Monika before (left) and after she lost 55 pounds.

The North Shore Shape Up 2014 Weight Loss Challenge is up and running! While the challenge is going, Shorelines wants to bring you stories of bank employees who’ve lost weight and improved their health. If you have a story you want to share — or know someone who does — email shorelines@northshorebank.com.

Staff Auditor Monika Ulatt recently earned her Weight Watchers lifetime membership and has lost 55 pounds. Monika talked to us about how she did it.

What was your motivation in joining Weight Watchers At Work and sticking to the program? Why was losing weight so important to you?

In January 2013, I saw the doctor for my annual checkup, during which we discussed family history. One of the things I told him was about the current health problems both my mom and dad were dealing with. He said I should lose 50 pounds because it would greatly reduce the chances of my having to face the same issues. Well, at that moment, I just laughed and said, “Sure, no problem, I will get right on that!” Unfortunately, less than two weeks later, my father died from heart complications.

After the loss of my dad, I realized I needed to get rid of the extra weight. It happened that my fellow auditor (and good friend!) Nicole Curtis had been attending Weight Watchers At Work meetings for a few months. We had been talking regularly about the things she learned, and I saw her success with healthy weight loss. When she invited me to the Weight Watchers open enrollment meeting, I went and thought the program could work for me too.

What changes did you make that worked?

Meal portion sizes were a big part of my losing weight. I had to change a lifelong habit of overeating because I grew up with great family recipes and I love the dishes my husband creates. Now I eat reasonably sized helpings at home and always take leftovers from restaurants.

What was the hardest part of losing the weight?

Every week isn’t a loss. There are times when I actually gain a little weight. Those are challenging times. Sometimes it is hard to keep faith that things will get back on track if you just continue to follow the program.

What was the easiest part?

Meeting the leader, Susie, and everyone who was an At Work member. I immediately saw the benefit of group support and how important the meetings would be for me. I felt inspired the very first day by everyone around me. People sometimes say taking the first step is the hardest part, but for me signing up was the easiest part.

How do you feel about your weight now? Would you like to lose more?

I am so happy that I have exceeded the weight-loss goal set by my doctor (my total weight loss to date is 55 pounds). However, I am just below the highest acceptable weight for my height. So, yes, I will continue to work on losing more weight.

What has been the most exciting part of losing 60 pounds?

For both my husband and me, it has to be that I don’t snore anymore. We are now both getting a good night’s sleep. This was not an expectation, but definitely a surprise. It is also one of those “non-scale” victories we celebrate at Weight Watchers meetings.