Stacy Is Inspired!

I was diagnosed with a neurological disorder in the summer of 2000.  I had no idea what it would mean for my life or the changes my body would undergo.  I had always thought there’d be time to travel.  I was overwhelmed and anxious.  My weight was the last thing on my mind. 

By the spring of 2003, I weighed 254 pounds.  My activity level was already compromised and the added weight made it even harder to get around.  My dreams of travel seemed impossible.  I kept buying clothes in bigger sizes and consoling myself with food.  I tried various workout programs, but nothing worked.  Going to the gym was lonely.  Just getting there was a victory, but there was no one to share it.  Without a clear goal, it was easy to skip a couple weeks.  Finally, I just gave up.

One rainy summer day, I saw an ad for Healthy Inspirations.  In the first picture was a heavyset woman who looked as tired and miserable as I felt.  In the second picture, the same woman was smiling broadly with her hands on her much thinner hips.  I went to my bathroom mirror and studied my reflection.  I turned left, right and then sucked in my stomach.  It’s no use, I sighed.  I can’t pretend anymore.  I picked up the Healthy Inspirations ad again and looked at the confident, energetic woman in the picture.  I looked at myself in the mirror again and thought, Why not?  I picked up the phone and set an appointment.

I was greeted at the Center by (a Lifestyle Consultant).  Oh great, I thought dismally, another perky woman with no idea how it feels to be this big.  But I was wrong.  On the way to the office, she pointed out her before and after pictures.  I was amazed when I realized that the woman in the pictures was her!  She had been through the program and it worked.  We talked for almost an hour as she enthusiastically explained the various facets of Healthy Inspirations.  She had succeeded and I began to think that I could too.

And succeed I did.

For six months, I met with consultants three times a week.  Other women I met at the Center were eager to share their success and congratulate me on mine.  I started to look forward to working out.  Going to the gym was no longer lonely.  The circuit was almost always lively.  I developed camaraderie with other women who were pursuing and achieving the same goals as me.  I felt in control of my life for the first time since my diagnosis.

As the pounds decreased, I gained new energy and confidence.  I learned not only what to eat, but why I was eating it.  Knowledge of nutrition was something I craved but never got from other programs.  Healthy Inspirations understands that weight loss is only the first step and that eating correctly for like is a vital part of success and health.

Seven months after I set foot in Healthy Inspirations, I boarded a flight to Europe.  I had reached my goal of 185 pounds.  Looking out the window of the plane, I thought about that fateful summer day.  From those first shaky steps, I’d taken control of my weight, my illness, and my life.  I listened to the hum of the engine and smiled.  I thought about the new Healthy Inspirations ad that I had taped to my bathroom mirror.  This time, the confident woman in the picture with her hands on her much thinner hips was me.

Thank you Healthy Inspirations for your encouragement and your comprehensive program.  You’ve helped me live a happier, healthier life!

Stacy G.
Madison, WI

*Congratulations to Stacy, winner of the "Are You Inspired" essay contest.  Stacy recently enjoyed a grand prize shopping spree and makeover in New York City.