Taking Control

After 40 weeks on Nutrisystem, I have lost 77lbs. Saying it out loud kind of brings a tone of unreality- like how was this possible? How could I have lost so much weight without getting frustrated and wanting to quit? And how the heck was I so overweight in the first place that I could lose 77lbs and still have more to go (although that number is getting smaller and smaller!).

That brings me to something I've been thinking about lately. My life and my health were completely out of control and I felt helpless to change the situation. I hated my body and how I looked but I still could not make a change on my own. I had reached the point where I felt that I was so overweight that it didn't even matter anymore- I couldn't possibly lose so much weight so why even bother trying? I had given up on myself.

Then a friend of mine invited me to do a 6 week weight loss challenge with her. I said OK, figuring maybe this would give me the motivation to change things. After the first week, not only had I not lost a single pound, but nothing had changed. I wasn't exercising, my eating habits weren't improving, and I felt even more helpless to change things. With a three month old baby around, I was still having trouble finding time to sleep and go to the bathroom, let alone prepare healthy meals!

I was sitting on my couch watching TV and just thinking about how I let myself get into this situation. Then an ad for Nutrisystem came on and I thought that this might be my solution- it certainly couldn't make things any worse than they were! Having healthy meals prepackaged and ready to eat would eliminate my time crunch problem and spending the money would motivate me actually to follow the program. Their money back guarantee also felt like a fail-safe in case the food really was as bad as some online reviews say it is!

So I worked up my courage and told my husband that I didn't think I could do it alone this time and I needed some help. He was so supportive right from the beginning and told me not to worry about the money and that we were investing in my health. So I did it- I ordered my first box of food and started this journey that has changed my life (and I won the challenge, by the way, even with that one week zero loss!).

When I posted on the Nutrisystem Facebook board that Nutrisystem saved my life, it was only partially true. Nutrisystem gave me the tools that I needed to lose the weight, but I was the one who took them and used them. I have regained control over my life- I'm no longer the helpless bystander who just allows things to happen to her. I make the decisions about things that affect me, and I'm damn proud that I made this one.

We all have it in us to be strong and capable- the person that we want to be. Sometimes we just need a little help to realize it!