Having someone to go on a weight-loss journey with you can be a major motivator, and that’s a huge part of the reason why Becky and Donnie Hensley decided to try and lose weight together. Using Weight Watchers, the North Carolina couple, who happen to be in their 70s, was able to lose a combined total of nearly 400 pounds! They apparently couldn’t be happier about their transformation.
But it didn’t happen overnight. It’s been seven years since the Hensleys first started this process together. They also claim there was a little “divine intervention” involved in getting them to commit to their weight loss journey.
“I was praying, and the Lord spoke to me, and said, ‘Go find Donnie, and ask him to go to Weight Watchers with you,'” Becky Hensley told North Carolina’s WSOC-TV, and that’s how it all began.
When they started, Becky and Donnie weighed about 370 pounds each. Becky has lost 165 pounds since starting the program, while Donnie has lost 208 pounds. Q13FOX got a photo of the couple holding up their “old” pants to their new selves to show just how much their bodies have changed.
Couple in their 70s loses nearly 400 pounds together https://t.co/N4MwGz0RFe pic.twitter.com/hTVTiHCLhP
— #Q13FOX (@Q13FOX) January 9, 2018
And now, they couldn’t imagine going back to their old way of life.
“I can’t imagine going back and being that big,” Donnie told WLOS-TV. His wife added, “But the important thing is not what we’ve lost, it’s what we’ve gained, and how we have learned how to keep it off.”
One reason people who use Weight Watchers praise the program is because it encourages its participants to eat what they like, based on a point system. It puts an emphasis on moderation, and that’s perhaps why so many people have responded to this dieting method.
Mike Daggat, another user of the system, nearly lost his career in the U.S. Air Force due to his weight, and that’s when he turned to Weight Watchers. In just six months, he had met his goal of weighing 175 pounds.
No matter what weight loss method works for you, the important thing is that you stick with it. According to Daggat, “Losing weight and getting healthy has nothing to do with luck. You have to remain disciplined and focused. Set your sights on your goals and go after it!”
The people at Weight Watchers, including spokesperson Oprah Winfrey herself, found the Hensleys’ story so inspiring they asked them to help motivate other subscribers online, according to WLOS.
Here’s to achieving all of the healthy lifestyle goals you have set for 2018!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
