I was never really heavy as a little girl, but I knew I could stand to lose a few pounds. My dad was an athlete when he was younger, and he got me to try out for track and field in the 8th grade and I really got hooked after that. I was slightly bigger than the other girls, suited to some events better than others. My best event was the shotput. I kept up with it, and I went from a weight of 145 down to 126 pounds, and I was able to keep it off all through high school.

When I got to University, I was in trouble. I gave up the sports because I was in a program that involved a lot of work, and I didn't have time to be on sports teams. My diet suffered from all the studying and trying to save money. I went from 130 pounds up to 180. By the time I graduated school, I had ballooned up to 240 pounds. That's when I realized that I had a problem. I no longer had school to deal with, and I had time to really look at myself - I didn't like what I saw. I decided then to spend more time on me. I started by cutting out the junk food and doing a little walking. All on my own, I lost 20 pounds in 2 months. I was excited, but the weight loss dropped off, I hit a plateau.

I decided to go on a diet called Nutrisystem because I still had a huge appetite and I was still eating more food than I needed. In just the first 3 months on phen, I lost 35 pounds. I also kicked up the exercise routine. I began playing tennis with friends whenever I could, maybe 2 or 3 or 4 times a week. The tennis really made a big difference, because it's such a physical sport and involves so much exertion. After 6 weeks of playing tennis, I had already lost another 10 pounds. Now down to 175, I am very close to my goal weight of 160, and I know I can do it and more.

Nutrisystem was definitely a key element in my success. It wasn't the answer, but a tool that helped me get a start in sticking to a healthier regimen. I had been heavy for so long that I needed the boost. I hope that in the next 2 months I can reach my goal. If I can do that, then I plan to keep going and possibly even reach the 140s or 130s, or maybe 120s even.