Carlene: Weight Loss Success
Carlene’s Story
I wanted to lose weight for health reasons. It was getting harder to manage my blood pressure even on medication, I was pre-diabetic, my blood cholesterol was high, my knee hurt so much I wasn’t exercising, and I had other disturbing health problems. I am a Grandmother to 5 beautiful grandchildren and I wanted to be around to enjoy and have fun with them. After discussing options with my doctor, she recommended Kaiser Permanente’s Positive Choice Weight Management Programs.
I was eager to resolve some of these health issues so decided to do the Full Fasting Program. Before starting, I wrote down all my health problems to help me remember why I felt I needed to do this program. I had a purpose far greater than just “looking good”. As I lost weight, people would tell me how great I was looking, and it was easy for me to quickly say, “The better story is that I am feeling better”. The looking good was a nice end result to another better reason for losing the weight. As I lost the weight, I did begin to feel a lot better. At one point, I moved a bucket of items in our storage unit that weighed about the amount of the weight I had lost. What a shock to realize how much I had been carrying; no wonder exercise was not a part of my life!!!! I wanted this so much that I never entertained thoughts of cheating. I also was never hungry. I was just so determined to do this for my health. The shakes never bothered me. I did what the program asked me to do. I drank the shakes, the chicken soup, and the water. I felt the program was wonderful. The staff was great. My weight loss counselor, Tama, was so helpful and positive. The receptionist, Allison, gave me great advice and cheered me on each week as she checked me in. :)
Now that I have lost the weight my blood sugar levels are normal! Yeah!!! My blood pressure is good and I am on less medication. My blood cholesterol dropped from the 200’s to 179. I no longer have to take daily gastric reflux medication. My BMI is now normal for my height, weight, and age!! Wow!! My knee feels better and my husband and I have started exercising again. I love this feeling of being in charge of myself. I know I did the right thing, and I feel good.
My Maintenance counselor, Kari, asked us to write down 3 words that now describe how we feel about ourselves. This will be something we live by to help us maintain our weight loss. I wrote, “I am healthy, fit, and disciplined”. I have put this on my phone calendar so I read it every morning to remind me who I am now. It helps me with debates of purchasing wrong foods at the store, choosing the right food to eat at home, or when I am eating out. I remind myself that I am disciplined now and I am making the right choices. Like the Wellness Center’s name — the whole program is about making a lot of positive choices.