You is a feature in the Covington Reporter and Maple Valley Reporter written by readers of both papers. Submit your own photos, articles, essays, short fiction, poems and news items about anniversaries, weddings, engagements and awards to You at pjenkins@reporternewspapers.com or You, Maple Valley-Covington Reporter, 22035 SE. Wax Road, Maple Valley, WA 98038. Questions? Call (253) 437-6050 or e-mail pjenkins@reporternewspapers.com.
By Peggy Rezac
Today I’m an energetic mother of three who runs, bikes, dances and even stands all day without getting tired. But just two years ago, I weighed 390 pounds and couldn’t even think of doing any of these activities.
I had isolated myself from the world. I was ashamed and embarrassed at my weight and didn’t want to face the public. I never went to the store, the movies or dinner. I was unable to walk more than 50 feet without almost collapsing from pain and lack of breath. Climbing stairs, even stepping up onto a curb, was almost beyond my ability. I had no personal life outside of my home and never went anywhere except to work.
This presented a whole other challenge. At work, I am in charge of training co-workers, requiring me to stand in front of people. As long as I focused on my presentation, I could handle being in front of people. But as soon as I was done, I made a run for the door. I was paranoid that everyone was laughing at me.
For more than 20 years, I have dealt with this weight issue and tried many popular diets. With each diet I went through the same cycle — initial success, but as soon as I hit a plateau I became less motivated, and before long I was back to my old habits of eating to soothe the frustration of defeat.
Then in the spring of 2006, a family member died of health complications directly related to weight gain. This was my wakeup call. I knew if I didn’t do something about my weight, in 20 years that would be me. I became determined to make a lifestyle change.
Through extensive research, I decided against bariatric surgery and stumbled upon Medifast (www.medifast1.com), a medically approved weight-loss program that focused on portion control. I figured I would give it a try since I was running out of options.
In July 2006, I took the first step: I began the Medifast program by eating five small Medifast meals throughout the day and having a Lean and Green Meal for dinner. These small, healthy meals taught me portion control without leaving me hungry. And I got to eat every two to three hours, so I never felt hungry.
Most days, my diet consisted of blueberry oatmeal for breakfast, a ready-to-drink Dutch chocolate shake for a morning snack, a bowl of soup for lunch, a Medifast bar in the afternoon, a Lean and Green Meal – chicken and salad with three vegetables for dinner, and chocolate pudding in the evening.
Not only did I adjust my portion sizes, I also incorporated exercise into my daily routine. I started small, sitting in a chair moving my legs (a big task for a 390-pound woman), then walking down the street, and before long I was able to start jogging for a few minutes at a time.
My motivation came from the tremendous support of my family. My husband and children were fabulous. They celebrated each weigh-in with me and were always telling me how proud they were. The biggest encouragement came when friends came up to me and said my family had been bragging about my accomplishments.
Two years after I started my weight-loss journey, I can proudly say I have lost 255 pounds. I’m able to run, lift weights, ride a bike and swim – things I never thought were possible only a short time ago. In October, my husband and I went on a hiking trip. In one day we hiked 20 miles to an elevation of 8,000 feet, and I never had to stop from pain or lack of breath.
Since I’ve been fortunate enough to have found a formula for weight loss success, I wanted to share a few of my own tips to help others jump-start their weight loss journey:
• Stay positive. The right mental focus and commitment is essential to success. My motto is change your mind and change your world.
• Keep a journal. This isn’t a food log. Use a journal or blog to write out your feelings, what you have done well and things that didn’t go as planned.
• Keep your goal in mind, but enjoy the journey. Savor every new thing you can do, no matter how simple or small. Celebrate ordinary things that have become easier such as being able to strap a seat belt around you.
I am truly happy for the first time in my adult life. I’m not embarrassed in public and I have accomplished things I never thought I would. I have been given second chance at life.
