Ted
Age: 40
Lost 77 pounds
Completed Program June 2007
When I started living on my own in my 20s, I started adding significant weight to my frame. My food choices were about quick and easy convenience, with absolutely no regard for nutritional content. If it tasted good, that’s all that mattered, and if it was served quickly, then all the better. I gained an average of four pounds per year until I finally hit the 300 pound mark at the age of 39.
When I took my family on vacation to Southern California and we visited practically every theme park, it didn’t take long for all the walking around to catch up with me. I finished each day exhausted, sore, and feeling really out of shape. I knew this wasn’t normal for someone my age. It was at this moment that I knew I had to take my health much more seriously, not only for myself but for my family.
I chose 20/20 Lifestyles because I had seen the success of other people at work. I knew that whichever program I decided on, it had to enable me to sustain a normal weight for the rest of my life. Partial success just wasn’t good enough. This had to be permanent. The long term success rate compared with other national programs made the decision to go with 20/20 a simple choice.
My biggest problem was that I’d never really learned how to eat a balanced diet. 20/20 worked for me because it completely changed the way I think about food. As a 39 year old with the diet of a 20 year old, I had never learned how grown-ups were supposed to eat until I started discussing new foods with my dietitian. I learned that eating healthy doesn’t have to mean being deprived or feeling hungry all the time. As a picky eater, I never thought I’d find healthy foods that I could actually enjoy. For me to get there, however, this meant stepping out of my comfort zone and trying some different things. With each new food discovery, the wider the door opened to options I never knew I had.
The program empowered me with the tools I need to sustain a normal weight for the rest of my life. For me, the secret to weight loss really boiled down to good solid planning around my meals and exercise.
Physically, I’m in the best shape of my entire life at the age of 39, something I had never expected going into the program. My cholesterol level has been reduced from 193 to 124, and my blood pressure is no longer elevated.
When I reflect back to my former self and how I feel today at a normal weight, it makes me wonder what other goals I can accomplish. When tough goals are finally achieved, it builds confidence in your abilities, which is something I can parlay into other parts of my life, such as my career.
This is truly a life-changing program that has released me and my family from having to worry about my health.