When I had my 1st child almost 10 years ago I wore my jeans home from the hospital. However, when I had my 2nd child 2 years later, I didn’t lose any of the weight, and I actually gained more as the years passed by. I became very depressed in the years following due to my weight and also because of a failed marriage which in turn just led to me eating more and of course gaining more weight.
I tried several diets over the years but they all failed quickly and would gain back more weight than what I had lost. Andre on the other hand had been physically fit for most of his life due being active and also because of his Law Enforcement career and being in the Navy. However in 2000 he had a horrible car accident and he sustained serious injuries. Due to the pain medications and temporary loss of mobility, he gained a substantial amount of weight. He tried for years to get the weight back off but was unsuccessful.
In 2008, he was deployed to Iraq for a year and was able to drop 25lbs because of the diet change, working out more and drinking a lot of water due to the really high temperatures over there. However, upon returning from his deployment in 2009, he gained back those 25lbs plus more. Knowing that he would be returning from his deployment soon, I did a crash diet the last 2 months before he returned and lost 30lbs. But once the “normal” ways returned I gained it all back plus another 20. I worried what kind of example I was setting for my children. I’ve always encouraged my children to be active and play sports, but how can I push them to do something that I could no longer do myself?
After seeing several of my friends and a family member join The Weigh Station, I became very interested in their new lifestyle. I read over all of the information on The Weigh Station’s website around Christmastime and was very intrigued to say the least. New Years came and I made the same weight loss resolutions as I always do but this year would be different. My birthday came in February and of course income taxes too, so I figured what better time than now, and I called and made the appointment.
He told me about possible withdrawal symptoms from the carbs and the caffeine. He was very upfront and honest and did not sugarcoat anything, and he prepared us for the worst. We were told from the very beginning that we needed to be completely committed to this new lifestyle. We thought of how we had successfully quit smoking almost two years ago and thought that if we could do that, then we could do this too.
The first week was SO hard. I was so hungry and I had no energy. I became very scared that I wouldn’t be able to do this. However, after just one week we both lost almost 10 pounds, and this gave us the motivation to keep going! After the 2nd and 3rd weeks we began to see a noticeable difference and so did everyone else around us. The compliments were wonderful and gave us even more incentive.
As each day passed it became easier and easier. Between the info we received at The Weigh Station and from the website, everything was very clear in black and white. There was no room left for interpretations or any guessing involved. If it wasn’t in the book, then it wasn’t allowed. It’s that simple! After just a little over three months, we had both lost 50 lbs and we were ready to begin maintenance.
Not only did we lose weight, but our overall health improved drastically. Andre was able to stop taking his blood pressure and acid reflux medication that he had taken daily for years. Andre went from a size 36-38 to a size 30-32, and I went from a size 14 to a size 6. We took a vacation in July and for once I wasn’t embarrassed about how I looked. I threw away all of my one piece bathing suits and cover ups and bought several bikinis. I wore them with pride while we were at the beach. I haven’t felt this satisfied with myself since high school.
Once reaching maintenance and looking back at what Dr. Shaffer said to us that very first visit, it all makes sense now. This is not a diet; it is a lifestyle change! Since joining The Weigh Station family, we have been questioned by a lot of our family, friends and co-workers; they want to know all about our “diet.” Our answer is always the same, and it’s the same thing that Dr. Shaffer told us that first day. This is NOT a diet! It is a permanent lifestyle change. If you are committed and are absolutely serious about losing weight, it will work. We both feel so much better now both physically and mentally. And now we can feel great about being positive role models for our children.
