She Stopped Dieting and Dropped Pounds

Strike the word diet from the dictionary— diets don’t work!

I’ve fought the battle of the bulge since second grade. You name it; I’ve tried it—weight-loss centers, packaged meals, diet drinks, fasting. Each diet brought a glimmer of hope—a promise of quick, easy weight loss. They all worked for a while, but soon I slipped back into my old ways and the pounds bounced back, bringing with them even more unwelcome inches.

Shortly after graduating from college, I hit rock bottom. I weighed more than ever before—I could barely get into a size 16.1 couldn’t stand to look in the mirror. I hated myself. I was desperate. I knew I had to do something to turn my life around. I ended an unhappy relationship, started a new job, and decided to do something about my weight for good. Since dieting had failed me so often, I sought a new strategy: I joined a gym.Believe me, at my weight, going to a gym wasn’t easy. At first I couldn’t do much, but I persevered and gradually it got better. The weight started to melt away. Now I go to the gym five days a week. I’m addicted.

When I got serious about exercising, the pieces of my life feel into place. I started eating better, having less fat and more vegetables. Now if I eat a fast-food hamburger, I get sick to my stomach. I eat vegetables galore. I’ve found that small changes add up, like cutting out cheese and mayo on sandwiches and eating two slices of pizza instead of five.

Weight loss, like life, is all about choices. If I choose to have a cookie as a snack, then I decide to eat a little lighter that evening. If I opt not to go to the gym, then I resolve to eat a little lighter than day. If I do have a heavy eating day, I tell myself, “Relax, that’s only I out of 365 days in the years.”

Seventy pounds lighter, I have tons more energy and I feel great. I will never diet again. Shake off all those inhibiting diet ideas—empower yourself and stop dieting.

Cindy Guyette, A travel agent in Framingham, Massachusetts, jumped off the diet roller coaster two years ago, hit the ground running with a new exercise plan, and took off 70 pounds.