Weight Loss and The Biggest Loser

Hello! My name is Jennifer and I am a Biggest Loser Addict. There I have said it. All thanks to a friend named Ora, who during the 2nd season, got myself and Wyeth hooked. I remember leaving her house during a commercial and stopping at a McDonald's drive thru for dinner!

And that is how I spent many of those first seasons watching The Biggest Loser. Sitting on the couch and eating, eating and eating. My life was not always that way, though. I was thin, healthy and in shape. However, I am a stress eater. When things become too difficult I eat. And when things are going so well I eat. I was dealing with a stressful period in my life. Suddenly single after almost 18 years of marriage. Having 3 girls to raise and go back to work after years of being a stay at home mom took a toll on me. I ate and ate and was too tired to do anything physical.

The more I watched The Biggest Loser the more I realized I had to something. Both of my grandmother's had gotten adult onset diabetes. I was slowly becoming a candidate for high blood pressure, stroke and even heart attack.

Then I made the most wonderful man, who is now my husband. He loved me for me and did not seem to mind the weight I was carrying. For awhile it was okay. But as the wedding day approached, I was getting nervous. It was hard to find a dress that looked right on me, but I managed to.Yet I still did nothing, Whether it was fear or not really seeing who I was, I still did nothing. My oldest daughter, Tierney, had given me a membership to 24 Hour Fitness for my birthday and I barely used it!

Finally in 2008 I had reached my breaking point. I was at an all night lock in with my youth and I could not keep up. I had trouble staying awake and doing any of the fun games with them. Looking back at pictures from that time, I almost cried. And wondered why no one said anything.

I joined Weight Watchers and started going back to the gym. And for awhile I was making progress. But then I hit another major stressful event in my life. One of my dear little old ladies from church, who was always like a mom to me, was put in the hospital. I had become her caregiver and  was trying to pack up her apartment so that when she was released she could move into assisted living. So between her, my job, my family, church etc my days got longer and longer. I worried more and ate and ate and ate. The lessons I had learned helped a little and I did not gain much back. But it was apparent I needed to do something again. Eventually Lottie went home to be with the Lord and my pastor (my boss) insisted I take Fridays off. So slowly I started getting back in track.

I returned back to Weight Watchers in 2010. Started really taking to heart what I learned. If I did not make it to the gym, I had dvds at home to use. Went on long walks with my husband. Have some great friends at church, Karen and Becky, who are also on Weight Watchers to encourage me. I also started paying more attention to the one on one conversations Bob or Jillian would have with the contestants. I was slowly learning that I had to learn to find other ways to deal with my stress. Food had to become my friend, not my enemy. I am now eating more healthy! Thanks to my friend Patti, I am learning more and more about clean eating and to keep working out.

And as to my Biggest Loser addiction? I am still there. Several of my dvds are Biggest Loser ones. I have a couple Jillian Michaels as well and even own one by her for my Wii. And she yells at me on the Wii when I don't get my push ups right.

Last night as The Biggest Loser was in New Zealand, I saw the glow on some of the ladies faces. How happy they were with who they were becoming and I was thinking I want that to be me! Monday night I reached my 10% weight loss from my starting weight at Weight Watchers. I can now see the changes in me and know now that this is a life style change. I will have to live like this the rest of my life and I am excited! I want to eat better, I  want to work out more.

All in all, I still have about 85 pounds to lose to get where my doctor wants me. But I am up to the challenge. I want to be in the best shape to do my job at church, to keep up with my youth group, not worry about diseases that I can prevent, be fun around my family. And yes, I have a bit of vanity. I want to look good in a bathing suit again.

So as I complete my novel for the day, I just need to remember that life is a journey. I need to be strong and healthy in my relationship with God and I need to have my body strong and healthy in order to live the life He has given me.

My favorite verse ever "I can do all things, through Him (God) who strengthens me" - Philippans 4:13