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Like many people, when Kathy Sieger, 55, was stuck at home during COVID, she leaned on food and alcohol. “I was drinking a glass of wine three, four or five nights a week, eating unhealthy foods and ordering out. I went back to all of my old, unhealthy habits. I gained 30 pounds during COVID,” she tells TODAY.
Her weight climbed to 160 pounds and her doctor warned her that she could be on the path toward diabetes and heart issues, something she worried about, since her father had a heart attack when he was 55.
In March 2021, as the pandemic was easing a bit and places were opening back up, she found herself once again eating fast food and drinking in front of the TV with her husband. An ad for WeightWatchers came on — the plan had worked for her in the past — and she told her husband she had to go back.
“COVID is what brought me back to WeightWatchers for good,” she says. “I needed to be around people who were like me, who sort of knew what we needed to do, but needed help getting there.”
She says when she had done WeightWatchers in the past, she knew how much she could eat, but she didn’t always choose the right foods.
“This time, I loosened up in the meetings and listened to people online and I got great recipes. I learned about the point systems and the right foods to fuel myself and feel full and satisfied. I took it seriously this time, and the weight came right off once I set my mind to it,” she says. “I’ve made the commitment to myself to not go back to my old ways.”
She made healthy eating her project
Sieger loves junk food and wasn’t good at preparing meals. “It was hard for me to get into making good, healthy meals that satisfied me, and making healthier desserts to satisfy my cravings,” she said.
“My kids were all out of college and out of the house, and it was just my husband and me. He traveled a little bit, so I thought, ‘I’m going to take the time to learn how to become a good cook.”
She uses the WeightWatchers app to track her points: “I’m one of those people who’s the most honest tracker ever. I count everything. I use that app like it’s my Bible. It pushes me to do better. I go to the store and scan something and I think, ‘I could have it, but is it worth those points, or should I do something else instead?’ The app helps me keep on track.”
She found recipes online or created her own that were balanced and easy to cook. “Once I got into it, it was so much fun. My kids would come for dinner and ask me to send them the recipes.
Some of her favorites are:
- Egg white omelets with veggies and fat-free or low-fat cheese
- Protein pancakes
- Egg roll in a bowl
- Lettuce wraps
- Cucumber and yellow pepper sandwiches
- Big salads with protein
- Zucchini noodles with ground turkey and veggies.
- Carb-balanced tortilla chips with either cinnamon or everything-but-the-bagel seasoning to make them a sweet or savory snack
She fuels her marathon training with smart food choices
When Sieger’s kids were in elementary and middle school and she was looking for friends and social connection, she joined a group of women runners. She ran 5Ks and 10ks and fell in love with the sport. “You just need tennis shoes and an outfit and off you go. There are so many positive people out there and it’s fun,” she says.
In 2012 she ran the Chicago Marathon, but after that, she took a break from running. “I was still raising my kids, and I got into bad habits,” she says.
After her kids were out of the house, she started doing Orangetheory and Peloton and she signed up for some local races.
A friend got her into the Boston Marathon, and after she ran that, she decided she wanted to run the marathons known as the Six, or the World Marathon Majors. Chicago and Boston were done, she ran London last year and she’s doing New York City this year. That will leave Berlin and Tokyo on her list. (Sydney was recently added to the list).
“Running started out as something I wanted to use to lose weight and meet people, and then it became something I really enjoy. I like the challenge. I feel so good after I accomplish something that not a lot of people can say they’ve done,” she says.
She has activity points added to her allotment depending on how hard she works out, and she uses them for foods that give her enough energy and stamina for her workouts.
She’s in a better place with her mental health
Sieger didn’t take much time for herself when her kids were younger because she was so focused on them. “Once my kids were grown, there was nothing there for me to do anymore. I needed to define myself,” she says.
“I take the time to get my run in and do my meal prep, and I feel like I’m a much happier person because of it. I feel good in my own skin, which is a huge thing.”
