The Story...

What a surprise I have for those of you that have been following this blog since the beginning...

I have been asked and decided to participate in Dr. Garcia's program for testimonials. There will be some print media, radio advertising, possible billboards and whatever else they'd like to do with "my story". While this is all a little surreal to me, I'm thrilled for the opportunity to help others reach their goals through my story. If I help one person, it makes the journey all worthwhile.

So, here's a copy of "The Story" for all of you to read what bits and pieces may be used in the future. Tomorrow I have a 'photo session' with a friend who is a photographer to take some good "after" pictures. I sure wish there was something I could do to have better "before" pictures, but I'm certainly not willing to go back and re-create them! LOL

And....here's the story....

My Journey

When asked to write my “story” for Dr. Garcia’s office, I struggled on where to start. I mean, my weight gain started years and years ago. The last time I remember being thin was the beginning of my senior year of high school.

I remember portion control being a BIG issue. I remember trying every diet under the sun. I’ve tried them all, any fad, lose 10 pounds quick diet. There’s even a diet that you eat beets and ice cream, along with other things for three days. For the record, I hate beets! I’ve tried the cabbage soup thing. I’ve tried Weight Watchers. I tried Slim-fast. I tried at one time even using laxatives, and the only thing I ended up with on that was Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Great!

I’ve been in weight loss support groups. Funny, the support group would meet weekly. We’d starve all day to weigh in, then go to weigh in, meeting and then…yes, go out to eat at a pizza place. I kid you not!

About 25 years ago, my father lost 35 pounds. He’s kept every bit of it off, still today. He eats healthy, he exercises a little bit but he also never forbids himself from having something that he wants. He doesn’t eat a lot of junk food, but once every six weeks or so he allows himself a treat of a greasy cheeseburger. His way is; he thinks, he decides and then he eats. He has a big breakfast once a week, the rest of the week he eats very healthy. I was sure that he thought if I would just begin doing what he was doing and making the same decisions that he is making I would lose weight. I have…I have done the same thing only to return to my “normal” habits, and never having lost “all that much”.

In January 2005 I was due to have some surgery and I was devastated when it was put off because I had to lose 12 pounds in order to have it. I was crushed. It was elective surgery and I was unable to do it until my BMI (Body Mass Index) was in the “right spot”. I think that’s the only time I was ever successful at the weight loss attempt and I kept it off, all the way through the surgery. As soon as that was done, I gained it all back, and then some.

So, why in 2008 after struggling with weight and diet programs since 1986 would I want to start something now? What is different? Why should I expect a different result here and what, on earth, is my family going to say when they find out that I’ve now decided to start yet another diet program. This one including medication, shots, etc. would probably not go over very well.

Actually, telling my family went better than I thought. They were supportive, my friends were supportive and so the journey began. I started the program on 12/22/08. Three days before Christmas. Everyone tried to convince me to wait it out through the holidays, but I think I finally realized that it wasn’t about the holidays. It wasn’t about the food on my plate, it wasn’t about FOOD at all, yet for years, I’d been making everything about food. I wanted life to be about living life and not living to eat. I began to feel strongly that it shouldn’t matter what’s on my plate. If I’m at dinner with my family, my friends, my boyfriend, whom ever…it should be about the fellowship of being together, spending time with the people I love and NOT about what’s on everyone’s plate. Once I realized that, I was good to go.

I committed to Dr. Garcia’s program, started it before I told anyone and never, ever once, looked back. I strictly followed the program. I drank the water. I followed the meal plan. I did the exercise. I REACHED my goal. I had a little; personal ‘goal’ during the entire journey and it was to have “No Gain To Goal” meaning I would post a loss each and every week until I hit my goal. I initially set my goal where it would have been a 62.2 pound loss. However, very early into the program I decided that I wanted to add another 15 pounds to my goal. To date, as I am in the third week of transition I have reached my goal of 135 and was actually under that when I weighed in this week.

This is flat-out absolutely the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I know, and I’ve told others, until you’re ready to make the lifestyle change it will never, ever be successful. I was ready, I committed to the change in my lifestyle. I didn’t do this as a diet program; I did this as a lifestyle change. I did this to lose weight, look and feel fabulous and continue on living a completely different lifestyle than what my body has become used to for the past 23 years. I live my life today, completely different than I have any day in the last 23 years. First off, I live life for ME today, but what that means, is I do the things I need to do to take care of myself. Realizing, finally, that if I don’t take care of me, I’m no good to others! Today, I make sure I have time to eat properly. I plan my day and my meals, I work out or plan not to, but I am making conscious decisions.

So, here I am, 184 days after the start of the program, down 77.8 pounds and thrilled with my new life. I’ve not taken medication for my IBS or migraines, or barely even Advil since the start of the program. I feel fabulous, I’m healthier than I’ve been in years, and this has done absolutely amazing things for my self-esteem. Again, it has been the best thing I’ve ever done.
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Again, over and over again, I thank all of you who have been my support system throughout the six-months during this program. Without my fabulous friends and family I could never have done as well as I've done with this. I love you all, so very much!!!