Hearing someone's success story from a weight loss or fitness program can be just the nudge  - or really an all-out push! - we need to say "I can do that!" I heard such a story from Wildwood Y member Gretchen Katinas, and she generously agreed to share it:

"One day, when I was heavier than I’ve ever been, I decided I wanted to live and
not have the health issues. I went up to the Wildwood Y, feeling very uncomfortable with my size, and got on an elliptical machine. Within five minutes I was out of breath.

The Y people said “keep up the good work!” How encouraging.

There’s no static about your size at the Y.

Then I heard about the Y Weight Loss Challenge. I got into it, doing exercise three times a week with my challenge team, joined Weight Watchers too, and after a few Challenges I lost 75 pounds!

I don’t want to be in the boat where I take tons of medicine when I’m older. All
I take is a multivitamin. I feel good, better than I ever have. I’ve run a few 5Ks,
something I never in a million years thought that I’d do.

My Y trainer Jon-Michael Gavosto pushes me and tells me what to do. He doesn’t
let me talk myself out of it. I feel accountable just because he’s there.

On a trip to Jamaica, the security agent kept looking at me, looking at my passport, looking at me. I look so different. And I feel great."

Note: The next Y Weight Challenge begins September 9 at the Wildwood Y. Participants lose an average of 20 pounds within 12 weeks. The deadline for applications is September 3. Applications are available on our website.