Diana: 80 Pounds Down and Feels Amazing!

I’ve known Diana for nearly 20 years. She’s an absolutely wonderful person with a kind heart and soul. After losing 80 pounds on her weight loss journey, she’s well on her way to finding her best health. And what a joy it’s been for me!

What made you choose the program, Diana?

I was looking for a way to lose the pounds I’d gained working at home over the past two years, and I’d been on so many “diets” before and gained the pounds back! I think I’d actually lost hope that I could find a way to eat that was 1) healthy and 2) satisfying enough that I wouldn’t want to go off it and undo my progress (which always happened before and was so discouraging). The special combination of your individual coaching, being able to interact with others online who were succeeding on the program, and the good-tasting and convenient food choices really attracted me.

Was it easy to get started?

Oh, yes! Much easier than with other programs, especially since you were with me step by step and always available to answer questions. I didn’t have many, though, because it was so simple to follow. And your everyday contact that first week really helped me stay on track: I lost 8 pounds and had more energy in just that short time.

When you began the program, how much hope did you have that you’d actually succeed?

Okay, I confess that I was pretty beaten down by my previous failures to lose weight and keep it off. But I knew that the burden of carrying so much weight around was affecting my health as well as my self-esteem, and enough of me was still able to hope for real and lasting success that it was worth a try. Am I ever glad I did!

How long did it take for you to see results that got you excited?

The weight started coming off right away. I was thrilled. The big difference between your program and ones I’d tried before was that the rapid first-week loss didn’t stop there. Every week saw a significant loss from the week before, and that was so exciting and motivating.

What about cravings? Did the program help you there?

Oh, yes! I was surprised, really. I hadn’t dared hope that I wouldn’t have them! Of course, that’s because every other weight loss program I’d tried didn’t help with cravings at all. Working with you, I was amazed to find that I didn’t get hungry as the day went along. That made it so much easier to stay the course and achieve such a great loss.

So, did you exercise while losing the weight?

Um, yes, although my work doesn’t leave me much time for it. Now, don’t laugh: I found a way to get almost-daily exercise using my washing machine! Here’s what I mean:

As a doctor, you know about the value of small periods of exercise, even fidgeting, in helping a person’s fitness. Well, I had decided I wanted to use liquid fabric softener instead of sheets and, with my machine, that meant I had to “catch” it at the moment when it switched from wash to rinse. Then I had to wait until I could open it to add the softener. While I waited, I started walking fast, in place, in front of it! I alternated between a regular pace and super-fast, and sure enough, I got my heart rate up. I always do that now, and I think it helps. I also do this while waiting for the microwave to finish!

In addition, I walk everywhere and carry home big sacks of groceries. By the way, I figured out that at my highest weight, I was carrying around the equivalent of FOUR 20-pound bags on my body!

What improvements in your overall health have you seen or felt as you lost the weight?

I admit that at first I was more interested in looking better as I lost the weight, but it wasn’t long before I realized that I FELT better, too. Being very overweight, I’d had a lot of pain in my knees and feet, so much that sometimes I had to take pain medication after even a short walk. I also got breathless with just a little extra exertion. And I had a mysterious pain in my side that was sometimes very uncomfortable. By the time I’d lost the first 20 pounds, after month or so, they’d ALL gone away! I’m so grateful. I’m happier AND healthier.

What about your confidence level – have you seen any changes?

Oh, my goodness, yes! I think that many people who are seriously overweight feel that others are judging them and not respecting them as much as they deserve. As a result, they tend to hold back from interacting with others. I certainly felt that way. When my appearance started to improve, that changed for the better, and now I love going out, being with friends and making new ones.

Come clean, now. Did you ever “cheat” and eat something that wasn’t on the program? If so, what did you do about it?

Oh, dear, I was afraid you’d ask that! Yes, I did. Not often. In the past, when I was trying to stay on “diets” that were hard to follow or forced me to eat types or amounts of foods I didn’t especially like, a single “extra” bite would set me off on a binge. Often it amounted to hundreds of calories and made me despair of being able to restart eating according to plan. Sometimes I never did get back to losing and ended up gaining even more.

Working with you and following the program, I knew that even if I went off it, once I returned to it, the weight would again start coming off quickly, and it did. That meant I could put my “bad” behavior behind me quickly, too. It made a really important difference to my being able to stay with the program over time.

Congratulations on your new body and mind! How does the future look to you now?

It’s honestly hard to express how happy I am thanks to you and the outstanding results I’ve had with the program. Of course I was happy when I lost weight earlier, on other programs, BUT I always felt that at any moment I could be tempted back to overeating the fattening foods, like pizza and potato chips, that I loved. So I never felt that what I’d achieved would last, and not surprisingly, it didn’t. With you and the program, I LIKE the way I’ve been helped to eat, and I’ve been surprised that I simply don’t crave those foods anymore. Believe me, this is a first! But it’s real, and I’m so grateful. I see my future as full of opportunity and enjoyment, and every day brings the joy of looking and feeling strong and healthy. Thank you so much.

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