Success in the Making - Bonnie

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My name is Bonnie Boudreaw and I am from Carencro, Louisiana (a small town about 3miles from Lafayette, Louisiana). I am 48 years old and have been overweight ALL MY life but never as much as I was on August 7, 2000.

That was the turning point in my life. I knew that sooner or later my excess weight would "catch up" with me and it DID. I have completely destroyed my knees and am now "bone to bone" and facing knee replacement surgery. I am also ONLY 5 feet 2 inches so when I hit the scale at 355 pounds and could barely walk, MUCH less breathe easily, and facing surgery and being in a wheelchair if I didn't take the weight off....Well, that did it for me!

I joined Weight Watchers and started doing water exercise (NOT water aerobics, still too hard on my knees) but just walking and lots of leg and upper body exercises. I go 3 days a week and spend 3-4 hours in the pool (which is heated, thank goodness!!).

As of today, I have lost a total of 70.2 pounds and beginning to feel wonderful. My breathing has improved dramatically and I can at least walk without feeling like my heart was coming out my chest. I set my goal for 135 pounds which would mean a loss of 220 pounds (ANOTHER PERSON or TWO).

I have tried almost every diet on the market now and even considered the stomach bypass but when I found out about the side effects.well I decided to try it the healthy way instead.

Like most people, I have had a lot of tragedies in my life but the worst one happened to me and my husband 13 years ago. Our only child, Eddie died of a heart condition we were not aware he had. He was 16 years old at the time of his death and at the time he died I was also once again working on reducing. I was a member of Weight Watchers (AGAIN) and had lost a total of 60 pounds. Then my son was taken back to where he came from and my life has not been the same. I guess I just gave up and figured that I could "kill myself with food"....well.WRONG...God has a warped sense of humor and he wasn't ready for ME and sent me many, many challenges after the loss of my son but my lack of self-motivation always won over and I just began eating myself to death.

Your site, Dotti, has helped me a great deal and seeing others that have "been there, done (or doing) that really encourages me to stick with "Program".

I want to say THANK YOU for giving me the opportunity to voice out in print what is in my heart and mind. Thanks for the Online support and assistance you and all others have provided to myself and others.

(7/19) You know, since my "story" hit the site I have gotten some wonderful emails from others who share and relate to my story.  It's amazing how there are "friends" out there on the Great Wide Web that take the time enough to read about our stories and send us an Email of encouragement.  Just when I think that I have battled long enough, I open up my email and find a new friend that just re-enforces my strength to stick on program and make it over the hurdle that keeps "TRYING" to trip me up. 

I received an email recently from a woman who touched my heart and soul so much that even though I was down in the dumps and kind of burned out.. she gave me so many other reasons to defeat the "devil/food" that was tempting to turn around all the hard work and effort and dedication that I have mustered up over the almost year that I have been on Weight Watchers.

Through her correspondences and with others, THEY have "touched me" and given me the needed "kick in the pants" that I needed to get moving and getting my motivation and will back up and running.

So to everyone out there on the Great Wide Web..... NEVER give up, you will stumble and fall numerous times but as long as you can pick yourself, dust yourself off, and re-enforce your desires... IT CAN BE DONE and YOU ARE A WINNER!

And to you Dotti, I can not possibly say how much having your site and all the wonderful areas to explore has meant to me.  I have given out your site address to ALL I meet and get a chance to talk to about my experience with the "BATTLE".

My weight loss so far is 94.4 pounds.  When I get brave enough (lol) I will take a full body photo and send that one. A GREAT BIG CAJUN THANK YOU....... and you are truly "an angel among us".... Bonnie 

Photos - L-R: at 355 lbs when I started Weight Watchers; recent photo, 94.4 lbs down!

Bonnie's Email