Michelle lost 110 lbs*
People following the WeightWatchers weight-loss program can expect to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week. Michelle lost weight on a prior program and is continuing on WeightWatchers. Watch Michelle as she prepares for her upcoming nuptials in the video below.
In Michelle’s words:
I’ve been with my fiancé, Chuck, more than seven years. We’ve known each other since I was 15, but we didn’t connect at all romantically until I was in my late 20s. When Chuck and I started dating, I was maybe just a little heavier than I am now. I had always been involved in sports, playing softball and golf, but as I approached my 30s, I stopped being so active and my poor eating habits caught up with me. I proceeded to gain weight, and I started to feel ashamed and embarrassed. I never thought I’d be overweight, and now I was.
Finding love for herself
Learning to love myself
Chuck loved me at every point, though, and he helped me recognize something I think I already knew deep down inside: One day, he said to me, “I love you, but I feel like you don’t like yourself very much.” Hearing him say that made me realize I didn’t. We were already seeing marriage in our future, but I wanted to take care of myself first. If I was going to commit my life to another person, I wanted my health and emotions to be in the best place possible.
A secret start
When I signed up for WW, I didn’t tell a soul. I just worked the plan and enjoyed the results. After I lost 50 pounds, I started noticing the changes that everyone else was seeing; I looked in the mirror and saw a new person. I had always been the shy girl. I was the supporting character to my friends’ leading roles. I spent a lot of time worrying about what people thought of me, and that lack of confidence carried over into my jobs, my friendships, and my relationship. But as I lost weight, I started opening up and blossoming as a person.
Taking the next step
Because I became happier in my own life, I wasn’t so negative, and that helped Chuck and me grow even closer. In August 2017, we were hiking the Continental Divide in Colorado. We do the hike every year (it used to be a struggle for me). We went with our families, but Chuck and I reached the top first, and that’s when he got down on one knee and proposed. I knew it would happen one day, but I didn’t expect it to happen then and there!
How Michelle’s success with WW has improved her life
The journey to the altar
We’re in the midst of wedding planning now, which is exciting. Being at my goal has made all the difference as I prepare for my wedding — it’s so much more fun! Before my weight loss, we might have eloped! But now, I have the confidence to do things my way. When I went wedding dress shopping, I didn’t expect to go super glam. But when none of the traditional wedding dresses spoke to me, I opted for a formal bridesmaid’s dress. My dress hugs my curves and shows off my newfound collarbones. I feel incredible in it.
Planning my kind of wedding
Our wedding will be non-traditional. It’ll take place at a brewery owned by a friend of ours. We’re going to exchange our vows privately, with just our parents and siblings beforehand, and then our friends will come to the brewery to enjoy our favorite foods, like tacos and beer and doughnuts. I’m even crafting the centerpieces for my wedding. My friends and I are going to gather the night before to put together all the flower arrangements to place around the brewery. It’s going to make the big day even more special.
Planning for the future
Right now planning the wedding is a fun adventure, but I know it’ll be over soon — and I’m already looking forward! We’ll be in Seattle for our honeymoon; I’ll be running a 10K race in April; I’m participating in a 60-mile walk for breast cancer in November; Chuck and I want to go to Italy and explore. Life is exciting now and I’ve never been more proud of myself.
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