Nikki lost 60 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Nikki lost 60 pounds. In the past, she used diet pills, uppers and methamphetamine to control her weight. She not only overcame the pounds, but she beat drug and alcohol addiction. Check out what how she took action for sobriety and greater wellness.

My story began years ago in high school. I started using diet pills and uppers to lose weight. I starved myself most days, eating a few pieces of bread a day. After high school, I began using Meth. At first, I did it because I wanted to stay skinny, but then a very serious habit formed. After years of being on drugs, I had to move out of California. The only way I could quit using drugs was to get away from everyone I knew I went to Oregon.

Well, after quitting I ended up gaining all the weight back plus much more. I stayed between 230-245 pounds for a few years. Later, when began the Weight Watchers program and started exercising, the weight started coming off. The great thing about Weight Watchers is that I didn’t have to give up the types of food I loved. WW is based on counting points, so you choose your food and make it fit the points limits. However, after a while you realize that candy bar wasn’t really worth the amount of points you just wasted on it when I could have had a whole meal with those points, LOL.

I didn’t go to a gym during my weight loss journey. Instead of taking the bus to work, I forced myself to walk the 2 miles to work. Then I’d be on my feet for 8 hours and walk 2 more miles to get home. After doing that for a while it felt weird not to walk on my days off, so I started walking 4 miles for the exercise on my days off.

I started my journey 4 years ago and it took me almost 2 years to lose the 80 pounds. Since I lost the 80 pounds, I have gained and lost between 5-10 pounds up and down. I also had a major beer/liquor problem for some years, but as of January 17th of this year I have been sober, which has been helping me maintain my weight. My weight in the first picture was 235 pounds and my current weight (in the 2nd picture) is 175 pounds. My height is 5’5″.

I would say that what inspires me now to not give up on my journey is my husband and his kids. They are adults now and I just love them to death. They call me to check up on me just to make sure I’m doing ok with my sobriety. I still struggle with my eating habits at times. I love chocolate, but I stop myself from eating it daily, like I use to do.  When I do eat it, I don’t eat it until I feel sick, which was a problem for me.

My best advise is for the women who struggle with drugs and alcohol and have used them to deal with their weight problems: Please realize that they are already beautiful and that losing weight can be great as long as you do it in a HEALTHY way.

Instagram: @nyc559