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I had a weight
problem dating back as early as I can remember. Even in grade school my
mom had to buy me “husky” size girls’ clothes. The problem became more
significant as I grew older, and as an adult I attempted various fad
diets without success. I finally decided I just couldn’t lose the weight
on my own, so I tried the OPTIFAST program in the early 1980’s. I was
successful on the program, losing over 100 pounds, and I maintained this
loss for a year. But we moved out of state, and I lost contact with my
OPTIFAST program.
Over the
following years my weight gradually crept back on, reaching an
all-time-high of 256 ½ pounds—carried on my 5 foot frame. I reached a
point where I could hardly climb the stairs in my house. I’d make the
trip up my stairs only once a day, as I’d become very short of breath by
the time I reached the top step.
I
also developed a severe problem with sleep apnea—barely staying awake
for my work commute and having to stop for a nap during the two-hour
drive to visit my mother. One day I nearly had a car accident because of
my sleep apnea—and I knew it was time to lose the weight. |
In February 2003 I joined a local OPTIFAST program. A year later, I
proudly weighed in at my goal weight of 130 pounds and had transitioned
to a regular food diet. While in the active weight loss phase, I became
avidly interested in information about healthy eating and weight
maintenance. I worked with my OPTIFAST program doctor to discover some
good books and articles on these topics, and I also learned what to look
for on food labels. So by the time I was ready to transition to regular
food, I felt well-prepared!
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I also built
my exercise routine while in the active weight loss stage. I wasn’t
looking forward to it—but the program physician reminded me, “It’s just
important to start. You don’t have to do something big.” So I did
start—with a 3 minute walk. Now I walk 30 minutes per day, six days a
week! Plus I lift 5 pound weights three times a week. I’ve learned that
if I’m going to exercise, I need to choose something I can do for the
rest of my life—not something just to get the weight off. I have an
exercise routine that is practical for me and that I like.
The key to holding my exercise and eating habits together is my
accountability to my OPTIFAST program. I still weigh in at my OPTIFAST
program once a month. If I didn’t have this accountability, I know I
wouldn’t be as good. In addition to the support of my OPTIFAST program,
my husband has always provided encouragement. He doesn’t nag me about my
food choices, and he revamped his eating habits with me. We’ve changed
the whole way we cook and buy groceries. |
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| I
still go out to eat at restaurants and at friends’ houses. Even if I
just have a salad, it’s still a treat. At least I’m not preparing it
myself, and restaurants often top it with chicken or fish that is cooked
differently than I would have had at home. If I’m going to a friend’s
house for dinner, I’ll ask if I can bring a salad or they’ll ask me what
I can have to eat. I generally pass on the dessert—but if it’s something
really tasty, I may have just one bite. That satisfies both me and the
dinner host.
These new habits
are working for me. Since entering the long-term management phase in
March of 2004, I’ve kept my weight within a single pound of my goal
weight, and my sleep apnea has improved, although I still need my C-PAP
machine (respiratory ventilator).
When I reached my one-year maintenance anniversary, my OPTIFAST doctor
encouraged me to join the National Weight Control Registry. I’m in favor
of supporting research studies, so I contacted them. I completed many
questionnaires about my eating and exercise habits, as they’re
collecting this type of information from over 4,000 people who have
maintained at least a 30 pound weight loss for a year or more.
And I’m happy to report that the staircase in my house is no longer a
challenge. Sometimes I’ll forget and set something at the bottom of my
stairs, thinking I’ll carry it up later. But then I’ll catch myself and
think to myself: Hey, I don’t have to wait to carry this up the stairs,
I can carry it up now. In fact, I can run up and down my stairs without
a problem!
For many dieters, weight loss is only temporary. Individual results may
vary.
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