I’m Mari Sierra (@cake_2_5k), 29, of Grand Rapids, Michigan. I work in finance for a food service company. A personal loss put me in a depression—so I turned to WW to find my groove again and lost 90 pounds in the process.
I had struggled with my weight my entire life. My earliest memory of being aware of my weight when I was about 6, when my pediatrician advised my mom to incorporate diet and exercise into my daily routine. It was the first time I remember feeling sadness about my weight.
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Throughout my teen and early adult years I was overweight, but I became my highest weight after suffering an early miscarriage.
It was my second pregnancy and my husband and I were over the moon about welcoming a second child. After we learned the pregnancy wouldn’t continue, I became depressed and gained about 30 pounds. Later, we became pregnant again and had our son—and we were overjoyed. Three months after he was born in September 2017, I decided I needed to make a change for myself and for my children that I felt so lucky to have.
I was scrolling through Instagram and I saw a video of a mom running next to her daughter on a bike. I remember thinking that I could never do that—but I wanted to. I wanted to be able to keep up with both of my children.
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That day, I joined WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers).
I’m on the Team Blue plan. WW has really worked for me because no foods were restricted and it helped me learn balance.
Before WW, I had tried keto-style diets and was successful for a short period of time. I would lose 15 to 20 pounds but I wasn’t able to maintain the lifestyle because I felt deprived. I love cake and potatoes, and I wasn’t able to find a way to live on keto and still incorporate those things into my diet. WW allows me to still eat what I love.
This is what I typically eat in a day now:
- Breakfast: Egg muffin cups are easy to make and change up the flavors so you won’t get bored. I make mine in the air fryer.
- Lunch: Zero point WW chili is amazing for cold weather. I like to serve it with some Good Thin corn crackers.
- Snacks: Thin pretzel chips with a spreadable cheese wedge.
- Dinner: Tostada de tinga. They are a flat hard tortilla shell topped with shredded chicken in a chipotle sauce. I usually garnish my tostadas with fat-free greek yogurt as a sour cream substitute, shredded lettuce, and cheese.
- Dessert: Eat Me Guilt Free protein brownies. They are tasty brownies with the benefits of a protein bar.
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I started working out three months into my journey with WW. I was so motivated by the imagery of running next to my daughter that I made my 2018 resolution to run a 5k.
In December 2017, I started training with the Couch to 5k app. I had not been active at all; I couldn’t even run for one minute. To not overwhelm myself, my first fitness goal was to make it to the gym to run one time a week. I gradually added more days. Eventually, I would run three to four times a week on a treadmill following the app program. I ran and completed my first 5k in May 2018.
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After I accomplished my goal of running a 5k, I wanted to explore other types of exercise and I started doing boot camp style classes. The classes are generally 45 minutes long and are a mix of cardio and strength training. I enjoy this style of exercise now because I love seeing myself develop strength and tone my body. I try to workout at least twice a week these days.
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I have lost 90 pounds, and it took me about a year and three months. And I have maintained my weight loss for over a year.
My biggest tips for success? First off, make small attainable goals. For example, another one of my very first goals was simply to bring lunch to work every day for one work week. Then, when I accomplished that, I’d set another small goal.
Second, plan ahead as much as you can. Having a plan helps to stick to your goals. Especially when you have social events, create a plan to help you stay on track and enjoy the moment.
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I wish I would have known how accomplishing my weight loss goals would empower me to improve other areas of my life.
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I am more confident. I value myself more. I prioritize myself and my health. I am taking more chances on myself and I know that I can accomplish anything.
I want other women to use my story as an example to see that it truly can be done. When my weight-loss journey began, I never in a million years thought I was capable of losing 90 pounds. I am no superwoman. Any woman can decide to make a change and be successful. I’m rooting for all of those women out there.
My weight loss has changed my life in so many ways, but what I am most proud of is that I get to set a good example for my daughter. It feels amazing that I get to help her learn that taking care of our bodies is so important. Mostly, I am happy I get to run around with both of my kids…and that *they* get tired first.
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