Nancy  –   Age 54   -  Lost 38 Pounds

My weight had been creeping up and getting much worse after menopause.  I tried all sorts of diets, but nothing worked.  I would diet on other plans and immediately felt like I was starving and constantly thinking of food.  The WOW program at the YMCA worked fairly well, but the weight loss was discouragingly slow.  I decided I had really sticky fat!  It just stuck no matter what I did.

A year ago I bought some pants on the sale racks at Ann Taylor and Talbots – size 16 and 18.  Then I ran into a friend who boasted how he was losing 3-4 pounds a week with the doctors at Jumpstart. I was ripe for a change. That week, I went in for my initial visit with the Jumpstart doctor. Less than a year later, I visited the same Ann Taylor and Talbots stores and bought pants that were a size 6.   It was a wonderful feeling.  Every time I go by a mirror, I strut a little sideways, to catch a glimpse of my new figure. And my blood pressure has gone from 144/95 to 102/63.

Once I realized that I couldn’t change work related stressors or the behavior of those around me but that I could change my own behaviors, I was on a roll.  I increased my exercise regimen at the YMCA to include more aerobics and weight lifting.  I faithfully walked the dogs for longer almost every day.  I scheduled time for meditation/centering prayer and small spiritual groups at church.  And I changed what and how I was eating.

The weekly sessions with the educators transformed my eating habits.  They taught me the value of lean proteins, restricting fat intake, and lowering my carbohydrate  consumption. And then they helped me put my new found knowledge into practice. Amazingly, I found that once the carbohydrates and sugars were significantly diminished, I was no longer so tired at mid afternoon. I was no longer craving caffeine or a cookie to boost my energy level.

The appetite suppressants have been a tremendous help.  I stopped thinking about food.   I never felt deprived when my family ate their usual diet. And I was able to modify my eating habits in a way that has given me unprecedented dieting success and improved my health.

My Jumpstart doctor has always been very helpful and inspiring.   My educators Arlene, Judith, Maria and the others have had good suggestions on what to eat and good substitutes.  Unlike Weight Watchers where I dreaded the weekly weigh in, I look forward to each visit to Jumpstart. At Jumpstart, I enjoy seeing the slow and steady downward trend of the scales.  I love to compare the charts from the magical Inbody machine and to quantify my progress not only in weight and blood pressure but in percent body fat, lean body mass, and BMI.

I like the Jumpstart classes, too. I found the Mindful Eating class taught by Maria terrific, and I use these techniques all the time to cope with food, stress and life.

So a year later, I feel better, I look better, and I am so much happier.  Cash and time are still way too tight, but my ability to cope is radically improved. I just got a new life insurance policy at the A+ rating level. Thank you Jumpstart!