At My Highest Weigh of 372…
and a 6’1 frame, I knew I needed to make a change. I had high blood pressure, sleep apnea and was told that I had boarder line diabetes at just 40 years old. But it wasn’t until an accident at work that resulted in me needing a total knee replacement that I started getting serious about losing weight.
The fact that I had to get the weight off to have knee surgery forced me to finally make a change. I had heard about The Weigh Station though my sister in law and she encouraged me to go. I made the call and got started in October of 2015. Little did I know that in less than a year’s time, my weight and health was going to change drastically for the better!
The first month was difficult, I had to make changes to my normal routine like avoiding fast food (although you can still eat some fast food on the program, I made a personal decision not to). I went from eating pasta and lasagna to eating poultry and veggies. It wasn’t easy at first but once you start seeing the weight come off it becomes very motivating to continue. I also noticed I started sleeping better after I hit the 300 lb mark (a weight loss of about 72 pounds). My energy increased substantially and I was able to come off my blood pressure medication after about 3 months on the program. Ultimately it took about 8 months to lose 140 lbs!
Currently I weigh about 220 pounds and feel great. I have had my knee replacement and feel like a new person. My tastes for foods have changed too. At a recent family reunion I had a piece of ham and could tell it had added sugar! I enjoy the tastes of vegetables more. Before I craved pasta and now that I’m in maintenance, my favorite thing to eat is a small sweet potato which I previously hated. I also enjoy summer squash with Parmesan cheese and pepperoni.
One piece of advice is to not get into the mindset that “I’m done” when you lose your weight. This is a lifestyle change. Take advantage of The Weigh Station’s maintenance program and listen to the staff’s recommendations. Add small amounts of what the staff recommends and then see how your body reacts. It’s a balancing game.
I can’t say enough about the staff. They have excellent Bed Side Manner and truly care about their patients. Listen to [the doctor] and you will be successful!
