Summer L. Dubuque, IA
Occupation
Administrative assistant
Height:
5 ft. 3 in.
Starting Weight:
271 lbs.
Lowest Weight:
136 lbs.
Current Weight:
140 lbs.
Began weight loss program:
May 2002
Length at current weight:
3 years
Weight and Me

I was overweight for nearly my entire life. I graduated from high school at 180 pounds in 1995, worked in fast food for a few years, which brought me to 220 pounds, then took a desk job where I rapidly hit my high weight of 271 pounds. My mother was also heavy and a word was never said about my weight, nor was there ever a concern that it was out of control. We were "fat and happy," so-to-speak.
The Last Straw

When I turned 25 in May of 2002, something snapped in my head; I wanted to go roller skating. I wanted to go jogging. I wanted more than just sitting at a computer and I wanted to be able to meet people and live life. I saw a special on TV about the dangers of ephedra and the simplicity of a healthy diet and exercise, and thought, maybe I could do this.
How I Did It

The first thing I did was started taking walks. It took me a month to work beyond a half hour, but over the course of a few months I was walking four miles nearly every evening after work and occasionally walked the three miles to and from work. I didn't know the first thing about food, so I started with just cutting out what I knew wasn't lean: cheese, heavy sauces, chips, desserts, and fast food. I did a lot of research on the Internet and eventually began tracking my calories and fat grams, as well as learning more about exercise options. Along the way I tried some supplements here and there, but found they mostly just made me anxious. I bought an exercise bike for rainy days and very slowly worked my way from pedaling for five difficult minutes up to an hour. In the fall I knew the Iowa winter would hurt my routine, so I joined a women's exercise facility. They weighed and measured me and I was already down 40 lbs. With three options for exercising and strict planning of weekly meals, I had enough flexibility to stay on course without getting bored.
The Key To Success

The biggest key for me to staying successful was scheduling and discipline. I blocked out time for exercise that was non-negotiable and planned around it. I created a menu at the beginning of every week and only ate what was on the list. However, there's another secret that probably worked better than all of the above: Saturdays were my cheat day and I could eat whatever I was craving all week--in moderate portions, of course. I would go out with friends without being the annoying calorie-counting party-pooper.
Derailers and Strategies

After getting married, it's sometimes hard to keep a routine when there's another person involved. I moved to Minneapolis, and the variety of restaurants and foods available are overwhelmingly tempting. And while it's fun to indulge and it's nice to take some down time to spend with my husband, when I feel my clothes aren't fitting quite as well as they should my head snaps back into discipline. I vowed from day one not to yo-yo, and the slightest hint is a loud wake-up call.
When I Slip...

It's hard to get on the scale and see that a few pounds have creeped back. It's very disheartening but it does happen from time to time, especially after holidays. I can only do one thing: get back into routine. I try to make this as pleasant as possible by researching the latest healthy food products and finding new recipes, as well as purchasing new fitness equipment or DVDs to give me more variety.
When I Soar...

The greatest moment was when my younger sister--who has never had a weight problem--gave me some of her clothes. I couldn't believe that we wore the same size after an entire childhood of stark difference. And then I went roller skating!

"Summer didn't fall"

-=Mike