Sadly, I have struggled with my weight my entire life. My husband, Ronnie, was not overweight when we first met, but after 25 years of marriage he has a weight problem as well (partially due to the fact that my mother was a fabulous cook and passed that skill down to me).
Over the years, Ronnie had watched me try diet after diet only to get discouraged and quit. He just kept telling me it didn’t matter to him how much I weighed; however, it mattered to me. I was so unhappy with myself and knew there had to be something out there to help me. I was also concerned about the extra weight Ronnie had gained. I turned to God for help and began to pray about our situation.
One night while watching the evening news, I saw a story about a patient at The Weigh Station. The story piqued my interest and I began to do some research about this program. My biggest fear was failure, yet I knew I had to take a risk. I made my appointment and started the program on April 7, 2011. My fear of failure led me to not disclose to anyone, including my husband, my decision to join The Weigh Station.
During everyone’s first visit to The Weigh Station, patients are given a complete physical and EKG. From Ronnie’s exam, the doctors detected a heart abnormality. I am grateful to report that his heart problem has been corrected; however, I continue to be haunted by the fear of what might have happened to my husband if we had not discovered the problem. I feel like The Weigh Station truly saved his life. I often make him say, “Thank you dear for making me go.”
While we both appreciate the changes in our appearance, we also recognize one of the best aspects of our weight loss journey has been the changes in our attitudes. I’ve learned to put myself first and make “me” a priority. I go to the gym regularly, attend a Zumba class at our church and truly have fun shopping for new clothes.
When I started the program I wore size 16 pants. The day I bought pants in a size four is one of the best days of my life. Ronnie has gone from a size 44 waist pants to 36 and is still losing weight. This has truly turned into a lifestyle change for us both; we don’t think of the program as a diet anymore.
I cannot say enough good things about the doctors and team at The Weigh Station. They have become like family. They have been so supportive and helpful throughout this process. Without hesitation and reservation, I would recommend this program to anyone who struggles with their weight. Ronnie and I both agree it is the best thing we have ever done.
