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I would like to start off by properly introducing myself. My name is Rebecca. I am married and have three beautiful children. I am overweight. I call it overweight. The doctors call it obese. What a horrible word. Ever since I was a child I was overweight. The least I remember weighing was 280 pounds and that was when I was in high school. The highest weigh was 403.5 pounds and that was in December of 2000. December 27 to be exact. That was a day that I'll never forget. It was the day that I decided to take my life back.

In mid December I had experienced many health problems. I was experiencing chest pains and had very bad head aches. Being that my Mother suffers from Heart Disease and Diabetes I decided to take the health problems serious and go to the hospital. While at the hospital they tested me for many things. Everything came back fine. They basically told me that it was stress. After that day my Mother and I sat down and had a talk about my weight problem. I finally sat there and accepted reality. Was I going to die or was I going to live? Then I would think of my children and how their life would be if I died. Nobody could ever love my babies like I love them. How could I be so selfish and know that deep inside I was silently killing myself? How could I deprive my children and my husband of having me around? Food is a horrible addiction. Not knowing how to control the addiction was the hardest part. Now that I think about it I don't even know how I functioned being that weight. I was wearing a size 8x in men's clothes because it was very difficult to find anything in that size in women's clothes. I could barely breathe. I couldn't even reach my shoes to tie them. I had many difficulties that people take for granted in everyday life.

All of that changed for me on December 27, 2000. I decided to join a local weight loss center. Actually my Mother suggested that I just go and see what it was all about. I began the program on 12/27/00 weighing in at 403.5 pounds. It's been only a little over five months since then and I've lost 100 pounds exactly! I had a weigh in yesterday on 6/6/00 and I was 303.5 pounds exactly! You don't know how great that feels to say! It feels FABULOUS! I just get chills all over thinking of how much weight I have lost. I know that I still have over one hundred more pounds to lose but it seems easier now. I am accustomed to eating the proper foods now. And the water! Water is a miracle worker. Please don't forget your water! I never realized that in order to lose weight you had to eat the proper foods. I don't see it as actually "dieting," I see it as learning to eat correctly. Learning to eat the right foods that will able me to see my daughter get married one day and to experience my sons making me a grandmom. Not any time soon for either one of those though!

I do need to stress that this journey is much easier with the support of friends and family. I need to thank my Mom, (Joan) my sister, (Joann) my cousin, (Marlene) and my girl friend (Stacey). You all have been my light in the tunnel and will always hold a special place in my heart. And to my sweet angel Janet....I shall forever hold your strength, integrity, and courage deep with in my soul. Janet has been on this journey with me the past couple of months and has lost over 30 pounds herself! She looks just fabulous! It makes such of a difference to have someone supporting you. If anyone needs a little push in the right direction, just ask. We can do this! If I can.....I know you can!

I hope that if you are overweight and you are reading this that you truly take in to consideration of how important you are. You are very important! You can take a step forward in deciding to lose weight. Believe me you may take a step back wards sometimes (darn those Krispy Kremes!) but as long as you stay focused and know how much better your heart feels when you lose the weight! I feel so good now! I look pretty darn cute too! :-) You should hear my husband. He always says things like, "Why do you have to paint your nails?" Jealous....I love it! I do exercise also. I take walks with my children almost everyday. I can wear really cute looking clothes now. Thank God no more men's flannel shirts! I now wear size 2x and 3x! One day I will be able to take that x off of my sizes. I wish that you all could feel my happiness. This feels so wonderful. I've been given a second chance at life and I'm not going to miss the train this time! I hope that you decide to jump on with me! There's plenty of room!

(9/1) My new update is that I now weigh 288 lbs. I'm almost at the weight I was when I had my first child. People may think that is a lot of weight but when you started at over 400 pounds it's such of a difference! I feel just fabulous! I feel like a completly different person! Thank you Dotti for giving me the oppurtunity to share my stories with others! Sincerely, Rebecca

              

Photos - L-R: Christmas 2000; April 2001; May 2001; August 26, 2001

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