Hasta La Vista, Pasta!

My Story
Growing up with an Italian mother, food always meant love in my family. And boy, did my mom love me. We had big pasta dinners all the time. I had struggled with my weight throughout high school and college, and by the time I was 27 years old, I was 220 pounds (at 5’3’’).

I tried making my own diet and weight loss plan, but I would only lose 10 or 20 pounds and then end up gaining it back. In 2001, I finally joined Weight Watchers online, which taught me portion control. I didn’t realize the amount I had been eating was several portion sizes. I started measuring and weighing all of my food: two ounces for pasta, one cup for cereal. Soon I was down to 160 pounds and I was feeling great. A typical day consists of oatmeal or cereal for breakfast, a banana at 10 a.m., a Lean Cuisine and an apple for lunch, then a Laughing Cow cheese with melba toast for an after-work snack and a Lean Cuisine or chicken with veggies for dinner.

But by 2006, I stopped being precise and measuring my food and I started gaining weight back. I decided to stick with measuring out my portion sizes again and I started lifting weights three times a week using a DVD called The Firm, or moves I got from “Strong Women Stay Slim,” as well as walking for 30 minutes every day at lunch, and running 25 miles a week.

The weight started dropping off again. By June 2007, I was down to 132 pounds. The next month, I ran a 5K and got my best time ever. It’s very gratifying to know I can run five or 10 miles. My tip for people who want to lose weight is to find an exercise that you like.

One of the hardest parts about changing my lifestyle was not being able to eat whatever I want all the time. I love French fries—I could eat them every day. My other favorite foods were greasy steak subs, chocolate and fried wontons. But I realized if I eat whatever I want, in the portion size that I want all the time, I’ll be 200 pounds. It’s not worth it. If I feel deprived, I always tell myself, “You are going to have a chance to eat this again--just not right now.” It helps. My tastes have also changed. I used to dislike fruit, now I crave it. Some of my old favorite greasy foods now taste too greasy for me.

I have stopped going out to eat as much, but if I have to grab lunch out, then I’ll go to Subway or Quiznos for a low-fat sandwich. Once a week, I go to my mother’s for a huge pasta dinner, but I eat healthy the rest of the week, so I don’t mind the splurge.

 Now I can go shopping with my sister and go to all the same stores she does and buy a size 8. I have so much more energy now, too. I used to take a two-hour nap a day every weekend, but now I have way too much energy to nap and I’m a lot happier overall.

Frances is a member of the National Weight Control Registry. If you've lost at least 30 pounds and have kept it off for at least a year, you are eligible to join. Visit www.nwcr.ws for more information.

Editor's note: Do you have a weight-loss success story of your own? If you've lost weight or are in the process of losing weight, email editor.neversaydiet@nbcuni.com with "Weight-Loss Success Story" in the subject line and tell us your story. You may be featured on NeverSayDiet.com!