Before: I’ve heard that every overweight person has a “moment” when they realize they’ve stepped over the line between “slightly chunky” and “fat”. My moment was more of a series of moments.
I had been married for about a year, and my belly was growing. And because I wasn’t “with baby” I was secretly terrified that every new person I met or friend I hadn’t seen in awhile, would ask if I was pregnant, and how mortifying it would be.
The first time it happened, I was dropping something off at the drycleaners, and the woman who worked behind the desk who I had become friendly with, looked pointedly at my belly and said, “You’re pregnant?”
I was mortified. “Oh, no,” I laughed nervously. “Not pregnant, just wearing a puffy jacket.” But I fooled myself into thinking it really was the puffy jacket. I wasn’t fat. But then it happened again, and again.
I still wasn’t motivated to do anything about it, (what was wrong with me) even though for my livelihood I am a full-time membership and sales director at a JCC, where our primary business is health and fitness. Here I was, trying to motivate other people to live a healthy and fit lifestyle, and I wasn’t exactly the picture of it myself.
The Inspiration: Our fitness director, Theresa, must have noticed it as well, because early last summer she pulled me aside and said “Let’s meet for a training session.” That one training session (and I thank god for that start, every day!), turned into a series of training sessions and a semi-religious exercise program.
I tricked myself into thinking that exercise was all I needed to be “healthy.” I continued to eat whatever I wished. Surprisingly (to me, anyway) the weight didn’t come off – but at least I wasn’t gaining.
The Change: Then, another of our fitness staff approached me about being a guinea pig for a new, personalized weight loss program called Take It Off Weight Loss. I would lose 25 pounds in three months. Although I had never before deprived myself of eating exactly what I wanted, when I wanted it, I realized that I needed to make a change – and this was the best opportunity and forum with which to do it. I’d ultimately be selling the program to our members, and what better way than to actually do the program myself? And, hey, I could do anything for 90 days.
As my start date drew closer, I started to feel anxious about two things:
1. I hadn’t been on the scale in years. I was terrified of what it would say, and what that would mean.
2. Food had become my best friend. I would console myself after a bad day with thoughts of take-out Indian food – piles of rice, naan, heaps of chicken and of course a glass or two of red wine. Food was also how we celebrated, with fancy dinners out, nine courses of pure decadence and wine pairings of course.
Realizing that this lifestyle was all coming to an end as the start date of the program approached, I sadly planned my “last supper”, realizing that it would be the last time I would have many of my favorite foods.
The morning that the program began, I decided to get on the scale. I reeled when I saw the number, but wasn’t shocked. The number, to me, represented years of not taking care of myself. And that was all about to change.
As I began the Take It Off Program, it was restrictive – and it wasn’t easy. For the first week, it literally felt as though my body was going through detox. I was cranky at home, snapping at my poor husband every time he so much as said the word “bread”.
But then something wonderful happened – I lost five pounds – in one week. And all of a sudden, I could see myself losing the weight, and I knew I could do it.
What did the program do for you? Take It Off Program taught me how to be creative with recipes, putting together foods in a much healthier way. Turkey chili became one of my staple lunchtime foods, and I learned that planning ahead was the key. I became a frequent visitor of grocery stores, instead of restaurants. I enjoy my trips to Stop & Shop, excited about the possibilities of new, incredible, healthy foods that I’ll be able to eat. I’ve learned to look at labels carefully, and “low-sodium” is my favorite thing to see on a label.
Take It Off works, because it keeps you honest, and I’m never hungry. I am careful with everything I eat, because I know my weight loss coach will call me on it if I’m not. (I also know that the scale will show it, and that will hurt more). Certainly having my weight loss tracked in the gym, and knowing that everyone is watching me, is clearly motivation, too!
The Result: Exercising is now like a currency. I’m exercising six times a week because I know that the weight will come off even faster, and it has. What started out as a 90-day experiment has turned into a way of life. I am currently two months into the program and have already lost more than 21 pounds. Of course, there are times where I miss going out frequently to fancy dinners with my husband. But feeling the way I do every day is so much better than any nine-course meal. I have another 18 pounds until I reach my goal, and I intend to not only take it off, but keep it off as well, following the basics of the Take It Off program.
You know, I knew I could do a lot of things, but I never thought I could do this. This program has taught me that I truly can live a healthy life and still be happy. This has really opened my eyes to what the JCC does for our members, every single day. Take It Off is the perfect compliment to our already incredible fitness and recreational program.
Now, when I meet people for the first time or friends I haven’t seen in awhile, I’m no longer afraid about what they might say about my appearance….now I look forward to it!
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