These pairs lost pounds and got fit with each other
By: Emily G.W. Chau and Mary Squillace
Behind every great weight loss success story, there’s a strong support network. And what better person could provide that accountability and encouragement than someone from your own family? In honor of Mother’s Day, we talked to women who dropped major pounds with the help of their moms or daughters. These ladies spurred each other to take control of their eating, make it to the gym, and discover happier, healthier lives.
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As a result of careless eating habits and a lack of physical activity, Caryn Habermann, 52, and her daughter Michelle, 19, were plagued with excess weight as long as they could remember. Once Caryn hit nearly 400 pounds she began to consider surgery. Before she went under the knife, however, she decided to give Weight Watchers another chance. (Search: What are the risks of lap band surgery?) Soon after, Michelle began her own weight loss journey.
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With eating strategies they learned at Weight Watchers and each other’s support, both women lost big. Caryn dropped 209 pounds and Michele shed 112.
Find out how they did it!
Karenga Ross, a self-proclaimed “meat and potatoes girl,” never lost the weight she gained during all three of her pregnancies. She eventually reached 220 pounds. Her mother, Lenora Bryant, had a sedentary lifestyle and hit 195 in her 50s. When Lenora’s size began limiting her clothing options, she decided to join Weight Watchers. Inspired by her mother’s results, Karenga followed suit shortly after.
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Lenora kicked more than 40 pounds to the curb and Karenga shed 65. Plus, they’re both living active lifestyles—Lenora’s ditched the golf cart in favor of walking 36 holes on the weekends and Karenga’s addicted to Zumba.
Find out how they did it!
Donia Ontiveros, 43, was a classic stress eater and would turn to sweets and pasta when anxious. Her feet and joints hurt at the end of every day, but she never felt like she had the time to exercise between taking care of her four children and juggling a hectic schedule.
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Running agitated Donia’s knees, so she thought she hated cardio altogether. Then, she picked up biking and found that exercising could be exhilarating. Pedaling helped her shed 35 pounds.
Find out how she did it!
Stressed out from looking after her hospitalized dad, Fran Jacquez gained 40 pounds in four months. Polishing off a pint of ice cream was never a problem, and eventually her 5’1” frame carried 270 pounds.
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Fran joined Weight Watchers with her daughter, cut out pasta from her diet, and picked up walking on the treadmill. She dropped 80 pounds in a year, and is now less than half her size. The dramatic changes even motivated her mom to shed 25 pounds.
Find out how she did it!
Shirley Myers, 62, always headed straight to the bakery (especially the doughnut case) when grocery shopping. In fact, her daily carb load was enough to last a week. (Search: How many carbs should you eat a day?) Her daughter, Alicia, 35, didn’t eat much better. A diet of fatty cheeses and mayonnaise caused her to top 210 pounds, and she contemplated gastric bypass surgery.
Shirley had a lot of success on Jenny Craig, so she urged Alicia to give the program a try. It worked. These days, they call each other weekly to share weight loss tips and for motivation to stick to their diets when cravings strike.
Find out how they did it!
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