The Sweet Part Was the Revenge

My quest for a great body has been an uphill and downhill battle.

I started the journey by joining Weight Watchers in January 1994. I weighed 197.7 pounds and wore a size 15/16 or an extra large. My goal weight then was 165 because all of my identification stated so.

Ha!

I left Weight Watchers in April 1994, weighing 161 pounds. I maintained that weight for two years. Eventually, though, I went up to 172 pounds. I felt large.

Now my goal had changed. Before the end of 1997, I was going to reach 145 pounds.

I started doing a minimum of 300 sit-ups a day, taking the two flights of stairs to my job site and walking 45 minutes, three days a week.

I now weigh 145 1/2 pounds and wear a size 9/10 or medium and some smalls. My shoe size even changed from a size 8 to 7 1/2.

The support I’ve received from my friends has been an inspiration and my weight loss has been a vengeful act because of the comments made by some when I was at my heaviest. Now everyone wants me to help them gain control over their weight.

My diet consists of fruit for breakfast, vegetables of any sort for lunch and vegetables or frosted flakes for dinner.

I have meat, chicken or fish twice a month or not at all. I still have the ice cream and chocolate.

I get a kick out of it when people don’t recognize me, especially when it’s an old boyfriend.

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The Vital Statistics

Name: Mia Yvette Jones

Age: 31

Occupation: Account clerk

Old Weight: 197 pounds

New Weight: 145 pounds

Time It Took to Get There: Six months

Feel Like Sharing Your Success Story?

Losing weight is as individual as gaining weight. Do you have a story on how you got in shape and stayed there? If so, we’d like to hear from you with a 500-word essay listing what worked in terms of diet, exercise, encouragement / support as well as your emotional and physical changes.

We’d also like you to send us full-body color photos of you, before and after.

Send essay and photos to “How I Did It,” Health, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, and include daytime and evening phone numbers. No phone calls, please. Submissions cannot be returned.

In addition to publication, winners will receive a Los Angeles Times gym bag and a gift certificate for a free pair of athletic shoes of your choice, redeemable at any Big 5 Sporting Goods store.