~Then and Now: A Four Month Whirlwind~
I engaged in a long, soulful walk this morning, after a short night of little rest and many deep thoughts. How did I get here, where have I been? Begin at the beginning. Reflect, analyze, learn, let go, move forward.
Four months ago, I weighed a whopping 320 lbs., and it literally hurt to move my body from point A to point B. Standing for more than 5 minutes at a time was painful to my knees and back, and this pain caused more pain of the mental variety. I was a substitute teacher, doing a long term assignment as a math and science teacher in 4th AND 5th grades at a very demanding school. Being responsible for two grade levels worth of science and math curriculum was challenging, and I simply didn't have the energy to adequately deal with it. I became very tired of always being tired, fat, and afraid. I literally began to be afraid of BEING afraid!!! Why was I like this, how could I change? But still, I carried on in my foggy state of bare existence...until my body screamed out a hilatious wake up call!
I began having sudden, sharp chest pains, sometimes on the left, other times the right. I literally thought I was going to die. This scared me into my doctor's office -- a place I duly dreaded due to the constant "you need to lose weight" lectures. But this time, I had a more pressing concern: staying alive!! I am a single parent, the ONLY parent my son has, and I simply had to face up to the fact that I needed to change, for me, and for him.
My blood work showed elevated bp, cholesterol, and the alarming fact that I was pre-diabetic! I didn't want to live the rest of my life sticking needles in myself, or end up hooked up to a dialysis machine. I was terrified of dying before I even made it out of my 40's, before my son graduated high school, had his first girlfriend, and was accepted to college. And then came the miracle: my doc told me about Medifast. Turns out, he was a tsfl health coach, and had in fact, lost 40 lbs. himself, and was able to fit into his wedding suit, at age 55!! He was bouncing around the office like the Energizer Bunny on Speed, and I was awestruck. I thought, well, if he can do it at age 55, why can't I do this at age 42? Better yet, what the H*ll do I have to lose? Other than my LIFE....
Within 3 weeks of starting MF, I had lost 22 lbs., my bp, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels were all at healthy levels. Now, 4 months later, currently in week 19, I have lost 82 pounds, and over 2 feet of fat! I feel completely reborn!!! My confidence led me to apply for and land my dream job as a fifth grade English teacher. For those of you who follow my blogs, the school district that hired me is the very same one where my dear Ga-Ga, of the golden open heart necklace, worked many years ago. Mrs. Mac, Phys. Ed, Track / BB coach....and now, her "precious girl" me, Sid, is working right across the street (+ a large cornfield!) from where my Ga inspired so many students long ago. My how things come full circle.
Also, with my newfound confidence and enthusiasm for all things healthy, I have taken the ultimate plunge and become a tsfl health coach. Got my coach's page up and running yesterday!!! Scared, overwhelmed -- oh yeah! -- but I am going to give it a shot! There are so many people out there, with stories like mine, who could do so much good in the world, if they would finally find the magic potion that is Medifast (MF) to help them lose the weight, regain their health, and begin to live the lives they always imagined. I am honored to be able to assist anyone in such an endeavor!
Finally, the thing I am most proud of is that I am excited about life again! I feel profound hope for the future -- for me, and for my darling son -- and I see my potential and his as limitless. There is no glass ceiling on achievement, when we are healthy, once we love ourselves, when we enjoy paying it forward, and once we determine that we are in control of our own delicious destinies.
OXO...Sid
http://healthcoachsid.tsfl.com/
82 Pounds Lost in 4 1/2 Months!!!
. You rock! I find your story very motivating and i hope the next 82 are as easy to loose as the first 82 for you 
Keep on going 
