*People following the WeightWatchers weight-loss programme can expect to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week. Charlotte lost weight on a prior programme and is continuing on myWW™.
When I was 23 years old, I didn’t have a stable living situation. While I worked part-time jobs here and there, money was so tight that I hopped from one friend’s sofa to another’s. On most days, I ate cheap fast food even though I knew it wasn’t healthy. Eventually, I started wearing yoga pants daily because I felt so uncomfortable wearing anything with a button.
As my body grew less recognisable, it became hard for me to look at myself in the mirror. By the winter of 2011, I realised I had a choice: I could either continue to be miserable or start taking control of my life. I picked the latter and walked into my first WW Workshop that December.
Ignoring the haters
Because I’d been successful on WW before, I was steadfast in my decision to join, even though I sometimes had to borrow money from a friend, and a few times, from my WW Coach to cover my weekly fees. WW felt like the best investment I could make.
Since the only kitchen appliances I had in the room I was renting at the time were a microwave and small fridge, and I had to wash my dishes in the bathroom sink, I ate the healthiest fast-food options I could find, like side salads and grilled chicken.
During my first few months on the programme, I was tied to the scale. If I didn’t lose weight one week, I’d get really disappointed. But once I started trusting the programme, I was so much more successful. I stopped focusing on the number and more on the habits I was building.
Gaining solid ground
At the beginning of 2012, I landed a full-time job in a client support role at a call-tracking company. Having a routine, I realised, gave me just as much comfort as a regular paycheck. I felt secure for the first time in over a year.
Eventually, I saved enough to rent my own apartment—a place to call my own. Having kept up my newfound healthy lifestyle made me feel like all my hard work was paying off.
What Charlotte ate then vs. now
| Then | Now | |
|---|---|---|
Breakfast | Fast-food breakfast burrito or breakfast sandwich | Greek yogurt with berries; eggs; or a homemade breakfast burrito with eggs, veggies, and reduced-fat cheese on a light tortilla |
Lunch | Fast-food Mexican food or cheeseburgers from the freezer section | Salad with corn, beans, grilled chicken, veggies, and balsamic vinaigrette; or a turkey sandwich with onions, tomato, and aioli |
Dinner | Free food from the restaurant where I worked; or food court pretzel bites with a milkshake | Spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles with chicken and a light alfredo sauce; lentils with bruschetta and feta or goat cheese; or breakfast for dinner like banana pancakes with sugar-free syrup |
Snacks | Crisps and sweets | Still crisps, but regular packet; veggies with a light sour cream dip; or string cheese |
Dealing with the highs and the lows
For years, WW Workshops have been the one constant in my life, a place where I could always be myself and feel accepted, even when my life began to unravel in the summer of 2018 when my father was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. Although I stepped back from my job to be his full-time caregiver, he passed away eight months later.
I was worried that my pain would bring me back to a dark place. At first, I leaned on stuffing my face with fast food and ice cream to make things better and gained about 10lb back.
When I went back to my Workshop a few weeks after he passed, the members welcomed me with open arms and ears as I shared what I’d been through. I felt like I was a part of something that's bigger than myself.
The support helped me remember that WW had taught me a different way to eat and coping skills to process my emotions. The support I got from my Workshop equipped me to handle stress and setbacks and move forward. I was able to get right back on track.
RELATED: The importance of self-compassion
Bouncing back
When myWW™ came along several months after my father passed away, I welcomed the change. I needed to recommit to my healthy lifestyle so I could honour my father and continue to take care of myself.
I loved that I had a choice when it came to myWW. After surveying my options, I decided to go with Blue. After all, I’m a big Mexican food fan and loved that corn, chicken, and beans were all ZeroPoint™ foods on Blue. Now, I’ll add in eggs, another ZeroPoint food to make my favourite breakfast burrito.
I love that there’s variety and I have options when it comes to how I want to eat: Over the years, it’s what’s helped me maintain my 3st 13lb* weight loss. The programme hasn’t just become a part of how I eat; it’s part of who I am.
Confidence all around
My success on WW has spilled into other parts of my life: Since joining, I’ve earned my bachelor’s degree in organisational leadership, and landed a career in human resources. But more importantly, I’ve been able to build up my self-esteem.
Now, I make a conscious effort to switch the negative talk to positive. I give myself credit for all that I've accomplished: I’ve moved into a place of my own, become more comfortable wearing jeans and fitted clothes, and finally love what I see when I look in the mirror.
Explore more WW member transformations here.