Age 55 Cambridge Start Date: October 20, 2003 Today's Date: April 21, 2004 Total time on Cambridge: 6 months Today's weight loss: 61 pounds Note: I've quit smoking and gained some of this back. I'm getting ready to take off the rest of the weight now that my quit is solid! |
August 16, 2003
Before
January 7, 2004
Total loss in just 11 weeks = 38 pounds
4 inches off my bust
4.5 inches off my waist
4.5 inches off my hips
3 inches off EACH thigh
March 22, 2004
I took a break while I was packing up and moving to my new home.
I've still managed to maintain my weight and lose another 15 pounds!!!
Thanks to Cambridge I had the energy to do all this packing and I still feel great!
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April 21, 2004
I've still been playing around a bit so I'm losing a bit slower, but I'm satisfied
with the eight pounds I lost this month. My clothes are all baggy but finally my bust sticks out more than my tummy!
Keep in mind that these are "Work in Progress" photos and not Before and After.
I realize that I still have a ways to go to reach my weight loss goals!
 July 4, 2003 |
 July 4, 2004 |
My Story I was only 6 pounds 11 ounces when I was born.....that was just about the last time I didn't have to worry about my weight! When I was 11 years old, the school nurse decided that I was overweight and should be on a diet. I was 4'10" tall and weighed 100 pounds. All of my classmates knew that I had been put on a diet and they teased me endlessly, as children that age tend to do. At the age of 12, my mother was taking me to Diet Doctors, the newest breed of weight loss specialists. I was prescribed amphetamines (the original diet pills which were legal at that time.) By the age of 13, I was at a "normal weight". I was quite active during Junior High and High School with Drill Team, body surfing, beach volleyball, dancing, and tons of school activities and I managed to maintain a healthy weight throughout high school. Of course, not realizing that I was a big-boned girl wearing a size 12 and having petite friends who wore size 3's and 5's, I thought I was still fat. Here is a picture in high school when I thought I was FAT!  145 pounds in 1966 I weighed 191 on January 25, 1969 when I married my children's father. I promptly had three children in 40 months (21 and 19 months apart). Then, I began a succession of weight loss programs. First, I joined a group called T.O.P.S (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) after the birth of my first child. I often was the "Queen" of the week with the highest weight loss. This group was hilarious. Before weighing, the gals would literally strip off as much of their clothing as they could....shoes....wigs (really!)......jackets.......anything to show a loss. If you had a gain you had to say the following slogan: "Oink, oink, Christie a pig am I. The scales I know they do not lie, My 5 pounds just must go." Then after the meeting, everyone would go out to dinner for pizza or anything that sounded good. Needless to say, this group didn't work very well for me. Below is a picture of one of my "Queen" weeks....the prize was a basket of fruit and vegetables....there ya go....using food as a reward.....bad habit!  206 pounds in 1970 I wish I could blame my pregnancies for my weight gain, but I actually lost weight when I was pregnant with the last two. I joined the old Weight Watcher program during my second pregnancy and actually lost 9 pounds during my final 3 months of pregnancy. This was the original program that had everything made with unflavored gelatin. You had to have fish 3 times a week, liver at least once a week; there were no points.....it was YUCKY!!! I made whipped cream with non-fat powdered milk and saccharine (there wasn't anything like Cool Whip or Splenda or even Equal back then). It was the worse food I have ever eaten but I lost 35 pounds in 2 months. Of course, when I quit Weight Watchers, I promptly gained it back plus more!   My high school weight was 145-150 at my thinnest. My lowest weight as an adult was 175 pounds. I was thin and well-proportioned and healthy! I soon discovered that I am an emotional/stress eater and during the marital problems of my first marriage, I climbed up to 231 pounds in 1976. Then, another helpful doctor gave me biphetamines to use for weight loss. These were powerful prescription "speed" pills. These are often called "Black Beauties" and are sold illegally to people who just want the speed that accompanies these pills. I lived on the pills, coffee, and I had the cleanest house in town with all of this false energy. I dropped weight so fast and hit 175 pounds. This continued for 18 months and I became addicted to the drugs. When the doctor refused to refill the prescription, I found other places to buy them. I managed to quit this addiction cold turkey on my own. Disillusioned with organized weight loss groups that I had tried and the medical professionals, I organized and moderated a weight loss group in Vista, California. The membership eventually grew to 35 members who met weekly for almost two years. We each used varied diet programs and were there to support each other throughout our weight loss. I learned so much from these wonderful friends! The key point to this group's success was the positive attitude that we encouraged in each other. We never judged or belittled anyone who was struggling to succeed in their quest for a healthier life. I have collected many great articles throughout the years, especially during the time that I was moderating our support group and I love sharing them with others. Many of these were prior to the use of home computers, so I am in the process of typing them up and storing them on my hard drive to share with you. During the next 20 some years, I hadn't seriously attempted to lose weight for any length of time. I tried Phen-Fen (before they knew it could kill you), a few attempts at the Atkins Diet (loved that bacon and eggs!), The Beverly Hills Diet, the Eat Right for Your Blood Type Diet, and occassionally Slim Fast, which makes me hungier! I have read all the books, trust me! Now that I have several health issues (many of them caused by my weight), I decided to take back control of my life and my health. When discussing my future gastric bypass surgery with my physician, he informed me that my insurance required that I diet for six months on a physician monitored weight loss program. He recommended OptiFast or another named HRM or something like that. I researched many various liquid diets on the Internet and discovered Cambridge. After comparing the ingredients, price, nutritional value, and a couple of Cambridge messageboards and reading all of their posts, I decided to commit myself to using Cambridge products. I was so pleased with my results from Sole Sourcing during the first week, that I signed up to be a Cambridge Distributor. I usually just have my 3 shakes each day with an occassional Cambridge Nutrition Bar. But I allow myself to add the following "free veggies" if I want something to chew: About once a month, I have a "planned" meal in a restaurant with my husband. I make good choices and tend to go focus mostly on the protein portion. My weight loss has been slower than many of those using Cambridge due to many factors: 1) My age....older people tend to have slower metabolisms 2) The addition of food to my "diet" and my occassional dinner dates with my husband rather than using only Cambridge products. 3) My current inability to exercise because of various health issues that are in the process of resolving themselves. I am on Cambridge for Life! Literally! Cambridge has given me back my life and put me in control of my life once again! I will live life more completely and definitely healthier thanks to Cambridge! |
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