“Was it hard?” No, it was a snap, I joke to myself. Of course it was challenging! “How did you do it? Don’t tell me diet and exercise!” This is the general response I get when people see that I’ve lost nearly 200 pounds. People want a magic bullet for weight loss, which makes it difficult for them to see what’s most important. Decide to be healthy, not thin! I didn’t set out to lose weight. My goal was to not drop dead of a heart attack in my thirties. My grandmother has fourteen great-grandchildren! There are things we cannot prevent in life, but we can certainly improve our chances of living to be parents, grandparents and possibly even great-grandparents. At over 400 pounds, deciding to be healthy was quite a declaration to fling upon myself. It wasn’t just about food or exercise, but my entire mentality and lifestyle needed to change. You don’t go from being completely non-active to jogging every day. It’s physically impossible and it’s ridiculous to expect something so drastic from yourself, especially if you are dramatically obese, as I was. But you can make decisions. That first day I also quit smoking! Compared to the twenty-odd year relationship with food that I was trying to salvage, I barely even noticed giving up cigarettes. What I needed most was to get myself moving. I drove to a trail along a lake and began walking. It was tough, and I didn’t get far. The combination of extra weight and several years of smoking made going long distances quite a trial. I walked until I got tired, then I rested, and walked back. The second day was easier, and I walked a bit farther. Gradually, day by day, I walked further and further. You have to learn to walk before you can run. I didn’t stop eating, not at all. In fact, I ate quite a lot at first. What changed was the type of food I was eating. Fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes comprised most of my meals. Other than the occasional non-fat dairy products and fish, I essentially became a vegetarian, completely ditching red meat for good. But the point of all this was to be healthy, and I tried to never lose sight of that. Research into nutrition, such as food, fitness, vitamins, and herbs, is essential for knowing what the human body needs to be healthy. Be determined to be strong, not skinny! After a while walking became a bit dull. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a walking partner at the time, and I was looking for other activities that were low impact and good for cardio exercise and strength building. I found water aerobics. Water aerobics was one of the major keys to maintaining a healthy attitude and not giving up. The classes were fun, upbeat, low impact, and an excellent workout. This type of exercise keeps your heart rate at an optimal level for losing weight and the water creates an excellent source of resistance for muscle building. After about a month of attending regular water aerobics classes I found myself on the side of the road with a flat tire. I grabbed the jack and tire iron out of the trunk and cranked those bolts right off! A friend who was with me couldn’t move them a single millimeter! I attributed it to my water aerobics at the time, and I still do. Gradually other people noticed me losing weight before I did. Scales only go up so high in most places. In fact, when I asked a doctor once if she could weigh me she suggested I go to a hospital to be weighed in a sling! There was a scale at the gym that went up to 350, but that was the maximum. A few times when no one was around I got on the scale just to check, but I exceeded the maximum capacity of the scale. Then one day, there it was, 349! I suppose most people would be horrified to get on a scale and read 349, but I was elated to have my weight register at all. More importantly I felt healthier and more confident. This new inner strength gave me the courage to try new things. I started going to the gym regularly and also taking a kickboxing and self-defense class. Kickboxing turned out to be one of my best sources for building my confidence, boosting my morale, and establishing a positive self image. It never ends though. You don’t get to be over 400 pounds by having a healthy relationship with food or fitness. It’s something that needs to be built, nourished and regulated, and it’s not easy. I’m still overweight, and perhaps I’ll never be what is considered as “thin” or even “normal.” Well, that’s okay with me. I feel healthy and strong, and I’m content to be a work in progress.