I can't believe it.

When I attended my very first Weight Watchers meeting on May 12, 2008, I felt so uncomfortable in my own skin. I stepped on that dreaded scale and weighed 219.2 pounds. How could I let this happen? How did I let things spin so out of control? I knew I needed a huge change in my life or else I was going to keep getting fatter and increasingly unhappy with myself.

I only started feeling pretty about midway through high school, and even as I gained weight in college, I thought my sparkling personality and pretty face were enough to keep me feeling beautiful.

Then I stepped on the scale and I weighed more than 200 pounds at age 23. I didn't feel pretty anymore. I hated getting dressed for work or for weekend nights out because nothing fit right. I felt so fat and unhappy with myself.

When I jumped head first into my new healthy lifestyle, my WW meetings kept me motivated. I enjoyed the control I had with tracking my points. I LOVED getting Bravo and 5-pound milestone stickers that I excitedly stuck on my bookmark. Seeing the results on the scale and on my body were incredibly rewarding.

But, even still, I would look around at the other people in my meeting and think that I was so much bigger than the rest of them. Especially at the beginning. I would think, "Oooo she's here to lose what? Like 10 pounds tops? Big whoop."

As I continued attending meetings, it began to make sense. Some of these people started out just like me. They needed to lose a buttload of weight, too. And they did it! And they're still coming here because they're on Maintenance or are Lifetime Members.

Fast forward to tonight's meeting. I'm on my fourth week of Maintenance and goin' strong. I weighed in tonight at 147.8 and I feel fabulous! Two more weeks of Maintenance and I'll be a LIFETIME MEMBER. I can't even believe it. I looked at the computer screen as my leader entered my current weight, and I caught a glimpse of my starting weight. It REALLY hit me. I've lost more than 70 pounds. Wow. Just wow.

As I was leaving, the manager of my WW site said, "You're at goal right? Down 70 pounds!" And I smiled proudly and told her that I'd hit goal a month ago.

Here's the neat thing: Two women who started last week overheard and one exclaimed, "WHAT?! You've lost 70 pounds?? I totally noticed you last week and tonight thought, 'What's she doing here? She's already skinny.'"

I never thought I'd be one of those people. I was so overwhelmed at that comment that I couldn't wipe a silly smile off my face. I said thank you (about 10 times) and walked out the door with an extra hop in my step. I'm getting emotional even typing it now. I just can't believe the huge change I've made in my life.

I feel pretty again.

It's amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it. The world is your oyster. Don't settle for anything less than you deserve ... and you deserve the best.