My story
Quite a few people have urged me to tell my story. It’s not so different from any others on the Provida.com boards, but I am having phenomenal results, and I certainly feel that Michael Thurmond's Six Week Body Makeover program has literally saved my life.
I have always been overweight, and have yo-yo dieted for most of my 62 years, beginning at age 16. The key word is “diet,” for that’s what they were, temporary fixes until I went back to my old eating habits. Never did I learn that I really needed to stop doing that, and start eating in a healthy manner. At least I did not learn that until Michael Thurmond’s program came along.
My doctor had requested that I research gastric bypass surgery in February 2003. I told him I would, and that I would give him an answer by June 1. After much study and wrestling with the facts, I knew I really did not want to have the surgery, but I was at a loss for what I could do. Nothing had worked for me, and I just could not get rid of the weight, although during the previous year, I did lose 35 lbs., which moved me from 365 down to 330, and did not result in losing even one dress size. One night, late in May 2003, I was still tossing and turning around 3:00 AM, so I decided to flip on the TV. Of course, what came up was Michael Thurmond’s infomercial, and I just sat there spellbound. It was money-back guaranteed, you didn’t have to take pills, and it didn’t require exercise until you felt able to do that. So, I immediately got up, ordered the kit, and figured, what have I got to lose, but weight? I fully believe I was “led” to this program, and for once in my life, I’ve been listening to God’s direction for me. I also put Him in charge the night before I began the program, and the rest is a story of obedience to that promise I made.
The kit arrived on a Wednesday, and I sat down right then to put my manual together and watch the videos. Knowing it was best to start on a Monday, I realized I just couldn’t wait, so I started on a Thursday. It didn’t matter that I didn’t know everything, but what did matter was that I was truly excited to have a non-surgical solution to my weight woes. Little did I know what a transformation the SWBM would create in me.
After 12 weeks on the program, and knowing this would take me at least 2 years to accomplish, I decided to allow myself one meal off plan each six weeks. What a learning experience that has been!! My first off-plan meal was with friends at our favorite Thai restaurant. I ordered what I had always ordered, but ate less than half of what was put before me. The revelation was that for the next 24 hours, I could not bend the fingers on my right hand and every joint in my body ached, like it had for the 15 years prior to starting the program. I had actually forgotten that I no longer was hurting. However, it took 36 hours for the joint pains to subside, and from that meal, I learned what salt had been doing to my body.
The next six weeks, we opted for my favorite Mexican restaurant, and my all-time favorite – cheese enchiladas. After 2 bites, I told my friend she could take the rest home, if she wanted it, because they tasted far to greasy and salty for me to eat. Another lesson learned. As the weeks progressed, I discovered that the foods I USED to love, were just no longer tasty.
It took losing 80 lbs. (6 months) before I could exercise, and even when I could, I could do power walking for only 5 min. about 3 times a week. My goal was to get to 30 min. daily, which would be 2-2/3 mile, with the tape I was using. It took me several months to get to that point, but that is now easy for me. My next goal will be to begin to lengthen the time from 30 min. to 45 min. daily.
In the process of being POP (perfectly on plan) and exercising, I have had many wonderful side effects. The first, of course, was the benefit of losing weight and inches, but by far, the most valuable has been the exciting changes in my health. Those changes began to show up even after the first 8 weeks. During the past 21 months, I have had the following events occur:
1. Diabetes has disappeared. Medication has been eliminated.
2. Cholesterol has dropped from 260 to 107. Medication eliminated.
3. Triglycerides have dropped from 360 to 95.
4. Joint pain of 15 years has disappeared.
5. Headaches have disappeared (migraines, sinus, and stress).
6. Allergies have almost all disappeared, except for a few seasonal allergies.
7. Glaucoma has disappeared, with no residual effects after 14 years.
8. Energy level has sky-rocketed.
9. Snoring has virtually stopped.
10. Sleep is more restful and deeper.
11. Symptoms of sleep apnea have disappeared.
12. I have the stamina to do things for other people.
13. No more falling asleep at my desk or in my recliner.
14. No more afternoon naps required
15. Skin eruptions have cleared up, although I do still have atopic eczema
Not only have I had these wonderfully healthy things happen to me, but here are a few other unexpected ones:
1. I have a lap.
2. The steering wheel no longer rubs my tummy.
3. I've had to move the seat closer to drive.
4. Theater seats now fit and are comfortable.
5. I need all new shoes!! :-)) Have dropped from an 8-1/2 WW to 8 Med.
6. I love being able to run to Wal-Mart to find inexpensive casual clothes THAT FIT!!!!
7. I love that the clothes at my favorite fat-shop are almost all too big for me!!
8. Shopping all day is fun again, and not the drain it used to be!!
9. My watches are too large for me, even though they’ve been shortened.
10.I can wear a belt now.
I must confess that I took some time off from the program from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day this past fall (2004). Since I do a LOT of cooking for other people at that time, I decided to follow Living Lean to see if I could maintain throughout that time period. I did not cook for those people the year before, and felt really bad since most of them are very elderly and are shut-ins who cannot cook for themselves. So, I did just that. I had tastes of everything I wanted, but in very small quantities, and at my other meals during the day, I would compensate by having a large green salad with grilled chicken and my balsamic vinaigrette or just the easy meal plans from the Fast Track card. I would usually have two of those salad meals (rapid results) during the day. The final result was that I did indeed maintain my weight, and in fact, lost a pound!!
I did get right back on the program, and was doing very well, having lost 131 lbs., putting me at 199 lbs. Then, I had my first colonoscopy. The meds that you take for that procedure are almost 100% sodium, and from Monday morning until Tuesday morning, when I was to have the procedure, I gained 10 lbs. Needless to say, I was distraught, but by Friday I had lost 3 of those lbs. That was February 4, 2005. It took almost six weeks to lose the last two of those added pounds. The good news is that during that time I continually lost inches, and have actually lost a dress size, so the scale does not tell the entire story.
There was also one other set-back on February 16th. I fell, landing on my right knee (for the 5th time), my left thumb/wrist, and flat on my chest. It knocked the wind out of me, and although I did not break anything, I had a lot of pain in the ribcage area. It took me 5 weeks to be able to get back to walking (which is the only exercise my neurologist will allow me to do, due to back and knee injuries).
To date, after 22 months, I have lost 135 lbs., 191-1/2 inches overall, and almost 11 dress sizes. I have lost the following amounts:
Neck 5.0 inches
Shoulders 23.5 inches
Chest 21.5 inches
Biceps Left 12 inches
Biceps Right 12 inches
Waist 25.5 inches
Forearm Left 7.25 inches
Forearm Right 7.5 inches
Hips 29.5 inches
Thighs Left 13 inches
Thighs Right 16.5 inches
Calves Left 9.25 inches
Calves Right 9 inches
My goal is to reach 170 lbs., so I still have 25 more lbs. to lose to reach my ultimate goal, but that will happen some time this year.
To anyone who may be reading this and struggling with the weight and the associative health problems, I would just say, “Do it!!” There is no quick fix, there is no easy way out, and if you really want to lose weight and gain health, you MUST change what you are doing. You must learn to cook and eat differently. If you don’t, you may not live to tell about it!! Why take that chance, when you can make a drastic change in the quality of your life? Michael Thurmond’s program definitely saved my life. What are you going to do about your life?
Update 5-17-05: I have had a stall in my weight loss, so decided to re-take the test. I am definitely a body type B, and so will adjust my menus as of tomorrow.
Just a note to let you know that I will post my weekly progress in separate articles. So the numbers listed here are hopefully noticeably different from the current ones!!
I have always been overweight, and have yo-yo dieted for most of my 62 years, beginning at age 16. The key word is “diet,” for that’s what they were, temporary fixes until I went back to my old eating habits. Never did I learn that I really needed to stop doing that, and start eating in a healthy manner. At least I did not learn that until Michael Thurmond’s program came along.
My doctor had requested that I research gastric bypass surgery in February 2003. I told him I would, and that I would give him an answer by June 1. After much study and wrestling with the facts, I knew I really did not want to have the surgery, but I was at a loss for what I could do. Nothing had worked for me, and I just could not get rid of the weight, although during the previous year, I did lose 35 lbs., which moved me from 365 down to 330, and did not result in losing even one dress size. One night, late in May 2003, I was still tossing and turning around 3:00 AM, so I decided to flip on the TV. Of course, what came up was Michael Thurmond’s infomercial, and I just sat there spellbound. It was money-back guaranteed, you didn’t have to take pills, and it didn’t require exercise until you felt able to do that. So, I immediately got up, ordered the kit, and figured, what have I got to lose, but weight? I fully believe I was “led” to this program, and for once in my life, I’ve been listening to God’s direction for me. I also put Him in charge the night before I began the program, and the rest is a story of obedience to that promise I made.
The kit arrived on a Wednesday, and I sat down right then to put my manual together and watch the videos. Knowing it was best to start on a Monday, I realized I just couldn’t wait, so I started on a Thursday. It didn’t matter that I didn’t know everything, but what did matter was that I was truly excited to have a non-surgical solution to my weight woes. Little did I know what a transformation the SWBM would create in me.
After 12 weeks on the program, and knowing this would take me at least 2 years to accomplish, I decided to allow myself one meal off plan each six weeks. What a learning experience that has been!! My first off-plan meal was with friends at our favorite Thai restaurant. I ordered what I had always ordered, but ate less than half of what was put before me. The revelation was that for the next 24 hours, I could not bend the fingers on my right hand and every joint in my body ached, like it had for the 15 years prior to starting the program. I had actually forgotten that I no longer was hurting. However, it took 36 hours for the joint pains to subside, and from that meal, I learned what salt had been doing to my body.
The next six weeks, we opted for my favorite Mexican restaurant, and my all-time favorite – cheese enchiladas. After 2 bites, I told my friend she could take the rest home, if she wanted it, because they tasted far to greasy and salty for me to eat. Another lesson learned. As the weeks progressed, I discovered that the foods I USED to love, were just no longer tasty.
It took losing 80 lbs. (6 months) before I could exercise, and even when I could, I could do power walking for only 5 min. about 3 times a week. My goal was to get to 30 min. daily, which would be 2-2/3 mile, with the tape I was using. It took me several months to get to that point, but that is now easy for me. My next goal will be to begin to lengthen the time from 30 min. to 45 min. daily.
In the process of being POP (perfectly on plan) and exercising, I have had many wonderful side effects. The first, of course, was the benefit of losing weight and inches, but by far, the most valuable has been the exciting changes in my health. Those changes began to show up even after the first 8 weeks. During the past 21 months, I have had the following events occur:
1. Diabetes has disappeared. Medication has been eliminated.
2. Cholesterol has dropped from 260 to 107. Medication eliminated.
3. Triglycerides have dropped from 360 to 95.
4. Joint pain of 15 years has disappeared.
5. Headaches have disappeared (migraines, sinus, and stress).
6. Allergies have almost all disappeared, except for a few seasonal allergies.
7. Glaucoma has disappeared, with no residual effects after 14 years.
8. Energy level has sky-rocketed.
9. Snoring has virtually stopped.
10. Sleep is more restful and deeper.
11. Symptoms of sleep apnea have disappeared.
12. I have the stamina to do things for other people.
13. No more falling asleep at my desk or in my recliner.
14. No more afternoon naps required
15. Skin eruptions have cleared up, although I do still have atopic eczema
Not only have I had these wonderfully healthy things happen to me, but here are a few other unexpected ones:
1. I have a lap.
2. The steering wheel no longer rubs my tummy.
3. I've had to move the seat closer to drive.
4. Theater seats now fit and are comfortable.
5. I need all new shoes!! :-)) Have dropped from an 8-1/2 WW to 8 Med.
6. I love being able to run to Wal-Mart to find inexpensive casual clothes THAT FIT!!!!
7. I love that the clothes at my favorite fat-shop are almost all too big for me!!
8. Shopping all day is fun again, and not the drain it used to be!!
9. My watches are too large for me, even though they’ve been shortened.
10.I can wear a belt now.
I must confess that I took some time off from the program from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day this past fall (2004). Since I do a LOT of cooking for other people at that time, I decided to follow Living Lean to see if I could maintain throughout that time period. I did not cook for those people the year before, and felt really bad since most of them are very elderly and are shut-ins who cannot cook for themselves. So, I did just that. I had tastes of everything I wanted, but in very small quantities, and at my other meals during the day, I would compensate by having a large green salad with grilled chicken and my balsamic vinaigrette or just the easy meal plans from the Fast Track card. I would usually have two of those salad meals (rapid results) during the day. The final result was that I did indeed maintain my weight, and in fact, lost a pound!!
I did get right back on the program, and was doing very well, having lost 131 lbs., putting me at 199 lbs. Then, I had my first colonoscopy. The meds that you take for that procedure are almost 100% sodium, and from Monday morning until Tuesday morning, when I was to have the procedure, I gained 10 lbs. Needless to say, I was distraught, but by Friday I had lost 3 of those lbs. That was February 4, 2005. It took almost six weeks to lose the last two of those added pounds. The good news is that during that time I continually lost inches, and have actually lost a dress size, so the scale does not tell the entire story.
There was also one other set-back on February 16th. I fell, landing on my right knee (for the 5th time), my left thumb/wrist, and flat on my chest. It knocked the wind out of me, and although I did not break anything, I had a lot of pain in the ribcage area. It took me 5 weeks to be able to get back to walking (which is the only exercise my neurologist will allow me to do, due to back and knee injuries).
To date, after 22 months, I have lost 135 lbs., 191-1/2 inches overall, and almost 11 dress sizes. I have lost the following amounts:
Neck 5.0 inches
Shoulders 23.5 inches
Chest 21.5 inches
Biceps Left 12 inches
Biceps Right 12 inches
Waist 25.5 inches
Forearm Left 7.25 inches
Forearm Right 7.5 inches
Hips 29.5 inches
Thighs Left 13 inches
Thighs Right 16.5 inches
Calves Left 9.25 inches
Calves Right 9 inches
My goal is to reach 170 lbs., so I still have 25 more lbs. to lose to reach my ultimate goal, but that will happen some time this year.
To anyone who may be reading this and struggling with the weight and the associative health problems, I would just say, “Do it!!” There is no quick fix, there is no easy way out, and if you really want to lose weight and gain health, you MUST change what you are doing. You must learn to cook and eat differently. If you don’t, you may not live to tell about it!! Why take that chance, when you can make a drastic change in the quality of your life? Michael Thurmond’s program definitely saved my life. What are you going to do about your life?
Update 5-17-05: I have had a stall in my weight loss, so decided to re-take the test. I am definitely a body type B, and so will adjust my menus as of tomorrow.
Just a note to let you know that I will post my weekly progress in separate articles. So the numbers listed here are hopefully noticeably different from the current ones!!
Labels: My Story
posted by Liz Maxson @ 10:22 AM
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