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When she started: Mary Ellen Watkins started in July 2021, and she is still working toward her final goal.
Age: 65
Height: 5 feet 3 inches
Pounds lost: 64
Personal life: “I am married to my husband of 41 years. I have two sons, a daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. I was a stay-at-home mom. Before that, I worked for about three years after college. You could say I’m retired now,” said Watkins who lives in Kennesaw.
The lifestyle change: “I started on July 7, 2021. I knew I was going to have knee replacement surgery in the near future, and I wanted to lose some weight before having that done,” Watkins said. “I have read this Success Story column for years.” She contacted Jacynta Harb, a wellness coach with Sparkle Wellness (sparkleanewyou.com). “I just had a lot to lose,” Watkins said. “I was very focused on the knee replacement coming up.” She met Jacynta many years before and “knew her program was a really good way to get healthy.”
Change in eating habits: “I guess one of the biggest, not that I ate fast food all the time, but now I don’t eat fast food or processed foods. ... I eliminated a lot of unhealthy snacking,” Watkins said. “One of my big weaknesses is peanut M&Ms; I love doughnuts and chips. My bedtime snack used to be a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios — I cut that out. Now I eat Greek yogurt and fresh fruit for a snack.”
Mary Ellen’s steps to making a change:
1. “Tracking my food.”
2. “Intentional grocery shopping — not buying things that aren’t good for me.”
3. “Planning meals and getting healthy recipes and cookbooks.”
Exercise routine: “Before my knee surgery, I couldn’t exercise at all. My knee was so stiff, I couldn’t bend it to ride the stationary bike,” Watkins said. “After surgery, I had to do a lot of physical therapy. I started to ride the stationary bike and now added strength training. I still don’t exercise as much as I need to, but I have improved so much.”
Biggest challenge: “Being around my friends in social situations with food,” Watkins said. “It has gotten easier.” She said she focuses on how these gatherings are about the experience, not the food. “I try to keep that in mind,” Watkins said.
The struggle: “One of the struggles was the knee surgery. It was a very stressful time. I think it’s one of the things I’m proudest of — I was able to stick with my program through that,” Watkins said. “My husband has been terribly supportive. He cooks ... and when I was recovering, he did all the grocery shopping.”
Turning troubles into triumphs: “The social situations. ... Sometimes I bring my own food, that’s a better option,” Watkins said.
Mary Ellen’s top tips:
1. “Tracking the food that you eat — all of it, which means every little bite.”
2. “Choose a healthy, smart way of eating. I’m not going to name anything in particular — find what works for you.”
3. “Get some kind of support group. Mine was my husband, Jacynta and the ladies at Sparkle.
How her life has changed? “Used to, if I was able to make it to Costco, I was almost crawling to the car when I finished. The next day, I was too stiff and hurt too much to barely move,” Watkins said. “... I can shop now for two to three hours. ... I like taking selfies now. My husband and my friends tell me I look so happy all the time. I lost 32 pounds before the surgery, and I’ve lost 32 since then. I thought I was going to have to have my other knee replaced, but it doesn’t bother me very much now.”
Seeking readers’ stories of lifestyle changes: We’re looking for stories about changing health habits. While The Atlanta Journal-Constitution does not endorse any specific programs, we include names and links for the benefit of readers who want further information. If you would like to share your story of a lifestyle change, please contact reporter Michelle C. Brooks and include your email address, phone number, and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG). You can email her directly at: ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
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