I never really thought of myself as overweight, despite the fact that I'd gained 70 pounds in the last 15 years. When I looked in the bathroom mirror, I still saw a slim and healthy young woman. When I stopped joining my friends and family at the swimming pool, or on ski outings, I told myself I was just too busy to have fun. When I saw an unflattering photo of myself, I simply got rid of it and blamed the photographer. And when my doctor expressed concern about my weight and frequent bouts of pneumonia, I chalked it up to the stress in my life.
I was an expert at living in denial. At age 48, my size 16 clothes didn't fit, my feet and knees hurt all the time, and I lost my breath whenever I leaned over to tie my shoes. I made excuses, I blamed my work and the aging process, and I wore my unhealthy lifestyle like a badge of honor. "I have much more important things to worry about than being vain about my appearance," I said to myself.
All that bravado and denial melted away in the spring of 2006, when my terminally ill father pulled me aside and said, "Annie, I'm worried about you. You take care of everyone and everything around you, but you don't take care of yourself. I've never seen you this heavy or unhealthy looking. Promise me you'll devote more energy to taking better care of your body after I'm gone. The greatest gift you can give this family is the gift of your own good health. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for us."
My transformation began at that very moment. If my father was my call to action, The Live Well program was my catalyst. My husband and I resolved to get healthy and fit together, and we began by doing the 5-Day detoxifying RESET in June 2006. For the next 6 months, we faithfully took our supplements, drank two of the recommended low-glycemic meal replacement shakes a day, and enjoyed the recommended low-glycemic nutrition bars for our morning and afternoon snacks. Much to my surprise, I rang in the New Year 40 pounds lighter, while my husband celebrated his 25-pound loss!
In January 2007, I hit a month-long weight plateau. I began to believe I'd achieved all I could hope for, until my husband suggested we do the RESET again and set a goal to spend Memorial Day weekend on a beach -- in our bathing suits! This was just the extra incentive I needed to step up my efforts and refocus my attention on slimming down and getting healthier. Doing the RESET again helped to restore my body's balance and reduce the food cravings that had crept in over the holidays. After that, it was easy and satisfying to replace two meals a day with the low-glycemic shakes. As my energy increased, I committed to exercising at least 45 minutes a day, 6 days per week. For the first time in my life, I tried NIA, Pilates, Yoga and Strength Training, and loved them all!
In these past few months, I've rediscovered the joy of living in my body. Now 52 pounds lighter, I'm beginning to see the shape of the woman I've imagined myself to be. I'm realizing what a blessing it is to be able to move freely, without pain or limitation. And most of all, I'm learning the lesson my father tried to teach me: that when we give ourselves the gift of good health, we give a precious gift to all those we love.
My husband and I have decided that, once we both reach our weight and fitness goals, we will continue feeding our cells and our bodies with USANA's supplements, plus a shake and a bar, every day for the rest of our lives. We simply feel too healthy and too energetic to stop now. Thank you, Live Well – I finally have the answer to my question: How can I be healthy, active and slim for the rest of my life? |
