Abstract:
Suizan's Story: From Accidental Healthy Mom to Empowered Advocate
Born 9 pounds 9 ounces, my struggle with weight started on day one—and it didn’t get easier. I filled my plate like it was my last meal, inquired about dinner while eating lunch, and grew up hearing, “Suizan, you have such a pretty face… should you be eating that?” None of these comments ever inspired me to lose weight. Shame never does. But transformation doesn't begin with guilt—it begins with honesty. I used to believe willpower was the answer. I now know it's about sustainability, self-awareness, and giving yourself grace. The truth is, if I only ate when I was hungry, I wouldn’t have ended up 100 lbs overweight. And if I waited until I felt “ready,” I might never have started.
Everything changed after my mommy makeover. I had just undergone a major elective surgery, and I wasn’t about to take that for granted, being a mommy of two. I went for a walk. Then another. One block turned into many. Walking became weight training. I joined a gym. When I returned to my doctor a year later, I had lost another 60 pounds—and gained something far more powerful: momentum.
Twenty years later, I’m still 100 pounds lighter. I’m stronger. Healthier. Happier. Not because I followed a perfect program, but because I found the habit that stuck. I became the accidental healthy mom—and discovered that the only program that works is the one you’ll actually do.
