Weight Loss Stories

“The changes I have experienced go so far beyond just a physical appearance and being happy with what you see in a mirror.”

Christine has lost 159 pounds and no longer needs medications

“Everyone has a reason for beginning their PCW journey. My reasons were entirely medical. I was never unhappy with who I saw reflected in the mirror so I never felt the need to change. Several years ago, I began suffering from Gastroesophageal reflux disease, which runs in my family. At first, I ignored it, then when it got to the point I was vomiting daily I began going to see doctors. Lots of doctors, in three different states over a 15 year period. The usual method of treatment was the addition or change to a medication to try and control symptoms, but as the years progressed, the symptoms got worse and worse, and I just accepted there was nothing that was going to help. Before coming to PCW, I was vomiting after almost every meal and suffering nosebleeds multiple times each month. I had begun to have reoccurrences of bronchitis and bronchial inflammation due to the excessive stomach acid, and I was up 4-6 times a night with stomach pain and heartburn. The turning point for me was in April 2016, when I had to be taken to the hospital for a possible heart attack while I was at work. After a night in the cardiac unit for observation, a gastroenterologist came in to see me and said that while he could get my symptoms back under control, the medications he would prescribe were extreme and over time would cause Alzheimer’s and Dementia. It was not recommended to take the dosage he was recommending for longer than 2 weeks and that a drastic change in my diet was needed to get the reflux under control. When I weighed in at the hospital ER that day, I weighed 355 lbs and wore a size 28.”

“I am not going to say that this road has been easy, but it has been worth it. The changes I have experienced go so far beyond just a physical appearance and being happy with what you see in a mirror. I have lost 159 lbs to date, with 147 lbs being a direct result of the PCW program. I take no medications today except for the occasional Tum or Rolaid. I sleep at night, so I am not exhausted all day at work and I no longer suffer the ‘50 Shades of Green’ symptoms after every meal. For me, the journey is about feeling better and knowing the numbers that keep feeling that way. I try not to focus on the numbers I see on a scale, but on the number of minutes of exercise I get, or the number of miles I walk in a day. I look at menus and look at the calories and ingredients prior to making selections and choose foods that do not aggravate my condition. I track how I feel, and if I feel poorly I look at my journal and try to identify if I have eaten something that could be responsible. For me, PCW has been life-altering and I am looking forward to my next chapter as a Sustainer – which I have set a personal goal for April 2018 – exactly 2 years after my trip to the ER.”

“If I had one piece of advice for those on their own journey it would be to never give up on yourself. It takes time to make a change and develop healthy habits. Patty told me that in week 1 and I have never forgotten it. It is easy to accept what is status quo and hard to make changes but if it is something you really want or need, you will find excuses to keep going instead of excuses to give up.”

Ready to start your healthy lifestyle like Christine?
Get started with PCW today!