From a Size 30 to a size 12 in 2 years! Pam’s Story

Pamela Sanders
St. Louis, Missouri
Age: 51
Height: 5’5”
Inches lost: bust 20; waist 20; hips 19

Biggest obstacle
Fitting workouts into my day. I change into my workout clothes as soon as I get home and hit the gym. Then I come home and sort through the mail, prepare dinner and do household chores.
Weekly exercise program
Weight training circuits: 30-40 minutes/4-5 times a week.
Walking: 60 minutes/5 times a week.
Eating philosophy
I eat three meals and two snacks a day. I enjoy all foods in moderation.
What I learned
Be realistic. Find an exercise program you can stick with, no matter if it?s running a marathon or gardening. Any type of regular exercise is better than none.
Set limits.Avoid fried and processed foods. Instead, focus on eating lean meats, whole grains and lots of fruits and vegetables.
Treats are O.K. I enjoy eating and I love great food. It?s fine to treat myself to a piece of cake or dessert every once in a while.

While growing up, comfort foods were my weakness and almost every recipe was made with at least one stick of butter. As the years passed, I knew I was getting heavier, but didn?t know what to do about it. After I gained the first 50 pounds, I tried losing weight: Every Monday I would try a new diet to shed the pounds, but on Tuesday, I would return to my usual eating habits. By the time I reached my 40s, I was tipping the scale at 300 pounds.

My wake-up call came in 2001, when my husband of 24 years was dying of cancer. His final request of me was to take care of myself. He?d been suffering for months and didn?t want me to go through the same health problems. His loss hit me hard and his words had a tremendous impact on me.

Six months after his death, I took action. This time instead of trying weight-loss pills or shakes, I made small changes because I wanted the results to last for good, not a short-term fix.

I started eating breakfast each morning since it would put me on track to eat healthfully throughout the rest of the day. I was now on my own, so I stocked my freezer with lowfat entrees and bought salads and other fresh produce for healthy meals. I also cooked once a week, usually a big roast, a batch of baked chicken or pork chops, for a week?s worth of dinners and lunches. I also grilled food whenever possible and flavored meals with herbs, nonfat sauces and salsa.

At work, I kept a pair of cross trainers at my desk and walked outside for 30 minutes instead of sitting in the break room. Not only did it get me moving, but it was also a change of scenery and helped the rest of the afternoon fly by quickly. With these changes, I lost 60 pounds in six months. Then almost a year to the date of my husband?s death, I walked by a Curves gym. I was intrigued when I learned they offered strength training workouts just for women and the 30-minute format appealed to me. Over the next year, I lost the last 100 pounds and felt reborn. I still go to Curves, but I also walk for another 30 minutes three times a week in the mornings or during my lunch break.

Even though my husband wasn?t around physically to see how I changed, I know that he was with me in spirit and cheered me on. Now that I?ve gone from a size 30 to a 12 over a two-year period, I?m proof that you don?t need diet pills, surgery or weight-loss gimmicks ? eating right and exercise are the keys.