Lynda’s Story
56 pounds lost

Lynda is a petite woman, with an infectious smile and eyes that flash with wisdom. The 41-year-old resident of Bond Hill, like many of us, juggles more than seems possible. She’s married, with three children, and works as a registered nurse at a hospital.

Although always active and busy, Lynda was growing tired of the extra weight she carried and the way it made her look and feel. Then came the news that pushed her to try something different, “There were three people in my family diagnosed with diabetes and I didn’t want to be another statistic,” she said.

Before losing weight, her annual physical revealed that she had high cholesterol and borderline high blood pressure. She also notes that she had a hard time finding clothes that fit well. “The least amount of physical activity was hard. It was just horrible. My husband would want to go places and I didn’t want to go because nothing looked good on me,” Lynda said.

Lynda considered her weight loss options before deciding upon Jewish Hospital’s Weight Management Center. “I had a friend from church who went to the Weight Management Center, and she lost a lot of weight. I’d tried a lot of things before, and none of them worked for me. I thought, ‘if she can do it, so can I.’ I went to one of the orientation sessions, and they had a payment plan that fit into my budget. So I tried it!”

Since starting the program, Lynda has lost 56 pounds.

“I would definitely refer anyone to The Jewish Hospital Weight Management Center. If they decided to do the program, I would encourage them to do the all-liquid fast and not to cheat. See what the program is going to do for you.”

Lynda’s weight loss means more than just looking great in anything she wants to wear. It also means a healthier life for herself, and more energy to keep up with her family.

“I have a lot more energy now. One of my goals in losing weight was to look nice in a swimsuit. My daughter is on a swim team, so I’m always at the pool. It was deterrent to going before I lost weight. Now I go and have a lot of fun with them.”

Steve’s Story

After hearing a radio advertisement, I decided to try the Jewish Hospital Weight Management Center.  The orientation meeting I attended did not make the program sound easy or give false hope.  It took a couple of weeks for me to decide if I was ready and really wanted to make the commitment necessary to succeed.  I was overweight all my life, and lost weight several times-only to return to my old ways and regain what I had lost and sometimes more.  I was searching for a way to keep the weight off for the long term and to avoid future health problems.

Many changes have taken place during the past 9 years for me.  The “Challenge Class” gave me the courage and tools to identify and deal with problems in other areas of life that caused me to use food for other reasons than fuel for the body.  Not only have I changed my diet, but also the way I think.  Other changes include regular exercise and support group meetings.  I feel much better physically, mentally and spiritually.  I enjoy life, have more self-confidence and am able to do many physical activities that were previously impossible.  Since losing the weight I have completed 11 marathons and countless 5K and 10K events, something I never thought would be possible for me.  I believe that finding activities that you enjoy is the key to keeping exercise a regular part of your life.

I believe the success I have experienced is due to eating a healthy balanced diet, exercise, continued participation in the Sustaining group at the Jewish Hospital Weight Management Center and Overeaters Anonymous.  Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a priority.  The behavior, exercise and diet counselors at the Weight Management Center continue to be very helpful and supportive.  The most important thing I have learned is that I will always have a problem with food.  With God’s help and the support of all the people I have met who understand problems with food, I look forward to continuing on the road to recovery.