This 23-Year-Old Graduate Student Lost More Than 100 Lbs. — and Got Her Confidence Back: 'I Feel Comfortable In My Body' (Exclusive)
"I’m not afraid of fitness anymore. Working out makes me feel good," Cat Brooks tells PEOPLE
Courtesy of Cat Brooks; Caleb Santiago Alvarado
Cat BrooksCat Brooks used to be a self-described “anti-walker”: “I was the person who would circle the grocery store parking lot to try to get a space at the front. Now I happily park in the back to get my extra steps in!”
Brooks began her transformation in April 2021. At the time, she was 266 lbs., working in a cubicle, going to school online because of the pandemic and “sitting and eating and being sad,” she says.
A WeightWatchers ad popped onto her computer screen one morning. By that afternoon she’d signed up. In the past, “I struggled with binge eating and portion control.” But the program’s app helped keep her accountable.
“I spend tons of time on my phone, so having an app to track my food was super easy,” says Brooks, who turns to it for recipes when she does her Sunday night weekly food prep. “It pushes me out of my comfort zone with the use of vegetables and protein.”
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Related: PEOPLE's Editor in Chief Wendy Naugle on Going 'Beyond the Scale' to 'Meaningful Wins'
Before she began to embrace portion control, healthy food choices and more activity (Zumba and walking are favorites), Brooks hated being in photos.
“I would volunteer to take the pictures. I was super uncomfortable in my own skin,” says Brooks, who frequently posts her meals, workouts and selfies on Instagram (@catgetsfitonww) for her nearly 15k followers. “Now I’m the first one to say, ‘Let’s take a group picture.’ ”
Although she’s lost more than her 100-lb. goal and is now at 148 lbs., her motivation is “no longer about weight loss,” says Brooks, who gets up early to do a mile walk on her treadmill each day. “I’m not afraid of fitness anymore. Working out makes me feel good. I do it for the happy endorphins.”
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