Two and a Half Years . . . and Counting

Happy anniversary to me, sort of!  It's hard to believe, but it was 2-1/2 years ago today, May 22, 2008, that I finally reached my weight loss goal.   During the almost-11 months it took to lose the weight, there were certainly some long days, but the time on plan went fast.  As I look back now, 2-1/2 years later, the time spent losing the weight was just a minor blip in time.

So much has changed in my life since then!  I am still healthy, still wearing my size 6 jeans, and I'm loving my life.  I have had some amazing opportunities to share my story and encourage others, including my first live TV spot last week on our local CBS station's early morning news program.    If someone would have told me on June 24, 2007, my first day on the program, that I would be where I am today, I wouldn't have believed them.  I'm so grateful to God for all of His many blessings, including leading me to this program when He did.

I didn't set out to change my life . . . I just wanted to lose a little bit of weight.  But as I learned to make new and better choices, growth happened in ways I didn't expect.  I learned how to redefine my relationship with food and, in fact, severed the chains of emotional eating that held me in bondage for over two decades.  The shame and embarrassment of living as a morbidly obese women began to heal, to the point I can now talk about how much I weighed, what size I wore, and share the feelings I had - all without hesitation.  That would have been unthinkable not that long ago.

Statistics report that 85% of people who lose weight on a diet regain it all, plus additional weight, within two years.  I praise God that, because of what I learned on this program and with His help, I have beaten the odds.  I don't take that for granted, not for a minute.

Your life is changing on this program, whether you're aware of it or not.  I don't know where these changes will eventually take you, but when you reach your goal, you will be in a different place physically, emotionally and mentally.  Trust me - it's a GOOD place - and you want to get here :-).  And you WILL get here, one day and one choice at a time.  Choose wisely :-)