CHERYL’S STORY

I saw pictures of myself on a trip with my husband to New Orleans and was shocked because I thought I looked totally different than in the pictures. Then in September, I lost a girlfriend to a suspected heart attack. She was only 40 and left three children younger than mine. I did not want to worry about my weight affecting my health.

After that, I began searching the Web for diet programs and came across The Center for Medical Weight Loss (CMWL). I saw that it was a doctor-monitored program, and I wanted the experience that a doctor can provide when you have a lot of weight to lose, but I was not ready for the surgical option.

I started with CMWL after the New Year, and though losing weight was not a resolution, there are not a lot of “eating holidays” at that time of the year, so it was a good time to start. I also made a commitment to go to the gym. My husband and I went together, and the whole family was very supportive. I did not want everyone’s negative opinions, so we did not tell them exactly what I was doing, but I did tell them that I was seeing a doctor about losing weight.

I lost weight at a steady pace, and it was not long before people started to ask me what I was doing. I told them that I was going to CMWL and that I could give them the number for the doctor. It felt great to lose an average of 3 pounds a week and feel better every day. The best way I felt I could keep track of my progress was to do a daily eating journal and that helped me stay honest with myself and the doctor.

The CMWL program helped me lose weight by taking the thought out of my meal planning – it made it easy for me to stay on-track. Plus, it helped that the options tasted great, and chocolate is a big favorite for me! Talking to the doctor when I hit hurdles was the best part of keeping me motivated. Because I lost weight every week, I kept on the plan, feeling the success every time I stepped on the scale.

The first week on the plan I went out for a family dinner to a Spanish restaurant. My husband encouraged me to stay on plan, so I brought my shake and ate broccoli and salad. It felt great to have this support from my husband.

One of the best parts about losing weight was that I was able to wear my grandmother’s wedding dress to a party for the holidays; I would have never been able to wear that dress before losing weight! I am now less than 10 pounds heavier than the day I got married 18 years ago. I feel better than I have in years.

Near the end of the losing phase, one of my son’s fourth-grade friends asked me why I looked so different. I told her that I lost a little weight. My son said, “No, you lost a lot of weight!” Then I asked her how much she weighed, and she said she wasn’t sure, something like 70 pounds – and I told her I lost all of her! She laughed and then called another girl over and asked her how much she weighed, and she was 66 pounds. My son told her that my mom looks different because she lost all of you! They looked so proud of me and were so happy for me, including all of my sons.

To keep off the weight long-term, I plan on checking in with Dr. Blum when I feel like I am struggling, and continuing to exercise with my husband and my girlfriend. My advice is to not let others get you down. Keep up with the exercise, and even after the weight is lost, don’t beat yourself up if you gain a pound or two. Just get refocused and back on the straight and narrow.