When I posted about my weight loss, I was a bit worried about any backlash that would take place. I truly do want this blog to be about stamping and paper crafting, but since I share so much of the rest of my life with you, I thought I would also share that.
Well, I needn't have feared - you were as encouraging to me as you always are!! What a blessing that is, and it keeps me motivated, since I feel as though I am accountable to all of you. Why do I keep posting about it ?!? Here is one of the MANY reasons, and her name is Lia, from Del Rio, TX. I asked her to let me know, in her own words, what her story is - from being obese all through school, to gastric bypass surgery, to HEALTHY !! Here's her words ...
A very condensed story that is filled with sadness, anguish, desperation, prayer, light, hope, gratefulness, thankfulness, and so much more. I have struggled with my weight since I was a little girl. I was very shy and remember being chubby since around the first grade. I had plenty of friends, but there were cruel kids who would call me names. I developed a tough exterior and used humor to hide the pain. My first diet was the summer before my senior year in high school. My dance uniform was too tight and so I went on a diet which consisted of one to two teaspoons of food per meal - it worked! I lost 30 pounds that summer and my uniform was then too big. I began dating that year and sadly, slowly put the weight back on. I had no idea that the weight would come back on. I seriously thought that since I had lost it, it would stay lost!
Ever since that first diet, it’s been the same pattern. I’ll find the motivation to lose weight and then I’ll lose the motivation and gain the weight back and more. I even lost 80 pounds over two years and gained it all back and more! In the Spring of 2006, I decided to return to college. That first semester, I lost 30 pounds and was so excited the weight was coming off! Right at the end of that semester, I found out I was pregnant. My husband and I were thrilled because we had given up hope of ever having a child. After giving birth to our son, the weight began to come on again. This time with a vengeance because I had a hard time adjusting to being at home without much outside support or social interaction. I am an emotional eater and I was eating out of control. I seriously did not care if I lived or died. This upset my husband because he felt that I should be wanting to live for our son. I love my son more than I ever thought possible to love another human being, but I hated myself and the fact that I was out of control.
Before my son’s first birthday, we left Florida and moved to our home state of Texas to be closer to family. I started the MOMS Club here and found a large supply of friends with children. I felt welcome and accepted here even though I was morbidly obese and in my 40’s with a 1-year-old. I was socializing and attending play dates but I felt incredibly self-conscious. Most of the moms in the club are Air Force wives - young and fit. I didn’t attend many activities because of my size. It made me so sad for my son - which of course, caused me to eat more. I was getting desperate because I didn’t see an end in sight.
After over a year in Texas, a milestone for my son was looming near - he would be starting day school. It was only two mornings a week for 3 hours, but it was still ‘school’ in my mind. And my early school years brought back bad memories for me. My son is not overweight - he’s healthy and a typical little boy. The problem? They could potentially pick on my son because of his fat mother. I thought, ‘I’ll be damned if my son is going to have to suffer for his mother’s problem!’ So late last spring, I decided to look into gastric-bypass surgery. A friend of mine, I’ll call her Ann, had the procedure done in December and was losing weight fast. I called Ann’s surgery center and they took my information. They called me back the next day and informed me that my insurance company did not cover the surgery. I was devastated! I asked them how much the surgery cost out-of-pocket. They informed me it was $19,000!! Yikes!
I talked to my husband about it and he said I could have it done if I wanted. I decided to do some research on the success of the surgery. I got on-line and began to read about the numbers upon numbers of those who had had the surgery and had gained the weight back, or who had never reached their goal weight and were struggling to lose any weight at all. Ann reached her one-year anniversary this past December and was only at 91 pounds lost. She wants to reach at least 110 pounds and isn’t sure when/if it will happen. I was disheartened by what I had researched and decided that I would not spend $19,000 for a procedure that might not get me to my weight loss goal and even worse, I could potentially gain it all back and more! As hard as it was for me, I decided to abandon gastric-bypass surgery. I had put all my hopes into this and was severely let down.
What to do next? I was still desperate but now I had nothing to hope for, or so I thought. In anguish, I prayed, “Dear God, please let me find a way to lose this weight. Show me, guide me, put it before me. PLEASE HELP ME!” It was just a couple of days later when He answered my prayer. I was visiting my list of scrapbooking blogs when I ran across Julie’s entry. That day it was not scrapbook related. It said something along the lines of, “Today I have something different to share with you. I’ve been trying a system that has helped me drop 30 pounds in two months!” I immediately straightened up in my chair and began to read in earnest.
I thought, “What is this system? How does it work? Will it work for me?” I called Julie up and asked her questions. She was SO easy to talk to and extremely supportive! I began to research Isagenix on-line. One of the things that attracted me to Isagenix is that not only were severely obese people losing the weight and keeping it off, but athletes, too, were seeing fantastic results as well. I discussed Isagenix with my husband. He is a pessimist and told me he thought it was a scam. I made a deal with him. I would try Isagenix for 30 days and if I liked the results I would continue, if I did not, I would stop.
I placed my order and while I waited, I continued researching Isagenix. The more I read, the more I was convinced that this was going to work for me! When my package arrived I was so excited! I decided to start on a Monday. I’ll never forget that first morning. I had my yummy shake. Two LONG hours went by and I had a snack. Another hour went by and I was STARVING! What was I going to do? I wasn’t going to last! I decided to call customer service and the representative said, “You need to eat! Don’t starve! Just make healthy choices!” After I hung up, I took a deep breath, I stopped panicking, and ate. The first couple of weeks, I ate when I was hungry - whether it was 2 hours later, or a half hour later. I also became accustomed to eating less. I was on top of the world when I lost 20 pounds that first month! YES! So I kept ordering Isagenix! After 6.5 months on Isagenix, I have released 75 pounds and 110 inches!
There have been so many wonderful things that have happened to me since I began this incredible journey! I used to take Rolaids with every meal and before bed. I kept a bottle at my bedside, in my purse, in the kitchen, and in the car. It’s been months since I’ve had one - no more heartburn! My skin has improved considerably, too. Also, I never knew what energy felt like! That alone will keep me on Isagenix for the rest of my life! I LOVE all this energy - it’s amazing! The owner of the gym I attend is hangs my comparison photos because she is amazed at the transformation. I LOVE going to the gym and exercising! It is so motivating to me to challenge myself with all of the different classes they provide - spinning, Zumba, body bar, etc. I have made so many friends there and am excited when I walk through the doors! I have gone from a size 30 to a size 16 (for now)! I still cannot believe it - it just keeps getting better and better! I did not know life could be this good!
I have to share my gratefulness and thankfulness here because I did not accomplish this on my own. First, a humble and sincere ‘Thank You’ to my heavenly Father. None of this would have happened without your guidance and love. Second - Isagenix - THANK YOU for changing my LIFE! Third - Julie, without your post, who knows where I would be today. Your support and the time and energy you spend on us, your Cleanse Team, is a testament to your belief in this fantastic product! I appreciate you so much! Fourth - my husband, David, for his superior drive and work ethic. Thank you for funding this journey of mine and for being inspired by my willpower and drive! I love you! Fifth - Dr. Antonio Cadena, thank you so much for not skipping a beat when I asked if I could begin Isagenix. You immediately said, “Yes! You’re young and healthy except for being overweight, and I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t.” Hearing that meant more to me than you’ll ever know. Thank you for being one of my biggest cheerleaders, too! Fourth - Paula Drew Moser, my best-est Isagenix friend and Cleanse Team partner-in-crime. Thank you for supporting me, loving me, and being there for me. You rock, girlfriend! Fifth - Marilyn Stiles, Julie’s Cleanse Team, and the rest of the Isagenix family that have been there for me - you all have made this journey so unbelievably fantastic, incredibly rewarding, and completely unforgettable. Here’s to the next 60 pounds!
Thanks Lia, for pouring out your soul. When I first heard her story, I was in tears bawling!! I am so glad I got to have a tiny part in that success. I would love to help YOU too. For those that started on Isagenix previously with me and have fallen off the wagon, let me help you get started again. I have learned so much in the past year, and am willing to PERSONALLY coach everyone who wants to get healthy and lose weight. You can go HERE for more information. DO NOT HESITATE to call me, if you want to ask questions, I want to help you achieve your health goals!!
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