If you’ve been following this column, you know that lately I’ve been sharing the success stories readers have e-mailed me.
One that impressed me — because I saw a lot of myself in her old habits — was Jennifer’s. She gave me permission to tell her story on the condition I didn’t use her last name because she’s still self-conscious about having gained as much as she did, even though she’s now lost 50 pounds.
Jennifer said she’s 5 feet, 9 inches tall and has always been a large women — or “big-boned” as I like to think of it. She said she was comfortable wearing a 14/16, but when her size 16 pants started getting too tight she knew she had to take action.
“I’ve always struggled with weight but especially the last 20 years since my youngest son was born and I became a stay-at-home mother. It seems like I ate all day long and baked a lot,” she said.
Jennifer said she did a lot of “mindless munching” throughout the day, especially in the late afternoon. Then it would be time to prepare dinner for her family and she’d eat again with them, even when she wasn’t hungry.