Looking back now, she said, it wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be to make the necessary changes. But at the time, it seemed impossible. To get started, Paula joined an all-female fitness club in Queens, located on the route between her apartment and Flushing Manor. Three or four nights a week on her way home, she’d stop at the club and walk on the treadmill. After getting comfortable with the surroundings and working up to a brisk 20- or 30-minute walk over several weeks, she decided to try an exercise class. Now, Paula enjoys all kinds of cardio classes, dance classes and weight-training instruction. “I never would have had the confidence to take a class before,” she said. “But the group element has really helped me stay with it and not get bored.”

She also made changes to her diet, sticking to a diet low in carbohydrates and high in lean proteins like fish and chicken. She also eats lots of fruits and vegetables and dines out only occasionally. The family drinks lots of water and doesn’t keep soda, ice cream, cookies, chips or other unhealthy snacks in the house anymore. Her husband and their oldest daughter, now 18 years old and a freshman at Dartmouth College, were both healthy eaters all along, but her 13-year-old daughter has had a harder time adjusting to the healthier meals. “She’s a lot like me,” Paula said. “We both like fast food and sugar, but nowadays we save those treats for once a month, not once or twice a week.”

The best part of the changes has been the results, she added. Paula weighed 160 pounds when she began her journey to better health, and for the last year, she’s kept her weight steady at a healthy 140 pounds. For Paula, however, the results aren’t just measured in pounds or inches — her healthier lifestyle has also restored her confidence and enthusiasm. “After I work out, I always feel great and I sleep better at night,” she said. “It’s not a bad feeling to look in the mirror and like what you see!”