"Some people believe that because you're obese, you don't have the right to have feelings," said Jenny Duncan, a Coeur d'Alene woman who recently lost more than 300 pounds. "Most of them wouldn't think of yelling at someone out their car window, but I've even had people throw things at me out of moving cars."

In 2004, Duncan weighed 509 pounds. Today, after attending Weight Watchers, she is almost at her goal weight of 169.

"But I've already met my ultimate goal and that was to become a better mom, wife and person," she said.

The 32-year-old said she grew up in an abusive family where everyone was obese. Food became her best friend and the only part of her life she could control.

"From the age of 3 up until I was 18, I was physically, emotionally and sexually abused. I honestly believe, though, that no matter what your circumstances, you can overcome anything. The abuse has to be part of my story, no matter how uncomfortable it makes people," Duncan said.

"I've been obese since I was 5 years old - it was the abuse factor. School was hard for me because I couldn't experience things that other kids were experiencing. Like nobody asked me to my senior prom, so I went stag."

Duncan said she had never tried to diet before joining Weight Watchers. She had also avoided photographs. A casual picture taken by a friend in 2004 would help change her life.

"All of a sudden, I could see what I was doing to my family and I knew I wasn't the mom I wanted to be," she said. "Then one day my husband said, 'I don't know how long I can stay with you because I'm watching you kill yourself every day.'"

The final straw came when Duncan's mother-in-law offered to pay for a Weight Watchers membership for her. Duncan was offended - but she went, anyway.

"I was the largest person at the meeting and I was so scared I was shaking. I thought there wasn't enough food on the program for me to survive. I mean, my portions before had been huge."

Her first 13 weeks on the plan, Duncan lost 50 pounds. The rest of experience, she discovered, wouldn't go as smoothly.

Between 2004 and 2007 she lost 200 pounds, but then became pregnant with her second child. Weight Watchers policy required her membership be placed on hold until after the birth.

Duncan's doctor then put her on bed rest and limited her walking to no more than five minutes at a time. She gained 100 pounds.

"I'd gone back into the Krispy-Kreme-doughnut cycle. I felt like I was a horrible mom and a horrible person.

"When I returned to Weight Watchers, it was a little like going back to prison because I'd eaten with such liberty when I was pregnant. After a year I left and decided to do it on my own - it didn't work."

Duncan credited her husband for her return to the program.

"We were sitting in my car on our wedding anniversary and I was crying," she said. "I was very upset that I was as large as I was on yet another anniversary. Jeremy turned to me, then, and said, 'I've seen your struggles and you tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it.'"

The next day she was back at Weight Watchers.

Is she a different woman today than she was nine years ago?

"When you're as big as I was, it's so hard to relate to people - how do you get past the embarrassment of needing two seat belt extenders when you fly? As you lose that weight, though, you let go of those things and your self-confidence is way higher.

"This journey has been 95 percent mental and 5 percent physical - the really hard part was getting past the emotional baggage."