I don’t look my age and I definitely don’t “feel” like my age.

Hi my name is Sharon and I’m 46 years young! While most women don’t share their age, I am proud to disclose mine because since my weight loss of 119lbs. (and counting) many people say, I don’t look my age and I definitely don’t “feel” like my age. The cool thing is that for me, just three years ago weighing in at 287lbs., my highest weight ever, that was not necessarily the case.

Back in 2010, when I was unhappily obese (clinically speaking) unbeknownst to me I was living in denial that my constant weight gain and sedentary lifestyle was at the route of all of my problems: high blood pressure since the age of 27; chronic migraines, mood swings (probably spawned by unaddressed depression), sleep apnea, overweight children and a failing marriage which ultimately ended in 2012…just to name a few of my problems.

The happy ending to my story is that I made a conscious decision on 8/19/10 after having a heart -to- heart with my primary physician (whose concern for me really saved my life) to lose weight and live long. With this personal mission I joined Weight Watchers in September of 2010 and met with great success losing 55lbs., in one year-I was well on my way to realizing a healthier version of myself, but after my first year on Weight Watchers, I hit a plateau and was no longer losing my average 1lb., per/week.

A friend of mine told me about Gail Williams’ Zumba class and I went to my very first class in November of 2011, and to my pleasant surprise, the first class was free. After my first Zumba experience, I was hooked! After 45 minutes, I left Gail’s class feeling alive again, recharged and in control of my body. Don’t get me wrong, after that first class, I was exhausted and in pain because I was working out muscles I didn’t even know I had. The muscle pain soon subsided and it’s been all enjoyment and positive results ever since. In two years of being consistent with it, Zumba has done for me what Weight Watchers and moderate exercise alone could not do. My body needed to move more.

Zumba gave me the increased physical activity I needed to ultimately reach my weight loss goal, not to mention it’s fun!! Since doing Zumba, consistently, coupled with Weight Watchers, I’ve lost an additional 64lbs.! When I’m not “shaking it and working it out on the Zumba floor,” I walk: typically 5 miles daily. In my personal opinion, the keys to my fitness success have been: acknowledgement, healthy eating and consistent exercise. Since November, of 2011 Zumba has become, a staple in my life. I guess you could say I’ve crossed over, no longer a food junky, now I’m a Zumba junky and proud of it! I hope this snapshot of my weight loss journey has served as some source of inspiration because, as a busy mother of three and special education teacher, if I can do it so can you!

– Sharon J., Zumba Participant