My fight with fat started as a small child. I lived in a house full of cookies, candy, ice cream, and fast food. I don't remember anything with the word fresh in it. I was a heavy child, a heavy teen, and a heavy adult. Fruits and vegetables were like long distance friends whom I only saw on special occasions or when a restaurant snuck them on my plate. My weight had an effect on every part of my life. I was never comfortable in any situation. How could I be when I was never comfortable in my own body?

I started many diets, but always bounced back heavier and more miserable. My husband and I were partners in overeating and fed off each other. We could throw back a half-gallon of ice cream, no problem. My children have also struggled with their weight because I never had the tools to instill good eating habits. I always felt that I was letting my children down by not being the great example that they needed. My oldest daughter came to the family and suggested this great website that she found, DietBet.

She was so excited by the idea of the whole family losing weight together. I was very reluctant at first. I told myself: you could never do it before, why would this time be any different? I also didn't want the whole family knowing how much I really weighed, or—horrors of horrors—seeing me gain instead of lose. I was at the highest weight I had ever been, coming in at 265 pounds. I should mention that my daughter can be a pretty good cheerleader when she sets her mind to it. She finally wore me down and I agreed to join.

The DietBet environment was exactly what I needed. I was not only being held accountable, but I didn't want to lose my bet money. I had to weigh-in each week and show if I was bad or good. As well as having the support of the website, we set up a chat for the family on Facebook and we all encouraged each other, shared recipes, talked about our ups and downs, and supported each other. I was learning how to eat better. Every day I had fruits and vegetables. I cut out fried food; I adjusted my servings and started weighing everything. This felt different, this felt good. The more I changed, the more I felt good about what I was eating. I also started to exercise. Since July of 2014, I've gone from 265 pounds to 184.

My husband is even benefiting from the new me since he has to eat what I cook. I have made my weight every month but one! The winnings have been pretty great too! The change in me is dramatic. I look good, feel good, and have an abundance of energy. Now I walk, I exercise, and I just got a bike and I'm planning on traveling the world! Well my little part of it anyway. I knew that the changes were a permanent part of my life when I couldn’t figure out what kind of cheat foods to have for my birthday. I realized that I just didn't really want any of that kind of food anymore. I believe in my heart that I couldn't have done any of this without DietBet, a very tenacious daughter, and a family that loves me and won't let me give up. I know I have a long way to go yet, but this girl is not embarrassed to go anywhere or do anything anymore.