NORWICH – Cindy Wier decided to change her lifestyle for the better three years ago after taking a careful look at the family tree, her children and some of the medical issues plaguing her relatives.

In February of 2007, motivated by an American Heart Association pamphlet one of the kids brought home from school, Cindy took positive action immediately and began working out that same day. In just seven months, she lost 84 pounds, going from 229 to 145.

What’s important to understand is Cindy’s story was written by one’s sheer will for change.

A married full-time mother of three, Cindy didn’t have the time or money to spare and made due with what she had.

“The Heart Association was looking for pledges for their Jump Rope for Heart program and with it came a pamphlet. I looked at my mother’s side of the family, which has a strong history of heart-related health issues,” said Cindy.

Cindy said some in her family suffered from diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses that only a healthy lifestyle could ward off. Taking a hard look at how to shape her children’s life habits, she decided it was time for change.

“I read the info and I decided – it just clicked in my head and in my heart at the same time. I knew the health concerns in my family, I was obese and I asked myself how were my kids going to be one day. As much as this was for me, it was for them too,” she said. “I have three kids; I can’t just go to the gym each day and I wanted to set an example for them at home.”

Not even owning any workout clothing or sneakers, Cindy opted to start walking around her family’s country property in the town of Norwich. Walking 10 quarter-mile laps a day, Cindy increased the number as she progressed to 12 laps, then 15 then 20 until she was doing up to 50 laps around her home a day.

But that’s not all she did.

In addition to going for her first of many walks, Cindy scheduled a doctor’s appointment and was able to see her physician the following day due to a fortunate cancellation opening.

As she kept her body moving, Cindy began educating herself on what proper health really was. She brushed the dust off of two things in her life she already had but never used, old gym equipment that had become a clothing rack and she became active in an Internet health group she had joined prior to the February epiphany.