Betting on Myself: How I Lost 70 Pounds and Gained a New Life

I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. My weight had reached an all-time high of 244 pounds earlier in 2024, and I felt trapped in my own body. I couldn’t keep up with my grandchildren, and I dreaded seeing myself in family photos. I was ashamed, exhausted, and constantly putting my happiness on hold – waiting for ‘one day’ to make a change.
Then, one day, I saw a commercial for HealthyWage. The idea was simple: bet on yourself. And I thought, Who better to bet on than me?

That moment changed everything. Instead of waiting for ‘one day’ to come around, I decided to make this my ‘day one’. It was that day I committed and registered myself for the HealthyWage challenge to lose 70lbs in 7 months. The challenge was to go from 233 (that ended up being my start weight), to 163 (I finished the challenge at 161.8lbs).

Breaking Free from the Yo-Yo Cycle

I had tried, and failed so many times before. Fad diets, quick fixes, and extreme programs gave me temporary results, but I always found myself back at square one. I had lost the same 80 pounds three times, only to gain it all back. Each time feeling a little more defeated at the failure I was proving myself to be.

This time, I knew I had to do something different. No gimmicks. No shortcuts. Just a commitment to myself, my health, and my future.

I focused on whole, unprocessed foods - if it was altered in any way, I didn’t eat it. That was extremely difficult to stick to over the Christmas holidays, but I’m proud to say that I DID IT!!! I incorporated intermittent fasting, adjusting my schedule as I learned what worked best for my body. The benefits were beyond anything I could have imagined - not just for my weight, but also for my energy, clarity, and overall well-being.

Every day, I went for a walk in nature, not just for exercise but to express my gratitude. I used that time to give thanks for my blessings; I truly am blessed beyond what I felt I deserved, and to talk to my future self - the woman I was becoming. I visualized her strength, her confidence, and her joy. And I promised myself I wouldn’t let her down. My walks started out as 5km, then eventually as I got stronger, I extended them to 8km with weights around my ankles and wrists.

I also did a 45-minute workout daily that incorporated weight-lifting, (who knew how great weight-lifting could be), and some cardio on a bike and elliptical machine. I made the commitment to work out every day, and could count the number of days I missed over the 7 months on one hand.
I fell in love with the app HealthyWage supplies! It gave me the motivation I needed to see that I was ‘on track’ towards my goals. As I reflect back, I think that seeing my progress was a big factor in being able to keep myself consistent with my exercise and eating clean.

The Hardest Part Wasn’t Losing the Weight - It Was Learning to Love Myself

This journey was not easy. There were days I cried while working out, days I doubted myself, and moments I questioned if I was even capable of change. But I kept showing up. Every. Single. Day.
And through the struggle, I discovered something even more valuable than weight loss - I discovered self-love.
I used to think self-love was about feeling good in my skin and looking good in pictures. But I realized it’s so much more than that.
Self-love is discipline.
It’s making choices that serve your future, not just your present cravings.

It’s pushing through discomfort because you deserve better.
It’s showing up for yourself - because when you do, you have more to give to the ones you love.

A New Beginning

Now, 70 pounds lighter, I don’t just feel better - I am better. I have energy. I have confidence. And most importantly, I have me. I still have the final 13lbs to go to reach my ultimate goal of 150lbs, but I am so very confident that I will reach that goal because of the habits I was able to create for myself that will serve me for the rest of my life.

I'm so grateful I stumbled across a commercial while I was eating ice cream watching Netflix that triggered the ‘Wonder Woman’ inside of me to bet on myself!!!

HealthyWage is the tool that changed my mindset, and therefore changed my life! I can't wait to see what the future brings. I'm pretty excited that I actually registered myself and my 2 boys to compete in the Tough Mudder challenge this September...who would have thought that a 55-year-old mother of 6, and grandmother of 5 could pick herself up from the ashes and find a way to Soar!!!

Thank You HealthyWage

If you’re struggling, if you feel stuck, if you think it’s too late - please know this: you are worth betting on.

Stop waiting for one day! Make this your day one. Your future self is waiting for you, and she’ll be glad you did!