10 Weight Loss Stories That Will Give You Hope
We carry so much already. All of us do. We walk around bowed down by stress at work, worries at home, fears about the future—who in their right mind would want to carry any more? Yet so many of us are making our way through the world burdened by extra weight, literally. Sure, it might be just ten pounds—say, the weight of a bag of groceries. But if you didn't have to lug that bag everywhere you went, wouldn't you choose to set it down?
I'm here to tell you: You can choose. Even if you're carrying the weight of an entire extra person, you can choose. And your heart will thank you. And your knees will thank you. Your tired back and aching feet will be so glad.
My own struggles with the scale are well-known. I've never believed in hiding them. What I do believe in: strength in numbers. And so when I resolved that 2016 would be the year I got healthy for the long haul, I asked some women to join me. Like me, they've turned to food when the going's gotten tough—when they've been overworked, overwhelmed, angry, sad, hurting. And like me, they've realized that what tastes, in the moment, like comfort really isn't.
We have some baggage to get rid of, my new friends and I, and we're going to do it together. Meet them now, and stay tuned as we set forth on the road to better health and a lighter, brighter day.—Oprah
Photo: Ruven Afanador
Different Dates, Different Weights
From top: The 1986 national premiere of The Oprah Winfrey Show; a 2008 episode; the 1997 Revlon Run/Walk for Women; the 2005 Oscars.
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Photo: Sioux Nesi
I'm here to tell you: You can choose. Even if you're carrying the weight of an entire extra person, you can choose. And your heart will thank you. And your knees will thank you. Your tired back and aching feet will be so glad.
My own struggles with the scale are well-known. I've never believed in hiding them. What I do believe in: strength in numbers. And so when I resolved that 2016 would be the year I got healthy for the long haul, I asked some women to join me. Like me, they've turned to food when the going's gotten tough—when they've been overworked, overwhelmed, angry, sad, hurting. And like me, they've realized that what tastes, in the moment, like comfort really isn't.
We have some baggage to get rid of, my new friends and I, and we're going to do it together. Meet them now, and stay tuned as we set forth on the road to better health and a lighter, brighter day.—Oprah
Photo: Ruven Afanador
Different Dates, Different Weights
From top: The 1986 national premiere of The Oprah Winfrey Show; a 2008 episode; the 1997 Revlon Run/Walk for Women; the 2005 Oscars.
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Photo: Sioux Nesi
Age: 40
Height: 5'1"
Weight: 140.5
Goal: Lose the last ten pounds
This past year hasn't been the easiest. I have an 11-year-old son and a 17-month-old daughter, and I'm in the middle of a divorce. My marriage started falling apart while I was pregnant, and my husband left three months after the baby was born. I felt ugly, fat, breast-milk stained. Unlovable was a word I used a lot.
After he moved out, I lost 30 pounds over a year or so. I don't need to be model thin, but I want to lose another ten. I call them insurance pounds—a buffer in case I have a crazy weekend. I worry I'll always be critical of my body. But it birthed and fed two children; I should be appreciative.
My diet's pretty healthy, but I eat too fast. I'll come home from work late, nurse my daughter and eat a chicken cutlet speared on a fork that I'm holding in my free hand. Eating mindfully, making time for exercise—I'm discovering that everything's more challenging when you're a single mom.
Last year I went to Comic Con dressed as Wonder Woman. I was nervous, but when I posted a photo on Instagram, everyone said, "You are Wonder Woman." Dating has also helped me feel lovable again—having men look at me and say, "Your ex-husband is crazy."
I recently saw a cheesy meme that said "I wanted to give up, but I remembered who was watching." It's true—my kids are always watching. I've got to keep my mind and body healthy because I'm the one they depend on. I've got to keep moving forward.
Ups and Downs
From top: Sabrina with her son, at her heaviest, about 170 pounds; at 130 pounds on her 2001 honeymoon in Jamaica.
Photo: Courtesy of Sabrina Havens
Photo: Courtesy of Sabrina Havens
Height: 5'1"
Weight: 140.5
Goal: Lose the last ten pounds
This past year hasn't been the easiest. I have an 11-year-old son and a 17-month-old daughter, and I'm in the middle of a divorce. My marriage started falling apart while I was pregnant, and my husband left three months after the baby was born. I felt ugly, fat, breast-milk stained. Unlovable was a word I used a lot.
After he moved out, I lost 30 pounds over a year or so. I don't need to be model thin, but I want to lose another ten. I call them insurance pounds—a buffer in case I have a crazy weekend. I worry I'll always be critical of my body. But it birthed and fed two children; I should be appreciative.
My diet's pretty healthy, but I eat too fast. I'll come home from work late, nurse my daughter and eat a chicken cutlet speared on a fork that I'm holding in my free hand. Eating mindfully, making time for exercise—I'm discovering that everything's more challenging when you're a single mom.
Last year I went to Comic Con dressed as Wonder Woman. I was nervous, but when I posted a photo on Instagram, everyone said, "You are Wonder Woman." Dating has also helped me feel lovable again—having men look at me and say, "Your ex-husband is crazy."
I recently saw a cheesy meme that said "I wanted to give up, but I remembered who was watching." It's true—my kids are always watching. I've got to keep my mind and body healthy because I'm the one they depend on. I've got to keep moving forward.
Ups and Downs
From top: Sabrina with her son, at her heaviest, about 170 pounds; at 130 pounds on her 2001 honeymoon in Jamaica.
Photo: Courtesy of Sabrina Havens
Photo: Courtesy of Sabrina Havens
Age: 15
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 258
Goal: Weigh 140 to 150 pounds
Princess: I danced a lot when I was younger—jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop, African—but I was limited because I didn't have enough stamina. At 10, I weighed 210 pounds, and my mom was really concerned. So we went to Body by Denise, a high-intensity group fitness class.
My first day, I struggled to keep up, but over time I moved to the front row. My mom was taking the class, too—she lost 160 pounds, and I lost 70. I was noticing all sorts of changes: I could breathe better, and I didn't need my asthma pump anymore. But when we moved from Queens to Long Island to live with my grandparents, my mom kept her weight off and I gained everything back. It's hard for me to resist sweets and processed food. My grandmother also makes tons of fried dishes for her huge Sunday dinners. Sometimes when I don't eat what she's made, I feel like I'm hurting her feelings.
I'm back at Body by Denise five days a week now. She gives clean-eating tips and weighs you at each class. Getting on that scale in front of "Auntie" Denise holds me accountable, and I know that's what's best for me.
Candice, Princess's Mom: I'm a nurse, and five years ago I was educating an overweight patient about hypertension and diabetes. At the time, I was close to 300 pounds, and I remember her smirking at me with a look that said, "You're telling me this?" It'd be like going to a hairdresser whose hair is a mess.
I carry so much guilt, since I introduced certain foods to Princess at a young age, and now she's addicted to them. Our conversations revolve around food: When she comes home from school, my first question is, "What did you eat today?" But she understands that this is a life-or-death issue: To weigh 260 pounds at any age puts so much strain on your joints, your heart.
This is a new beginning for Princess. I know there'll be progress, but it won't happen overnight. I have to allow her to make the right choices because she knows what she needs to do.
Watch Sabrina and Princess tell their stories at YouTube.com/OprahMagazine.
My Mother, My Self
From top: Candice and Princess in their backyard, May 2014; at age 10
Photo: Courtesy of Candice Griffin
Photo: Courtesy of Candice Griffin
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 258
Goal: Weigh 140 to 150 pounds
Princess: I danced a lot when I was younger—jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop, African—but I was limited because I didn't have enough stamina. At 10, I weighed 210 pounds, and my mom was really concerned. So we went to Body by Denise, a high-intensity group fitness class.
My first day, I struggled to keep up, but over time I moved to the front row. My mom was taking the class, too—she lost 160 pounds, and I lost 70. I was noticing all sorts of changes: I could breathe better, and I didn't need my asthma pump anymore. But when we moved from Queens to Long Island to live with my grandparents, my mom kept her weight off and I gained everything back. It's hard for me to resist sweets and processed food. My grandmother also makes tons of fried dishes for her huge Sunday dinners. Sometimes when I don't eat what she's made, I feel like I'm hurting her feelings.
I'm back at Body by Denise five days a week now. She gives clean-eating tips and weighs you at each class. Getting on that scale in front of "Auntie" Denise holds me accountable, and I know that's what's best for me.
Candice, Princess's Mom: I'm a nurse, and five years ago I was educating an overweight patient about hypertension and diabetes. At the time, I was close to 300 pounds, and I remember her smirking at me with a look that said, "You're telling me this?" It'd be like going to a hairdresser whose hair is a mess.
I carry so much guilt, since I introduced certain foods to Princess at a young age, and now she's addicted to them. Our conversations revolve around food: When she comes home from school, my first question is, "What did you eat today?" But she understands that this is a life-or-death issue: To weigh 260 pounds at any age puts so much strain on your joints, your heart.
This is a new beginning for Princess. I know there'll be progress, but it won't happen overnight. I have to allow her to make the right choices because she knows what she needs to do.
Watch Sabrina and Princess tell their stories at YouTube.com/OprahMagazine.
My Mother, My Self
From top: Candice and Princess in their backyard, May 2014; at age 10
Photo: Courtesy of Candice Griffin
Photo: Courtesy of Candice Griffin
Age: 44
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 217
Goal: Weigh 155 to 165 pounds; wear a bikini without hiding
When you've spent 30 years in the modeling industry, you're bound to have some body issues. I've never been a tiny waif, but when I moved to New York City early in my career, I got a little too excited about all the 24-hour delis. I put on some weight, and my agent was horrified. He told me I needed to throw up, or do whatever I had to do, to whittle down.
Eventually, the agency dropped me, but even with new representation I faced the same issues: At one photo shoot in Italy, I thought I was thin, but the photographer kept saying, "Suck in your gut." It embeds something dark in your psyche. I look back at all the years I thought I needed to lose ten pounds and realize now how amazing I looked. I wasted so much time not valuing who I was.
An agent I knew offered me work as a plus-size model. I made a wonderful living for years, but since giving birth to my second child last summer, I'm 65 pounds heavier than I've ever been. I'm so thankful for my kids, and I've made peace with who I am, but I definitely need to do something. There have been so many birthdays, events, and vacations where my clothes didn't fit—and that doesn't feel right.
My son is still an infant, but I have a 9-year-old daughter, and I want her to see me empowered, taking care of myself. I never want her to think she's not "enough"—the way I've felt for so long because of the career I chose. I remember an episode of Oprah's show where women were talking about criticizing their own bodies in front of their children, and an expert said, "What you say about yourself, your daughter hears." I didn't have kids then, and I thought, I would never do that. Those stupid mothers. Now I beat myself up about my body all the time, and my daughter hears it. But I don't think it's too late to start practicing what I've been preaching.
Watch Michelle and Jenny tell their stories at YouTube.com/OprahMagazine.
Model Citizen
From top: Michelle, photographed for the May 1998 issue of Essence magazine, in Mexico; a beach selfie with her son in November 2015.
Photo: Frits Berends
Photo: Courtesy of Michelle Trotter
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 217
Goal: Weigh 155 to 165 pounds; wear a bikini without hiding
When you've spent 30 years in the modeling industry, you're bound to have some body issues. I've never been a tiny waif, but when I moved to New York City early in my career, I got a little too excited about all the 24-hour delis. I put on some weight, and my agent was horrified. He told me I needed to throw up, or do whatever I had to do, to whittle down.
Eventually, the agency dropped me, but even with new representation I faced the same issues: At one photo shoot in Italy, I thought I was thin, but the photographer kept saying, "Suck in your gut." It embeds something dark in your psyche. I look back at all the years I thought I needed to lose ten pounds and realize now how amazing I looked. I wasted so much time not valuing who I was.
An agent I knew offered me work as a plus-size model. I made a wonderful living for years, but since giving birth to my second child last summer, I'm 65 pounds heavier than I've ever been. I'm so thankful for my kids, and I've made peace with who I am, but I definitely need to do something. There have been so many birthdays, events, and vacations where my clothes didn't fit—and that doesn't feel right.
My son is still an infant, but I have a 9-year-old daughter, and I want her to see me empowered, taking care of myself. I never want her to think she's not "enough"—the way I've felt for so long because of the career I chose. I remember an episode of Oprah's show where women were talking about criticizing their own bodies in front of their children, and an expert said, "What you say about yourself, your daughter hears." I didn't have kids then, and I thought, I would never do that. Those stupid mothers. Now I beat myself up about my body all the time, and my daughter hears it. But I don't think it's too late to start practicing what I've been preaching.
Watch Michelle and Jenny tell their stories at YouTube.com/OprahMagazine.
Model Citizen
From top: Michelle, photographed for the May 1998 issue of Essence magazine, in Mexico; a beach selfie with her son in November 2015.
Photo: Frits Berends
Photo: Courtesy of Michelle Trotter
Age: 46
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 133
Goal: Lose five to 10 pounds, wear a size 6 and conquer my body issues
I used to get so angry with my sister when she'd complain about five pounds. We'd go shopping, and she'd say, "Oh my God, I look so fat in this." I'd think, I can't even shop in this store. I didn't say it, of course; the shame was too overwhelming.
I was a short, chubby kid, and that made my mother nervous. I think she wanted so badly to protect me that she tortured me: She took me to dietitians, weight loss spas, food behaviorists. Thus began my battle with my body. When I was 22, I exercised four hours a day and got really thin. But I think the male attention my new body received scared me so much that I promptly put on more weight than I'd lost. Soon enough, my 20-pound problem turned into 30. I got married, had two kids, started hosting a radio show and never lost the baby weight—40 more. Then my mother was diagnosed with cancer, and I gained another 10 from the stress.
After my mother died, I found out I had high blood pressure, and my internist put me on a diet. I walked, did the Bar Method and finally hit my super-low adult weight. Since then, I've gained back about 8 pounds. But I know 8 can turn into 10, then 20, then 30. I never want to be double digits more than my thinnest. But I don't want to be too thin, either, because I'll start to look old. (You know how they say as you age, you have to pick: your fanny or your face?) My goal is to be free of this body stuff. If my clothes fit and I'm healthy, everything should be okay.
Taking Control
From top: Jenny at her heaviest in 2008; showing off her "fat jeans" in late 2015.
Photo: Kitty Gunn
Photo: Keith Hutt
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 133
Goal: Lose five to 10 pounds, wear a size 6 and conquer my body issues
I used to get so angry with my sister when she'd complain about five pounds. We'd go shopping, and she'd say, "Oh my God, I look so fat in this." I'd think, I can't even shop in this store. I didn't say it, of course; the shame was too overwhelming.
I was a short, chubby kid, and that made my mother nervous. I think she wanted so badly to protect me that she tortured me: She took me to dietitians, weight loss spas, food behaviorists. Thus began my battle with my body. When I was 22, I exercised four hours a day and got really thin. But I think the male attention my new body received scared me so much that I promptly put on more weight than I'd lost. Soon enough, my 20-pound problem turned into 30. I got married, had two kids, started hosting a radio show and never lost the baby weight—40 more. Then my mother was diagnosed with cancer, and I gained another 10 from the stress.
After my mother died, I found out I had high blood pressure, and my internist put me on a diet. I walked, did the Bar Method and finally hit my super-low adult weight. Since then, I've gained back about 8 pounds. But I know 8 can turn into 10, then 20, then 30. I never want to be double digits more than my thinnest. But I don't want to be too thin, either, because I'll start to look old. (You know how they say as you age, you have to pick: your fanny or your face?) My goal is to be free of this body stuff. If my clothes fit and I'm healthy, everything should be okay.
Taking Control
From top: Jenny at her heaviest in 2008; showing off her "fat jeans" in late 2015.
Photo: Kitty Gunn
Photo: Keith Hutt
Age: 49
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 372
Goal: Weigh 160 pounds
Being extremely overweight is like a handicap: You can't even walk into a diner for coffee and sit in a booth. And no one respects you. When I was a kid, adults would say "Here comes Chubby" or try to cajole me into losing weight, promising they'd buy me a whole new wardrobe. I've struggled with my size for almost as long as I can remember, at least since I was 6.
I was molested as a child, and I put on weight like a coat of armor. But by age 12, I was sick of all the critical comments, so a friend and I went to a doctor. He gave us diet pills called black beauties—speed, essentially. People thought they were harmless back then. We took them for a month, and I was constantly wired; I'd pace the streets in my neighborhood, my heart racing. Finally, my parents made me stop.
In the following years, I tried everything under the sun: SlimFast, Atkins, the South Beach diet, shakes, trainers. There was always the next diet, one failure after another. I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, which made the process even tougher. Sometimes I fantasized about unzipping my body and stepping out of it, showing people the real me. My daughter got gastric banding surgery, and I followed suit. Big mistake. I lost 40 pounds, but I was always nauseated and in pain, so in 2015 I had the band removed.
I'm a spiritual medium, and when I started seeing clients, I met people with the same issues I had. That was my aha moment. I hadn't been giving my body or my soul the proper nutrition. Now I'm working on self-love, and I am so excited about the future. I want to travel by plane, go to India or Greece. I want to play with my grandkids without losing my breath. I want to be in photos instead of offering to take them to avoid being in the shots. I want to do so many things that my mind can't contain them all.
When you've gone through childhood trauma, you don't want any attention focused on you because you're suspicious of people's intentions. But after spending time on self-love, I finally recognize that I matter, that I can be seen and heard. I was always hiding, but now it's my time.
The Size That Binds
From top: At home, age 13; at a wedding reception in 2014.
Photo: Courtesy of Bobbi Allison
Photo: Courtesy of Bobbi Allison
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 372
Goal: Weigh 160 pounds
Being extremely overweight is like a handicap: You can't even walk into a diner for coffee and sit in a booth. And no one respects you. When I was a kid, adults would say "Here comes Chubby" or try to cajole me into losing weight, promising they'd buy me a whole new wardrobe. I've struggled with my size for almost as long as I can remember, at least since I was 6.
I was molested as a child, and I put on weight like a coat of armor. But by age 12, I was sick of all the critical comments, so a friend and I went to a doctor. He gave us diet pills called black beauties—speed, essentially. People thought they were harmless back then. We took them for a month, and I was constantly wired; I'd pace the streets in my neighborhood, my heart racing. Finally, my parents made me stop.
In the following years, I tried everything under the sun: SlimFast, Atkins, the South Beach diet, shakes, trainers. There was always the next diet, one failure after another. I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, which made the process even tougher. Sometimes I fantasized about unzipping my body and stepping out of it, showing people the real me. My daughter got gastric banding surgery, and I followed suit. Big mistake. I lost 40 pounds, but I was always nauseated and in pain, so in 2015 I had the band removed.
I'm a spiritual medium, and when I started seeing clients, I met people with the same issues I had. That was my aha moment. I hadn't been giving my body or my soul the proper nutrition. Now I'm working on self-love, and I am so excited about the future. I want to travel by plane, go to India or Greece. I want to play with my grandkids without losing my breath. I want to be in photos instead of offering to take them to avoid being in the shots. I want to do so many things that my mind can't contain them all.
When you've gone through childhood trauma, you don't want any attention focused on you because you're suspicious of people's intentions. But after spending time on self-love, I finally recognize that I matter, that I can be seen and heard. I was always hiding, but now it's my time.
The Size That Binds
From top: At home, age 13; at a wedding reception in 2014.
Photo: Courtesy of Bobbi Allison
Photo: Courtesy of Bobbi Allison
Age: 35
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 226
Goal: Weigh 198 pounds or be a size 12, fit into Diane von Furstenberg clothes and look good in a bikini
I had some awkward teen years when my weight fluctuated, but by college I was very fit. In fact, my stepdad gave me the nickname Slim. I started to pick up pounds after I met my husband because he preferred me bigger, but my body really changed after I had my son six years ago. I'm a birthday party planner, and now my body is like, You ate that pizza, you ate that cake, and it's staying on. I can't bounce back and lose ten pounds like I used to.
Last year my husband died of heart disease and complications from a blood infection. He was 38, but his doctor said he had the heart of a 90-year-old. He also had diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I recently learned I'm prediabetic, and my son's blood sugar levels are really high for his age. I'm all my son has left. I know I need to take our health seriously because he could inherit a number of problems.
When my husband was sick, I was stressed—depressed, even—because I was so worried about him and the financial pitfalls we faced every time he missed work. And my way of coping was to drink too much or eat my feelings. Now I want to get back into running and dancing. I really enjoy running—when I was in shape I ran six miles a day—and I like street, hip-hop and modern dance. I'm being more mindful of the things I eat and drink, too. I cut out soda, but I love wine and beer. I know I have to eat a healthy lunch; when I'm working, though, I'm so focused on getting the party guests fed that I end up scarfing down leftover snacks. When I put together candy tables, I might eat some just for an energy boost.
I'm excited to get out a little. Maybe I'll want to date eventually. I feel like I have to be in better shape to attract people, and I like myself in a size 12. Maybe it doesn't work for everyone, but it looks good on me.
Watch Bobbi and Shaniqua tell their stories at YouTube.com/OprahMagazine.
Going It Alone
From top: Shaniqua's husband and son on Easter 2014; at about 235 pounds at a party in Brooklyn, summer 2015—six months after her husband died.
Photo: Courtesy of Shaniqua Garvin
Photo: Courtesy of Shaniqua Garvin
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 226
Goal: Weigh 198 pounds or be a size 12, fit into Diane von Furstenberg clothes and look good in a bikini
I had some awkward teen years when my weight fluctuated, but by college I was very fit. In fact, my stepdad gave me the nickname Slim. I started to pick up pounds after I met my husband because he preferred me bigger, but my body really changed after I had my son six years ago. I'm a birthday party planner, and now my body is like, You ate that pizza, you ate that cake, and it's staying on. I can't bounce back and lose ten pounds like I used to.
Last year my husband died of heart disease and complications from a blood infection. He was 38, but his doctor said he had the heart of a 90-year-old. He also had diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I recently learned I'm prediabetic, and my son's blood sugar levels are really high for his age. I'm all my son has left. I know I need to take our health seriously because he could inherit a number of problems.
When my husband was sick, I was stressed—depressed, even—because I was so worried about him and the financial pitfalls we faced every time he missed work. And my way of coping was to drink too much or eat my feelings. Now I want to get back into running and dancing. I really enjoy running—when I was in shape I ran six miles a day—and I like street, hip-hop and modern dance. I'm being more mindful of the things I eat and drink, too. I cut out soda, but I love wine and beer. I know I have to eat a healthy lunch; when I'm working, though, I'm so focused on getting the party guests fed that I end up scarfing down leftover snacks. When I put together candy tables, I might eat some just for an energy boost.
I'm excited to get out a little. Maybe I'll want to date eventually. I feel like I have to be in better shape to attract people, and I like myself in a size 12. Maybe it doesn't work for everyone, but it looks good on me.
Watch Bobbi and Shaniqua tell their stories at YouTube.com/OprahMagazine.
Going It Alone
From top: Shaniqua's husband and son on Easter 2014; at about 235 pounds at a party in Brooklyn, summer 2015—six months after her husband died.
Photo: Courtesy of Shaniqua Garvin
Photo: Courtesy of Shaniqua Garvin
Age: 35
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 273
Goal: Lose 100 pounds
I've wanted to have kids since I was a kid; I used to fantasize about having at least four. But after years of unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant, my husband and I started seeing specialists. We began infertility treatments about three years ago, and our most recent in vitro fertilization procedure was in October. It didn't take. I've had so many hormones pumped into my body that my doctor finally suggested I take a six-month break to get them all out of my system and lose weight. I don't want to disappoint my doctor or myself.
In high school, I was a little heavy, but I never felt self-conscious. My mom would come into my room to wake me up in the morning and sing me the Miss America theme. I only grew really large in the last several years.
As I gained weight, I became more anxious about my health, my future. I'd be playing with my nieces and realize I was winded. My husband and I ordered pizza three times a week, and since I'm a nurse practitioner, I knew I was killing myself. The light inside me dimmed—I'm typically a really positive person, and I lost that. A lot of people own their bigger bodies, but I've never felt comfortable in my fat skin.
I'm a bit of a control freak, and I like to be good at what I do. But weight loss is something I could never follow through on. Not knowing whether I'd succeed—with that or fertility—has been terrifying. And of course when I'm sad, I eat. I've known for a while that I need to lose weight, but I haven't been ready. I wanted to eat what I wanted and for everyone to leave me alone. I know it sounds crazy, but for a year, I followed people on social media who were on Weight Watchers and just observed.
I actually started Weight Watchers myself in January, and it's working well. My husband, mother and sister are doing it, too. It's not easy, but my husband and I will try anything to have kids. With my support system behind me, I'll achieve this—one milestone at a time.
Watch Jen and Cookie tell their stories at YouTube.com/OprahMagazine.
Living Large
From top: In St. Augustine, Florida, in 2008, at about 225 pounds; on a 2006 cruise to the British Virgin Islands, hovering around 205 pounds.
Photo: Courtesy of Jen Patiglione-Brody
Photo: Courtesy of Jen Patiglione-Brody
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 273
Goal: Lose 100 pounds
I've wanted to have kids since I was a kid; I used to fantasize about having at least four. But after years of unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant, my husband and I started seeing specialists. We began infertility treatments about three years ago, and our most recent in vitro fertilization procedure was in October. It didn't take. I've had so many hormones pumped into my body that my doctor finally suggested I take a six-month break to get them all out of my system and lose weight. I don't want to disappoint my doctor or myself.
In high school, I was a little heavy, but I never felt self-conscious. My mom would come into my room to wake me up in the morning and sing me the Miss America theme. I only grew really large in the last several years.
As I gained weight, I became more anxious about my health, my future. I'd be playing with my nieces and realize I was winded. My husband and I ordered pizza three times a week, and since I'm a nurse practitioner, I knew I was killing myself. The light inside me dimmed—I'm typically a really positive person, and I lost that. A lot of people own their bigger bodies, but I've never felt comfortable in my fat skin.
I'm a bit of a control freak, and I like to be good at what I do. But weight loss is something I could never follow through on. Not knowing whether I'd succeed—with that or fertility—has been terrifying. And of course when I'm sad, I eat. I've known for a while that I need to lose weight, but I haven't been ready. I wanted to eat what I wanted and for everyone to leave me alone. I know it sounds crazy, but for a year, I followed people on social media who were on Weight Watchers and just observed.
I actually started Weight Watchers myself in January, and it's working well. My husband, mother and sister are doing it, too. It's not easy, but my husband and I will try anything to have kids. With my support system behind me, I'll achieve this—one milestone at a time.
Watch Jen and Cookie tell their stories at YouTube.com/OprahMagazine.
Living Large
From top: In St. Augustine, Florida, in 2008, at about 225 pounds; on a 2006 cruise to the British Virgin Islands, hovering around 205 pounds.
Photo: Courtesy of Jen Patiglione-Brody
Photo: Courtesy of Jen Patiglione-Brody
Age: 49
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 194
Goal: Live a healthier lifestyle and fit into all my clothes
My uncle used to say, "When you get old, sometimes you wake up and your hair hurts." I can relate. I'll be 50 this year, and sometimes I feel like I'm falling apart at the seams. Instead, I want to be fit and fabulous. As far as the fabulous part goes, I feel like I'm already there: My life is full of fantastic people and rich experiences. But I want to make healthier choices—opt for the fruit plate over the fruit pie.
When I was younger, at 130 or 140 pounds, I thought I was huge, a monstrosity. Now I haven't seen those numbers in so many years. In my 20s and 30s, I'd eat a baked potato with veggies for dinner, and poof, five pounds gone. Once I got married and had children, I couldn't get the weight to stay off. I was living the suburban life: always in my car, eating on the run, taking my kids to playdates.
Then, in May 2015, my father passed away. He'd grown up in the South, worked in tobacco fields and smoked for 60 years. Watching him battle cancer was beyond painful, and it made me realize how important it is to be around for my family. I want to be an advocate for my children and my mother—and love my husband—for as long as I possibly can.
Right now I need to prioritize my goals, and that's not natural for me. I'm the one you call and say, "Cookie, I need...." I've got to be comfortable saying no—to bad food, bad choices and even charity work, as much as I might want to help. It's hard to balance your needs against the interests of your children, your husband, your obligations. But I'm determined to make this about me for a change.
Ages and Stages
From top: Cookie's 2001 wedding, when she weighed about 150; the whole family at her husband's 40th birthday party in 2009.
Photo: Courtesy of Carolyn "Cookie" Minick Mason
Photo: Courtesy of Carolyn "Cookie" Minick Mason
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 194
Goal: Live a healthier lifestyle and fit into all my clothes
My uncle used to say, "When you get old, sometimes you wake up and your hair hurts." I can relate. I'll be 50 this year, and sometimes I feel like I'm falling apart at the seams. Instead, I want to be fit and fabulous. As far as the fabulous part goes, I feel like I'm already there: My life is full of fantastic people and rich experiences. But I want to make healthier choices—opt for the fruit plate over the fruit pie.
When I was younger, at 130 or 140 pounds, I thought I was huge, a monstrosity. Now I haven't seen those numbers in so many years. In my 20s and 30s, I'd eat a baked potato with veggies for dinner, and poof, five pounds gone. Once I got married and had children, I couldn't get the weight to stay off. I was living the suburban life: always in my car, eating on the run, taking my kids to playdates.
Then, in May 2015, my father passed away. He'd grown up in the South, worked in tobacco fields and smoked for 60 years. Watching him battle cancer was beyond painful, and it made me realize how important it is to be around for my family. I want to be an advocate for my children and my mother—and love my husband—for as long as I possibly can.
Right now I need to prioritize my goals, and that's not natural for me. I'm the one you call and say, "Cookie, I need...." I've got to be comfortable saying no—to bad food, bad choices and even charity work, as much as I might want to help. It's hard to balance your needs against the interests of your children, your husband, your obligations. But I'm determined to make this about me for a change.
Ages and Stages
From top: Cookie's 2001 wedding, when she weighed about 150; the whole family at her husband's 40th birthday party in 2009.
Photo: Courtesy of Carolyn "Cookie" Minick Mason
Photo: Courtesy of Carolyn "Cookie" Minick Mason
Age: 25
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 268
Goal: Become fit and healthy and get my dream job
Being a first-generation Latina in the U.S., I understand all the factors—social, political, economic—that bring immigrants to this country. It took a while for my family to legalize themselves here, and I know what they went through, how dangerous that journey can be. So years ago, I set my sights on a job that would be especially meaningful to me: working with the Department of Homeland Security as a customs and border protection officer.
In February 2015, it was time for me to take the fitness evaluation for that position. It consisted mostly of push-ups, sit-ups and a stair-climbing challenge that lasted five minutes. I failed: I wasn't able to do one push-up or one sit-up, and I couldn't last on the steps for even a minute. It was so discouraging.
My weight has been an issue almost literally since birth: I was 11 pounds as a newborn and 100 pounds in first grade. Growing up, I was always the heavy one, the one who couldn't trade clothes with friends because they wouldn't fit me. In college, I put myself on a strict meal regimen, worked out twice a day, and lost 50 pounds. But when I moved to New York, my environment changed drastically; I was surrounded by different people—and different foods, all of which I wanted to try. Two winters later, I was back at square one. I had to sit for a minute and reflect on how I'd let myself go.
I'm currently working with personal trainers, and I graduate with my master's in May; I'll take the fitness test again at the end of the summer. By then I'm hoping I'll be physically ready because it's now or never. There's no "maybe next year" for me. I don't want my weight to hold me back from anything ever again.
Watch Lindsay tell her story at YouTube.com/OprahMagazine.
The World Awaits
From top: Lindsay in 2012 in Sitges, Spain; at her June 2013 graduation in L.A. with a friend.
Photo: Courtesy of Jen Patiglione-Brody
Photo: Courtesy of Jen Patiglione-Brody
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 268
Goal: Become fit and healthy and get my dream job
Being a first-generation Latina in the U.S., I understand all the factors—social, political, economic—that bring immigrants to this country. It took a while for my family to legalize themselves here, and I know what they went through, how dangerous that journey can be. So years ago, I set my sights on a job that would be especially meaningful to me: working with the Department of Homeland Security as a customs and border protection officer.
In February 2015, it was time for me to take the fitness evaluation for that position. It consisted mostly of push-ups, sit-ups and a stair-climbing challenge that lasted five minutes. I failed: I wasn't able to do one push-up or one sit-up, and I couldn't last on the steps for even a minute. It was so discouraging.
My weight has been an issue almost literally since birth: I was 11 pounds as a newborn and 100 pounds in first grade. Growing up, I was always the heavy one, the one who couldn't trade clothes with friends because they wouldn't fit me. In college, I put myself on a strict meal regimen, worked out twice a day, and lost 50 pounds. But when I moved to New York, my environment changed drastically; I was surrounded by different people—and different foods, all of which I wanted to try. Two winters later, I was back at square one. I had to sit for a minute and reflect on how I'd let myself go.
I'm currently working with personal trainers, and I graduate with my master's in May; I'll take the fitness test again at the end of the summer. By then I'm hoping I'll be physically ready because it's now or never. There's no "maybe next year" for me. I don't want my weight to hold me back from anything ever again.
Watch Lindsay tell her story at YouTube.com/OprahMagazine.
The World Awaits
From top: Lindsay in 2012 in Sitges, Spain; at her June 2013 graduation in L.A. with a friend.
Photo: Courtesy of Jen Patiglione-Brody
Photo: Courtesy of Jen Patiglione-Brody
