Success Stories - RickPlease click on thumbnails to see the full size photo. I started Weight Watcher a year and seven months ago and to date I have lost 244 pounds. I started at 455 pounds. I have gone from a 64 waist to a 34 waist and from a 7x shirt to a medium-large. I truly do have a new life, one that I never dreamed of. I could not walk to the end of my street before but now I run 3 miles every day and ride bike between 11 and 12 miles as well. All that I want to do now is help someone else realize their dream of being thinner and living a healthier life. This is not about dieting this is about eating healthy. My wife got me started in all of this and she has lost 35 as well. I went to my meeting last night (January 30, 2001) and I lost 3 more pounds last week. My total loss is now 247 pounds. A little more about my journey - Well the two things that come to mind are positive attitude and motivation. With a positive attitude there is absolutely no way that you can fail with the WW plan. Once you get it in your mind that it WILL work the rest is easy - just work the plan and the weight will come off. Some weeks no matter how you hard you work you may not lose weight or may even gain. Do not let weeks like that bring you down because that will only set you back. When I have a bad week I used it as motivation and the next week is always a success. My biggest weight loss week was 12 pounds lost, and I was so pumped up about it. The next week I worked even harder and I gained 3 pounds. Your body does try to compensate for weight loss, by keeping a constant weight. I would love to hear from people and maybe help someone. The best thing I have done so far to help someone else is I talked to a lady that was scheduled to have her stomach stapled, and she had read an add that I posted on the WW web site about my weight loss. She told me that she was scared, and very upset about having the surgery. I told her about WW and also about my cousin who had had the surgery a year ago. Yes, he lost weight and it was fast, but he is still not healthy. He eats the wrong things and doesn't exercise. Anyway I got a letter from the same lady last month. She cancelled her surgery and joined WW instead. She has lost 37 pounds so far and is going strong! That made me feel wonderful! Dotti - Thank YOU - First and foremost I have to thank my wife April for getting me involved in Weight Watchers, cooking for me and her constant support. I have to thank Marie Hedge, my Weight Watchers group leader, for her continuous concern for my health and well being. And a big thank you to Carleen Overacker, my athletic trainer and Godsend! I hope that you can add this it would mean so very much to me. There are so many people that have helped me along my journey even if it was just to stop and say "hey you look great" - that means so very much. Thanks again for all that you do to help others. Rick Benson
Photos
- L-R: I was wearing
a 7x shirt and a 64 waist pant; August 2000 - 250 lbs; Medium
to large shirt Update 2/15/01 - I weighed in and lost another 3 pounds bringing the total to an even 250 lost! I was interviewed by my local paper and they printed the story - Click here: Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be I was also interviewed by USA Today and the story is NOW online - and in todays publication! Click here: USATODAY.com Update 4/17/01 - I am still losing YEAH!!!! I have
now lost 262 pounds and I am about where I would like to stay. I also did an
interview with Weight Watchers magazine last night and it will be out next month
or the month after! Keep up the great work! Rick
Benson |
