Juggling a career, a 1-year-old baby and being a newly single parent is a lot for anyone, but that didn’t stop Monica from taking on our weight loss challenge. Her biggest diet difficulty? Temptations at work. “Staying dedicated to eating right is most difficult at work, where there is constantly free pizza and people asking if you want to order delicious take out,” said Monica, who also struggles with portion control. “I love food, so it’s hard for me to limit myself if I’m really enjoying it.”
We paired Monica with Weight Watchers, which had her thinking about her daily food choices and tallying up points for everything she ate everyday. First up was reassessing her grocery list. “I need way more healthy snacks like yogurt, nuts, fruits and veggies around the house,” she said, adding that making her own lunch was the best way to eating healthy during the week, but it meant more work for her. “Sometimes eating healthy really feels like a full-time job. All the planning, shopping, cooking and finding something to pack up for lunch [is not easy].”
Healthy-eating obstacles she faced throughout the program included a night out at a comedy club, tailgating at a Rutgers game, her daughter’s first birthday party and holidays like Halloween. Monica continually planned ahead for these events, saving her Weight Watchers’ points for those special occasions, and doing her best to eat healthy in the days leading up to those events.
Though Monica didn’t work out much during the program, she did stay active by taking tennis lessons, doing yoga when time allowed and, of course, chasing after a toddler. Loosening jeans and praise from friends and family were the icing on her nine-pound weight loss cake at the end of the challenge. Her advice to others looking to drop the weight? “Make sure you’re getting some exercise in, this will help your energy levels. I know when I’m low on energy, I look towards sugar or comfort food to give me a boost.”
See how the other Baby Weight participants did on their journey.
