Bakersfield.com

All > Health & Fitness
My weight loss story
Topics: weight loss, fitness, health
Posted by bestcherylc Thu Nov 1, 2007 09:22:40 PDT
Viewed 3425 times
0 responses 3 comments

Do you just wake up one day and find yourself 100 pounds overweight? Not likely. That wasn’t the case with me. I carried around that extra weight for over 25 years. Of course I have tried every trendy diet along the way and I won’t bore you with the details. Some of them I am embarrassed to have even thought about let alone submitted myself to.

I think that every overweight person has at least two things in common. None of us are happy about being there. And we all realize that we need help to lose and maintain our weight. At that juncture we all go our separate ways. Unfortunately we usually end up at the beginning discouraged and more overweight than when the journey started. So some of us decide that we will just be content with the metabolism or genetics we were dealt with. Secretly in all our hearts though we are not content and have these amazing dreams and goals that seem unattainable.

So again I tried something new to me with the hope I might succeed, not really thinking that success was within my reach. At 52 years old I weighed 242 pounds. I felt that the best of my life was over. I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar. I could barely tie my shoes. Couch potato could aptly describe my life style. I have a torn ligament in my left knee which I thought excluded me from any exercise program. I purchased a gym membership but was overwhelmed with the choices set before me. I was afraid of hurting myself.

So at that point I did the trendiest thing in my adventure at weight loss. I hired a personal trainer. Along with a friend who joined me, we both decided to keep this fact to ourselves. That’s when I met Tammy Crompton and Bill McAllister, now with I.F.S. nutritional center. A program was designed for me that fit my lifestyle and factored in the challenges a woman might have in the condition I was in. We focused on strength training, balancing in cardio activity for weight loss. My goal was to attain a healthy percent body fat ratio. This became a challenge.

My diet had to be changed continually to make sure that my calorie intake was enough to sustain lean body mass and yet continue to lose body fat. Without constant monitoring and adjustments I would not have achieved the success that I have enjoyed. Unbelievably I have learned a few things about a successful weight loss program after losing 100 pounds.

1)    It’s not a diet program. It’s a lifestyle that you never stop. That includes getting a coach and never quitting.

2)    Any one can call themselves a personal trainer. Do your homework. But hire a professional and ask to see his/her success stories. This will show the validity of the program and the talents of that person in motivation and encouragement. (A must I might add)( I feel I got the best!)

3)    I am not perfect but I must continue to try. Never give up. It’s worth the effort.

4)    Anyone discouraging you does not have your best interest in view. Is he/she really your friend? I think not.

 

5)    Losing weight can greatly change your attitude about life. I feel that I have many new beginnings that I am facing.

 

So don’t give up! Maybe one day you will be like me and hike in the Grand Canyon.

Send to a Friend

Report a Violation

Comment From: penut70

I'm SOOO proud of you. I know you worked hard to get where you are. You are a beautiful person. SH Comment From: CALLMEMSTRACY

I have had a weight problem the majority of my life and it is not easy being heavy; first of all, society does not accept obese people as being human. Fortunately for me, I am 100 lbs. less than I was, but I still have at least 100 lbs. to go. I don't know if I will ever loose the rest of this weight, but at least I am thinner than I was. Being obese has caused unwanted health problems such as diabetes. Comment From: CALLMEMSTRACY

One other thing I discovered about loosing weight is that it is easier to take the weight off than it is to keep it off. That mioght explain why so many gain their weight back.