My weight problem first started when I was 50. I had recently quit smoking and undergone a hysterectomy. A year went by, and I put on a few pounds. Then another year, and another few pounds. After quitting smoking my taste buds woke up and food tasted delicious again. When I sat down for a meal my better judgment was pushed to the side and my stomach took over.

That meant second, third, and sometimes fourth helpings. I used food to reward myself for taking care of my elderly mother, I ate when life was getting to me, and I certainly ate a lot when I went through nicotine withdrawal. I should have known I was heading for trouble.

At my heaviest I weighed 258 Ibs. I had difficulty breathing and was finding it almost impossible to take care of my 96-year-old mother. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, and was put on pills for high blood pressure and a number of other things.

I began trying ways to lose weight, but nothing was working for me. My daughter owned six Herbal Magic stores at the time - I tried their products for free for an entire year - nothing happened. The turning point came when I had a number of mini strokes. I knew it was time to consider other options.

That's when I found Slimband. My husband, a retired firefighter, supported me all the way in my decision. When I came to Slimband I met Rosanne and she was my inspiration. My six children were also on my side. I had my surgery in 2010, and since then my life has turned around. When I see my children now, they say that I look 40 years younger than I actually am. After losing 118 pounds with the Slimband program where I received plenty of nutritional guidance and online support on the Slimband Community, I would have to say the best thing is that I feel (and look) absolutely amazing.