Forty is the New Twenty

For my entire adult life I struggled with my weight, even more so after giving birth to my four beautiful children. I lost myself in motherhood, making everyone a priority but myself. I have always been the one to make sure everyone else was always taken care of. I hid from countless photo ops and avoided having my picture taken at all costs. Looking back, I should’ve never done that and wish I could take it back. If you’ve ever struggled with self-confidence and body image, I’m sure you’d understand.

There were times when I was asked how far along I was and wasn’t even pregnant. I loathed shopping for my postpartum body and struggling to find something that fit. I was tired of feeling miserable with my life. I wanted to feel confident in my own skin and love my body for all it had given me. I wanted my kids to see an active and healthy mom. I wanted to be better for myself and for them.

I woke up one morning and decided enough was enough. I was done making excuses for myself and finally ready to make myself a priority. I knew a “fad” diet wasn't going to cut it for me, and turned to WeightWatchers because I knew I needed a significant lifestyle change without eliminating food groups or sacrificing flexibility. I love that the WeightWatchers Points system guides you to eat more nutritious foods without any restrictions. Because of the vast array of “ZeroPoint” foods, I can fill my plate with nutrient-dense foods while still leaving room for treats and indulgences. No food is off limits, but with WeightWatchers, I now understood how to eat meals that taste great and are equally nutritious.

The Points system takes a food’s specific nutritional info and turns it into a single number. When I first began the program, I got a customized nutrition plan and 23 Points to “spend” each day. I was very conscious of hitting that number and using my ZeroPoint foods to add bulk and flavor to meals, without costing Points from my Budget! I love how user-friendly the app is and the barcode scanner makes it simple so that I don’t have to manually enter in foods.

Meal prepping was my saving grace and became something I enjoyed to help stay on track. I loved the flexibility of weekly Points to use on days where there were special events or just as a buffer to include more of my favorite treats. Meal prepping allowed me to have ready-to-go options in my fridge to start my weeks off strong.

When I gave up the “all or nothing” mentality and truly found a healthy balance with food, I felt an improvement with my overall lifestyle. There were days I exceeded my Points and didn’t give up. Instead, and got right back to normal the next day. I remembered it wasn’t about a number on a scale but rather, my relationship with food and being the best version of myself. It was important to refrain from going back to old habits after falling off track for a day or two. WeightWatchers made it so simple to achieve my goals and made me realize that giving up on myself was no longer an option. I had the tools and the mindset to finally do this.

A few months into my journey with WeightWatchers, I started working out and making fitness a bigger priority. I incorporated strength training, walking, and group fitness classes into my routine and it just further enhanced my progress. I loved that on bigger training days, I was allotted more Points to eat so I truly never felt deprived. Oftentimes people will view eating more on workout days as counterproductive, but WeightWatchers sees it as a way to fuel my body for the extra energy output. And who doesn’t love being able to eat a little bit more food?!

For any moms out there reading this who are struggling, I see you. I was in your shoes. The moment that I stopped feeling guilty for investing time in myself made me realize that each step I took to become a healthier and happier mom, made me better for them too. Self care isn’t selfish. You can’t pour from an empty tank. You are amazing and capable of making this step for yourself too. I will forever be grateful to WeightWatchers for providing me with the tools I needed to make this change for myself. It took me just about a year to reach my weight loss goals with WeightWatchers and in just that year, I felt like a brand new person.

I no longer hide in pictures. In fact, I’m the one asking for them to be taken after so many years filled with regret avoiding them. I can enjoy holidays, celebrations, and vacations without guilt. I now hold myself accountable to get back on track and not let it steamroll into weeks and months of avoidance. WeightWatchers gave me the tools to make smart choices when it comes to making decisions with food. I feel better now at almost 40 years old than I did throughout my 20s and 30s. It’s never too late to start your journey. Don’t give up on yourself. You CAN do this. WeightWatchers can be just the tool you need to make this change for yourself too.