Two years ago Nancy Adams, a high school drop out turned Cal State Long Beach professor, decided she had one more challenge to conquer: her lifelong battle with obesity.
Diet after diet had failed, and she knew that losing weight would be a big challenge. But challenges are nothing new to Adams.
When Adams was 17, she dropped out of high school to care for her two small children. Adams had to put her educational goals on hold as she worked as a bartender and waitress for more than 20 years while she raised her children almost entirely by herself.
When her children were old enough to attend college, Adams began to consider it for herself.
“I decided that I didn’t want to be a waitress for the rest of my life,” Adams said. “I saw my kids starting college and they encouraged me to go back to school. The longer I went to school, the more my professors influenced me.”
Adams received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida International University and went on to get a Ph.D. from the school of social work at the University of Tennessee.
In 2005, Adams became a professor at CSULB and last fall was promoted to associate director of the school of social work. She has been awarded the Most Valuable Professor in the school of social work four out of the last five years.
Adams’ story is not only motivational but also educational to the students who take her classes. She uses her younger self as an example of the type of people that social workers try to help.
“I ask my students: If this story was in front of you, what questions would you ask them?” Adams said. “How would you help them? My story teaches these students to keep an open mind and that they really have to hear people’s stories to be able to help them.”
Adams decided in December 2010 that it was time to take on the challenge of losing weight.
“I wanted to be in better shape,” Adams said. “And I felt that weight was the one thing in my life that I hadn’t been able to conquer.”
Sixteen months ago, Adams decided to have bariatric weight loss surgery to jump-start her weight loss efforts. However, the surgery was just a part of her commitment to leading a healthier lifestyle.
“I went to 12 group sessions that were meant to prepare us both mentally and physically,” Adams said. “As a social worker, I thought that this was a great approach to weight loss.”
Adams is participating in three half marathons this year as a part of the Beach City Challenge, and speaking at support group meetings to help motivate those who are trying to lose weight.
Since the day she decided to lose weight, Adams has lost a total of 96 pounds.
“Everybody’s been very supportive,” Adams said. “I continue to shock people who haven’t seen me for a while. Most importantly, I’ve been very lucky to be surrounded by colleagues and family that support me.”