All of my life I had struggled with my weight. Between my love for food and my resistance to "diet plans" (really, how does a plan where you starve yourself for a limited time keep the weight off long term?) I thought I was destined to be overweight forever and simply couldn't understand why I couldn't eat like "normal" people and look like "normal" people, too.

By the time my weight had ballooned up from 160 to 200 pounds post-college, I knew I had to do something, however, or else my health would be at risk. At a friend's recommendation, I checked out Weight Watchers on-line program and felt...