I tried Weight Watchers when I was 29 and lost about 30 pounds, but I fell off the wagon when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She's OK now, but it was a yearlong, stress-filled nightmare. Around then, the scale hit 305, and my doctor had to increase my medication. That helped for a few years, but as my weight continued to climb, my blood pressure did too.
Wake-up call
By the time I was 36, I weighed 324 pounds and was taking the top dosage of two different blood pressure medications. That same year, my dad had a massive heart attack. He survived, thank God, but a few months later, I found myself in the hospital. I'd gone in for a checkup, and my blood pressure was sky-high. We're talking you-could-have-a-stroke-any-minute high: 150/110. My doctor sent me to the hospital for an echocardiogram. I looked around the cardiac unit, and everyone waiting to be seen was obese—me included. At that point I realized that if I didn't lose weight soon, I'd end up with a heart attack, just like my father—or worse.
I'll never forget lying there in the cold hospital room with all these wires attached to my chest. I really thought I was going to die. I'm a spiritual person, so I started praying. Lord, please change my palate so that I stop craving unhealthy foods. Help me change so that I can live a long, healthy life.
More from Prevention: The 25 Healthiest Foods For Your Heart
Starting from scratch
The next day, I got rid of all the junk food I had in the house. Cookies, chips, bagels, Hawaiian Punch—everything. Then I thought, Now what? I said a prayer asking for guidance, and then I sat down at the computer and started Googling things like "what to eat for weight loss." I kept reading about fiber. I learned that it's something in plant-based foods that can help me feel fuller longer, so I went to the store and bought high-fiber foods like vegetables, fruit, and beans and started incorporating them into my diet. Over the next few months, I read as much as I could about nutrition. I started looking at food labels, especially calories and servings, and became more aware of what I was purchasing. I also made a pact with myself to stop the fast food. From that point on, I let myself have fast food only on Fridays. By the time my doctor saw me again, I'd dropped 12 pounds, and my pressure had gone down some. My doctor was optimistic and encouraged me to keep going.
Moving ahead
Around that time, I saw a Leslie Sansone Walk at Home DVD at Target. I thought, I'm walking in the store, so why can't I walk at home too? Every night when I'd get home from work, I'd pop in the DVD and start marching. When I felt like quitting, I'd repeat the scripture "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Some days my body hurt so bad that I'd go into the ladies' room at work and cry. (Burn calories and build muscle—all while boosting your mood—with our 21-Day Walk a Little, Lose a Lot Challenge!)
Within 10 months, I'd dropped about 50 pounds, and my size-26 pants were falling off me. While I continued to take both pills, my blood pressure entered the normal range when I hit the 70-pound mark. By the end of 2010, I was down 100 pounds and fitting into a size 14.
Happy and healthy—for life
I worked my butt off to lose each and every pound, but it was worth it. Today I weigh 175, and my pressure is at a normal level with just a low dose of a single blood pressure medication. I hope and pray that one day I can get off it for good, and I'm going to do everything I can to get there. My new goal: fitting into a bikini!
More from Prevention: 14 Walking Workouts To Burn Fat
