Gloria Pintado's story: 'Never give up' on weight loss

When I was called and told I was the 2023 TOPS Louisiana queen, I was speechless. I never thought I could be state queen. I am still in awe of the honor.
My weight loss journey started after my husband died at age 43. I had to do something about my weight and get healthy because I had two children at home who needed me. My journey is a long one, with many ups and downs.
I started in 1996 when I joined TOPS for the first time at a weight of 225 pounds. I did great and made it to KOPS in December of 1996. I kept my KOPS status for a few years until I lost it. I stayed in TOPS but just could not get back to KOPS. I stopped going to meetings for a few years. During those years I would come back to meetings a few times but just could not commit.
The last time I came back was in 2017 at a weight of 264 pounds. This was the most I had ever weighed in my life, and I told myself I had to lose the weight this time. I knew what I had to do.
I started eating healthier foods, lots of salads, vegetables, fruits and proteins. I used smaller plates for better portion control. I never liked water, but I started drinking more water. Now drinking water has become a daily habit.
I could not walk for exercise, so I did chair exercises. It finally worked. This last time took six years to reach KOPS at my goal of 193 pounds, for a total loss of 71 pounds. I went from a size 22 to a size 14/16 and I feel so much better.
I am an assistant weight recorder, which helped me to keep going to my meetings every week. I try to encourage my members when they weigh in, whether they lose or gain.
I want to thank my immediate family and most of all my TOPS family LA 0405 Pierre Part. I could not have done it without all of them. My total journey took over 25 years, but even with the ups and downs, I made it, and you can too. Please never give up because as you can see, I am living proof you can reach your goals.