( CNN ) -- Three years ago Sharon Twitchell was miserable . Sharon Twitchell lost 110 pounds and went from wearing a size 22 to a size 2 in 10 months . Carrying 227 pounds on her tiny 5 ' 2 '' frame , the 51-year-old mother and wife could barely squeeze into her plus-size clothing . Twitchell is the first of eight CNN.com I-Reporters who shared their weight loss stories with CNN . They revealed their secrets and reflected on the defining moments that motivated them to lose a combined total of 1,167 pounds and how the weight loss has changed their lives . `` I was wearing a size 22 and getting my clothes at stores where the biggest size was a 24 . I asked myself , 'Where are you going to buy your clothes after you get bigger than a size 24 ? ' '' said Twitchell . Adding to her misery , Twitchell says her ballooning weight was also wreaking havoc on her 31-year marriage . `` We were literally just co-existing together , like roommates , '' recalled Twitchell . `` Friends asked my husband to e-mail them a picture of us . Later , I discovered that he had sent them an old photograph taken when I was much smaller . Even though he loved me , he was embarrassed at how much weight I had gained . '' Afraid she would have to purchase clothing from online stores catering to larger women , Twitchell told her husband she 'd had enough and was ready to make a change . Initially , Twitchell made an appointment with her physician in hopes that he would write her a prescription for a pill to help her lose weight . Instead , she says she saw the `` w '' begin to form on his lips and knew he was going to recommend she try Weight Watchers . Uncomfortable with the thought of going to actual meetings , Twitchell lost 30 pounds on her own and eventually joined the online Weight Watchers POINTS program on October 26 , 2004 . She also bought an elliptical machine and a recumbent bicycle and started working out six days a week . The pounds melted off . Ten months and another 80 pounds later , she reached her goal weight on August 26 , 2005 . Twitchell says she has n't been this size since before her first daughter was born . She now weighs 117 pounds and wears a size 2 or 4 , depending on the store . How has this changed her life ? `` I have a marriage again , '' says Twitchell , who recently retired and relocated with her husband from New Jersey to their new home in the mountains of western North Carolina . `` When I finally reached my goal ( weight ) , my wedding ring was two sizes too big . I had already had it resized twice and the jeweler was hesitant that I might lose more weight . Rather than resize it , my husband bought me a new beautiful diamond ring and when he gave it to me he said this was a renewal of our wedding vows , '' she recalled . Twitchell says her husband keeps telling people that he 's got his wife back . This August , the couple will celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary and they could n't be happier . `` If I can lose 110 pounds , anyone can , '' says Twitchell . iReport.com : Have you lost weight ? Share your story , photos and video . E-mail to a friend .
Sharon Twitchell barely fit into a size 22 as her weight peaked at 227 lbs . An online weight loss program and regular exercise helped her lose 110 lbs .