Weight loss has been a challenge
for us ever since we reached "middle age." After the age of
30 our lives became more sedentary. We stopped playing tennis and Sheldon
dropped out of Sunday afternoon pickup football and basketball games.
When our children came along, we became involved in their lives, but
mostly as spectators: watching them while they played on the playground;
taking them to play soccer, little league baseball, then track and finally
football. All of this inactivity plus continuing to eat as we had when
we were younger has taken its toll.
Weight
Gain and Health Problems
We all have been told that
weighing too much is not good for your health. "Being overweight
increases your risk of health conditions such as heart problems, high
blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. Being overweight
can also increase your risk for osteoarthritis, sleep apnea or other
respiratory problems." ("Weight Management", CareNotes,
March 1, 2005 pNA.) Sheldon was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic in 1996
and the first thing they wanted him to do was lose weight. He went to
see a nutritionist who specialized in helping diabetics learn to make
better food choices. They gave him a strict meal plan which included
a menu sheet to work with. The plan consisted of 2000 calories a day
spread out over 3 regular meals and 3 snacks to keep the blood sugar
at an even level avoiding spikes and dips.
Meanwhile, Jean began to
have health problems, and the doctor started her on medication with
the same admonition, "You have to lose weight." Unfortunately,
he didn't really say how to do it. We had tried various dieting programs
over the years and would be successful for awhile and then gradually
start putting the pounds back on. Since weight gain is so slow, it is
easy to ignore the few pounds put on and make an excuse to start "tomorrow."
However, a few pounds soon add up to a lot and it becomes harder to
shed them.
Losing
Weight Requires a Life Style Change
This time we started using
the strict meal plan the nutritionist had given Sheldon. Using their
model Jean began to write out menus for each day and started measuring
portions on the plates instead of serving everything on the table family
style. We also started exercising more, going for walks in the evening
and even joined an exercise club to lift weights.
This worked for awhile and
Sheldon's blood sugar dropped to normal levels as his weight came down.
But we drifted back into our old habits and after two years he was placed
on medication to help bring his sugar within acceptable levels. We accepted
the fact that we were just going to have to stay on medication to avoid
serious health problems. However, we kept trying other diets and weight
loss programs, but any pounds we lost seemed to come right back and
those pounds brought along friends.
Last year the doctor doubled
Sheldon's blood sugar medication and told Jean that after a certain
age you just have to accept that you are going to be overweight. We
both had crossed the line from being overweight to becoming obese. Walking
up stairs put such stress on Jean's heart that she started avoiding
them and used the elevator all the time. Even though he was on medication,
it was still difficult to bring Sheldon's blood sugar down to acceptable
levels.
Cleansing
and Fat Burning System
In October a friend came
by Sheldon's office and was so excited because he had lost 14 pounds
in 9 days and wanted Sheldon to try this new health product. After giving
it some thought and researching the ingredients, he decided we should
both go on the program. The results have been just as exciting for us.
Two days into the program, Jean's shoe size dropped so drastically that
she couldn't keep them on. We were on a trip and stopped to get some
new shoes, and had to buy a pair that was two sizes smaller. After a
month on the program, Jean's feet dropped another shoe size.
So far Sheldon has lost over
40 pounds and Jean has lost over 20. He may have lost more pounds than
she has, but she has lost more inches. We have both dropped clothes
sizes which means we will eventually have to go shopping and replace
our whole wardrobes. Being on the program has improved our health, also.
Sheldon's blood sugar is down to normal and our blood pressure is back
to an acceptable level. We have been able to increase our exercise from
short walks, to climbing stairs, riding a stationary bicycle, and doing
aerobics. We are expecting good news from the doctor this year during
our annual check ups, and maybe he will reduce our medication.
Since we gained all this
weight over a long period of time, we must not become too anxious about
taking it off. This is not a quick fix but must be done one pound at
a time. One thing we need to do in order to continue losing and keep
it off is to educate ourselves about food and begin cooking more healthy
meals. Using a written out menu has always been helpful, and we just
need to stay with it. Exercise has become a regular part of our day
and in order to stick with it we have set up a regular schedule.
Another health benefit is
drinking plenty of water. This cleansing program requires that we drink
at least 8 - 8 ounce glasses of water daily. Counting the glasses of
water we drink has made us aware of how little water we were drinking.
We often go for some other liquid when we are thirsty, such as coffee
or tea or a soft drink. In order to get in the full eight glasses, we
plan when we will have those. Being aware of everything we consume and
how it affects our bodies is making us more aware of our responsibility
in regaining our health.
If you are interested in
learning how you can benefit from this program, send us this form.
