“…your coach for a healthy life.”
I am one of the millions that have dealt with obesity since they were a child. I had a great childhood with healthy weight parents and currently have a great group of friends. I just have an addiction to food; I love everything about it. I remember in grade school when they made every student get in front of the class and get weighed and I was the only one that was 100 pounds— now if that doesn’t mess with your body image I don’t know what does.
Over the years I have done all the diets.
Atkins: lost 30 pounds but it is not a way to eat for the rest of my life. Gained all the weight back.
Optifast: Oprah lost 70 pounds and I did too— fast forward a year after losing 70 pounds, I regained the weight and then was up 80 pounds.
Eat little to nothing: lost weight but no way could I live my life that way- I love food.
At my highest, I got to 298 pounds (January 2000) when I went to Weight Watchers. I then began an on and off commitment to Weight Watchers and continued successfully over the next 7 years to drop down to 225 pounds. I would lose 30 and then gain 10, still on and off the program.
I just turned 60 and my health took a turn with the diagnosis of osteoporosis (that doesn’t happen to big gals, but yes it does thanks to genetics) and the need for a new knee. I am independent and love to travel so nothing is going to keep me down. This was the alarm in my mind that said I have to get off this roller coaster of on and off diets and figure out the final solution.
This is when Heather enters my life. At the first meeting, we spent 90 minutes going over my food diary and talking about what I wanted to accomplish and my concerns regarding my health. Being a long time Weight Watcher member, I was reluctant to make a change from that plan. Heather came up with a plan that addressed my health issues focusing on protein and calcium and 1600 calories a day. I have been tracking religiously in My Fitness Pal and have consistently been losing a pound a week. She has shared ideas on how to achieve my protein and calcium goals. All the food I fix I love and it is real food. Heather is very focused on eating natural food and we will look at labels together to come up with the best choice. She will also help interpret your blood results and determine appropriate dietary changes. I love to cook so it has been fun to tweak recipes to lower calorie count but keep the awesome flavor. Most plans in the past kept me at about 1300 calories and I am hungry with only 1300 calories. She has helped me focus on how my body feels when I eat in a healthy way. I am not hungry and am down to 179 pounds with my goal of 170 pounds in reach! She listens and never judges and is your coach for a healthy life. I am 100% confident for the first time in my life that I will not go back to my unhealthy ways and it feels empowering. Buying all new clothes and getting rid of all the fat clothes is a plus!