Betting on Success

Sherry lost weight on a prior Weight Watchers program and on the PointsPlus® program.

As a young online casino host, Sherry was no stranger to the Internet. Between her computer and her iPhone, she got to goal.

The backstory

When I was younger I was always a little chubby. When you're young, it's considered cute! But as I grew up the baby weight never went away.

Shopping was never very fun for me. I'd try things on and they just wouldn’t look right. Many times I found myself crying in the fitting room. I’d make excuses to avoid going to concerts and soccer games because I didn’t want people judging how I looked.

There are four of us that are best friends. Of course three of them are skinny minnies and I was the bigger one. We’d go out to bars and they’d get hit on. I was just the "other one" that was there. The little punch line. Once my friends started getting married and I was a bridesmaid, I still felt like the ugly friend.

Breaking bad habits

When I got to college, I found myself drinking and eating out more often. I was in a long-term relationship and we'd go out to eat and order appetizers, entrees and desserts every time. I joke that my boyfriend — now fiancé — contributed to my weight gain. I think I put on about 25 pounds after we got together. I also have the biggest sweet tooth. Ice cream, chocolate, candy — anything.

I didn't want to go wedding dress shopping and not feel pretty. Other than your wedding, that's the one day you want people falling all over you and telling you how great you look. I was ready to make a change so I could feel good about myself.

In control

I needed guidance and didn't know where to start. So I did some research and Weight Watchers Online just made sense to me. I'm kind of a control freak so it was great to be able to measure things out and see exactly what the portion size should be and just incorporate that into my day-to-day routine. And it's so easy to follow the plan online since I work from home. I just walk into the bathroom, step on that scale, and go back to my laptop to log my weight.

Getting to goal

The iPhone was a big help for me — especially when I went grocery shopping. Before, I'd just throw things into the cart without thinking. Now I check my phone to see the PointsPlus® values. It's so easy and so empowering to have that knowledge and control over what I'm eating.

I love the Community section on WeightWatchers.com. Five friends and I started a Community group where we share recipes and successes. It's now grown to about 100 people! We're very active and still post our weekly weigh-ins.

I got to goal exactly one year after subscribing to Weight Watchers Online. It was the most amazing feeling. There were definitely tears of happiness.

Food fixes

No matter what kind of food you like, you can find it on Weight Watchers Online, either recipes or just the PointsPlus values. For Thanksgiving I made Weight Watchers pumpkin pie. At Christmas I made Weight Watchers fudge that I took home. My mom had a bunch of friends e-mailing her asking for the recipe. I don't think people realize that food can taste good and still be healthy. Of course, I'm also eating a lot more fruits and veggies now that I'm on Plan. My favorite is strawberries and fat-free whipped cream. It has a zero PointsPlus value and still feels like a treat for my sweet tooth.

The part time job

I also work part-time in a clothing store. Sometime I'll make suggestions for clients and they look at me and say, "But you're so tiny! I could never wear that." To hear that is just shocking. I still sometimes see myself as a size 16 instead of a size 2.

The best parts

Having that much extra weight stops you from living your life. Before, I was hiding at home. I didn't want to go out with my friends. Now my world is so different.

Now it's just so much more fun to go out now. I'm getting hit on at bars — which I politely decline because I'm engaged. But it's a new thing for me: people looking at me and liking what they see.

I'm so excited for my wedding. My dress is so much prettier than it would have been 61 pounds* ago. And now I'm not scared to wear a bikini on the beach on our honeymoon. I'm not scared to be active. The sky's the limit!

The smile you see now is a lot more genuine than it used to be. Before, it was very on-the-surface. When you're heavy it's not just a physical thing, it's also a mental and emotional thing. I hid behind that. The smile you see now is a genuine smile. I've never been this happy in my entire life.