. I didn't really think of DietBet as a tool at all. However, once I started looking through the groups and all the posts I found it not only interesting and informative, but it really is a great community. There are people like me here. There are people who started where I am and have lost their first 75lbs looking to lose the second 75lbs. There are people who have lost over 100lbs leading the groups. I don't feel alone anymore, and that unrealistic goal of losing over 150lbs doesn't seem so far away.
It's been about two months since I've started this current chapter of my weight loss journey and I'm down almost 40lbs. I know it's going to slow down, it always does. I also know I still have a long way to go. But I am thankful to have found a community that's so supportive and knowledgeable who I can actually relate to. It wasn't what I was expecting. So thanks fellow DietBetters. :)