It’s hard to believe that exactly one year ago I weighed 300 pounds. The adage “you are what you eat” certainly applied to me and my lifestyle. I became fat because I consumed fat
I’ve battled my weight and lack of self esteem all my life. My parents would bribe me in many ways if I would lose weight. Well, I’d lose the weight alright, usually by starving myself on peaches, cottage cheese and melba toast, only to gain it right back because I didn’t (or wouldn’t) focus on why my eating was out of control. Food was my comfort, my best friend. I’ve always been an equal-opportunity eater.
This pattern continued through college until, realizing that I was about to graduate and needed to lose wight to be taken seriously on interviews, I vowed to turn over a new leaf. No more fried foods, no more of my beloved cold beer, just vegetables and rice. It worked, I lost 55 pounds, landed an advertising sales job and managed to keep the weight off for 2 years.
It didn’t last as long as I wanted. I didn’t change my lifestyle. I just changed my foods.
My wake up call came late in 1993. Now I must tell you that I’m bad to hit the snooze alarm in the morning, so this is why I took so long to answer that wake up call. Picture it it’s New Year’s Eve Compton and I started getting ready for a party. I caused us to be an hour late because I ran my last pair of 4X super control top panty hose. Called my fellow fat buddy to borrow something. I squeezed into the dress, didn’t even look in the mirror and dashed off to the party. I make my entrance straight to the food table and run into a high school friend, one I hadn’t seen in 20 years. “John, great to see you” – no flicker of recognition – “It’s Meredith, Meredith Wilson.” A look of disbelief comes over him. He steps back and looks me up and down. Finally he blurts out “What on earth has happened to the pretty girl I knew in school? You look terrible, I’m so sorry you’re unhappy!” Right then and there I made a pact with myself to change! I hit the back door and went immediately to the bathroom. I closed my eyes, and stepped on the scale. 300 pounds. Without a second thought, I got down on my knees and started praying. Asking for forgiveness and discipline and stamina and to quit relying on food to solve my problems. I admitted I was in trouble emotionally, physically and spiritually. I was ready, yes, finally ready to change my life for the better.
First, I was going to stop beating myself up. I was starting my “live-it” plan. I’ve never strayed from my plan yet and with exercise, fat free nutrition, liking myself better each day I lost 150 pounds that to this day I can proudly say I’ve kept off!
Meredith Wilson