Magic number nears

Editor’s note: Throughout 2012, the Chronicle is following local residents who have made commitments to improve their health, including losing weight, periodically running follow-up stories on their progress.

DAVE SIGLER/Chronicle

DAVE SIGLER/Chronicle Chris and Carol Winterbottom work on cooking dinner in their Pine Ridge home. They are following a Weight Watchers diet to reach their goal of 299 pounds. This day Chris is cooking steak fajitas, which is nine points a piece as opposed to 15 points for an ordinary fajita.

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Pine Ridge residents Chris and Carol Winterbottom, each beginning with weights more than 300 pounds, have additional challenges with diabetes, sleep apnea, back, hip and knee problems. Chris’ beginning weight: 335. Carol: 311. They’ve chosen to follow the Weight Watchers program.

This story is the second in the Winterbottoms’ saga.

Nancy Kennedy
Staff Writer
BEVERLY HILLS — Chris and Carol Winterbottom began 2012 with a goal to lose weight.

However, first they had a 10-day cruise to go on and survive the non-stop eating extravaganzas cruises are notorious for.

“The food wasn’t that good this time,” Carol said.
Even so, she came back 8 pounds heavier and Chris 4 pounds up.
But they also came back determined to get started on their weight loss mission.

“For the first week we were back, waiting for the next Monday to sign up for Weight Watchers, we ate like we were on it already,” Carol said.

She had been on the program before, losing as much as 50 pounds until a back injury landed her in bed for months at a time and she gained it back. Although the program has changed since she was last following it, she knew enough to know the basics.

“By the first meeting I lost 11 pounds!” Carol said.
Her husband had been losing weight even before their joint New Year’s resolution. As of last week, two full weeks into the program, he’s at 315. Carol’s at 305.

They haven’t set a goal weight yet. Right now their eyes are on the magic number: 299. They want to get below 300.

Carol thinks Chris will get there before she does, even though he has more pounds to lose. Already he has dropped one pants size, from 54 to 52.

“It’s a man thing,” Chris said. “It’s unfair because men can sneeze and lose weight, and it’s much harder for women.”

He said the advantage women have is that they actually like salads. He tolerates them, although they’re growing on him.

Eating out is also a challenge. Their first week on Weight Watchers Carol went out to eat three days in a row.

“It’s hard when they bring the Italian bread to the table and you stare at it until you tell them to take it away,” she said.

So far with their limitations they haven’t found an exercise they can do, although they checked out a local water exercise schedule.

“It’s three times a week, and we’re going to try to go,” Carol said. “Right now I’m feeling better — cortisone shots.”

“I’m getting frustrated,” Chris said. “Because of nerve damage I can’t walk on uneven ground; I can’t walk downhill.”

Still, they’re both determined to succeed. Chris is the cook and he’s finding ways to lower the calories and fat in his favorite recipes.
They both agree that being accountable to thousands of Chronicle readers is just the motivation they need.

“I’ve done this before,” Carol said, “but something always happens. Last year it was my back. I hope this time to do it. I really want to lose this weight — I’m tired of it.”

Chronicle reporter Nancy Kennedy can be reached at nkennedy@chronicleonline.com or 352-564-2927.