I’d always been heavy, but I built a happy life with my husband that I loved despite my weight. Eventually though, when I reached my peak weight of 341 pounds, I knew I needed to make a change. I researched gastric bypass surgery, and eventually decided it was right for me.

Tragically, on the night of my surgery—the night my new life began—my husband, Paul, died. After that moment, I resolved to not just become healthy, but to stay healthy, so that I could live life to the fullest and do all of the things that Paul and I had wanted to do but couldn’t before.

Despite the stereotypes out there, bariatric surgery does not make weight loss easy—it’s a tool. I still had to do the work, and completely change my habits and my relationships with food and exercise.

I was several months into my weight loss journey (before surgery) when someone I followed on Facebook started hosting a DietBet. She encouraged her followers to join, and I checked it out. I was looking for a way to kick up my weight loss and add some accountability, and it seemed like a no brainer. I was already planning on losing weight, and I could get paid to do it? Yes, please.

I love the accountability of DietBet—you have a deadline to reach a goal, and you’re required to weigh in. A lot of us avoid the scale and have the mentality “out of sight, out of mind.” With DietBet, you embrace the scale and challenge yourself to see those numbers change! I also love the community. Early on, a DietBetter reached out to congratulate me for joining and encourage me to keep going. The positive community and ongoing support you receive is very helpful.

Today, I’ve lost enough weight that I was able to have skin removal surgery. I’m so passionate about losing weight that I talk to everyone about it, and many people come to me for help in overcoming their own struggles. If you had told me at any prior point in my life that I’d be the one excited about fitness and health and that others would look up to me and my health achievements, I would have laughed and called you insane!

Since my surgery and Paul’s death, I’ve passed so many milestones and done so many things he and I always wanted to do—like traveling without a seatbelt extender, riding a roller coaster, and sky diving. I took the death of my husband as an opportunity to live my life to the fullest, just as he had all his life.

I just want to tell everyone out there who is struggling with their weight: You CAN do this. You DESERVE to be healthy. And it all starts with just one change. I’m not going to say it’s easy but I will say that it’s worth it    

Read the full story of how Jessica overcame the loss of Paul and found a new level of happiness.