Maureen’s
story: So, where do you start in retelling the past 50+ years of your
overweight life? I have always (in my memory) been overweight, sometimes more
than others, but a good majority of the time MORBIDLY OBESE!! Yes, that is what
the Doctor put on my chart. It sure isn’t anything I would brag to anyone about
and it was just another one of those feelings I would just push down inside of
me, along with all of the rest of the insecurities that go along with MORBIDLY
OBESE!!
Not
being able to hold my grandchildren on my lap.
Why?? Because I had no lap! Going with my family to the Zoo and saying
“I’ll wait for you here.” Why?? Because my knees were bothering me so bad, and
being tired from walking and huffing and puffing up the inclines.
Having
people look at you and imagining what they are thinking. Having people laugh at
you. Trying to look ahead when the hostess is seating you in a restaurant to
make sure that wherever they are taking you, you will be able to squeeze
through. Getting on an airplane and being worried about who is around you when
you board and wondering if they will hear you when you try to quietly ask the
Flight Attendant for a seat belt extender.
Then
it was all the different weight loss plans. Weight Watchers (how many times did
I join??? I can’t even remember), TOPS, Diminishing Dimensions, Low Carb diet,
and finally attending a meeting for Bariatric Surgery. Did I lose weight on any
of these diets? Definitely. Did I gain the weight back? Absolutely! And, the
pounds I lost had a lot of friends that they brought back with them!
Then,
in November of 2011, our son and daughter-in-law Josh & Kate Virkler from
IL came to CT for our family Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday. They had started a
Shaklee business previously and we had become distributors under them and begun
using some of the products. We especially liked Joint
Health Complex, NutriFeron and
Defend and Resist.
Josh
came to me with a bit of trepidation as a concerned son who, at that time, was
the father of three. He had already spoken with the rest of the family, and
they had all agreed to start a Shaklee weight loss program together to help me
find the motivation and will power to do something with my health problem so I
would be around to enjoy my family.
I
agreed to try…with some reservation. Let me just say it was one of the smartest
things I have ever done in my life!!
NEVER
have I been on a weight loss program that is as easy as this. NEVER have I been
on a weight loss program that I have lost this much weight. NEVER have I been
on a weight loss program where I have seen such improvements in my health.
NEVER have I been able to stay on a weight loss program for this amount of
time.
I
am down 70+ pounds, dropped many sizes in clothing, and been able to go OFF my
diabetes medication totally!!!
I
am continuing my weight loss journey as I am about 50-60 lbs. from goal but I
know that this is a lifestyle change and I feel that I can live happy and
healthy with Shaklee for the rest of my life.
P.S. Just so you know, I can now hold my
grandchildren on my LAP!! J