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Success Story from Cindi


Cindi after NS 		Are you like me? I was skinny all my life and ate whatever I wanted, including chocolate cake with frosting and whole milk for breakfast!!!! I was so skinny I was made fun of! Imagine that. Even as an adult I was able to maintain a healthy thin weight ... until ... I hit 30 and started working long hours behind a desk and was no longer dancing (I danced through out school, college, grad school). I went from maintaining between 114-118 with a high of 120 to in excess of 145 (probably close to 150 but was in denial). I have a very small frame, size 4 ring, size 6 shoe, children's hats, glasses and watches, so 145 was A LOT of weight on me and looked it. Add to that 35% body fat, and I was a big squishy marshmallow. I tried just watching what I ate and exercising. But for someone who never had to worry about what she ate, it was really hard to deprive myself or restrict my portions for long enough to ever see results or keep the small results I did manage. I am not an emotional eater but I love food, I love the way it tastes, and often want to keep eating after I'm full to just keep tasting the foods I love. I also tend to love foods that are not healthy and are full of fat! Cheese, sauces, dips, etc. I also have a huge sweet tooth (I really need to get that sucker pulled).

So in August of this year, is when I joined the Y, found out my fat percentage and started exercising 6 days a week. At first I tried to just eat better and watch my portions, but I just couldn't do it. I kept seeing adds for NS and thought diet programs aren't for me as I only need to lose 20 pounds. But I checked out the site, the food, the cost, the program, the people, etc. and decided I would give it a 1 month try. What I needed was someone to make my food with the right ingredients in the right portion size and just say "here, eat this" and only this! The only fear I had was "what will it taste like?" Well, it tasted good, I loved it.

Cindi before NS

I ate on plan 100%, I drank 100 oz of water, I kept working out, and I stopped drinking wine (mostly). The weight didn't fall right off, I thought I would only be on the plan for 1 or 2 months, but it is coming off, so are the inches, and the fat percent is going down down down. I started NS on September 23, 2006 and hit my NS goal at day 91 on December 23, 2006; however, I have decided after reading other success stories, to go below goal and give myself some wiggle room. Currently my weight is 122.8, I have lost 16.25 inches, and my body fat percentage has gone from 35.4% to 22.9%. My ultimate goal is to be between 120 and 125 with 21% body fat. I look and feel fantastic and feel completely in control of what I eat. I eat NS sweet desserts every night but am no longer tempted by the sweets I see around the office or in the stores or at restaurants. I no longer fear going to lunch or dinner with friends, as I have learned to make good decisions and keep my portions under control. NS has taught me so much!!! I really feel and believe that I will be able to maintain this after I reach my goals. I have learned so much about eating that I know I won't just go back to old habits and put the weight back on.

Every fall I try to start working out and eating right with the idea of being in shape by summer. Even when I was thin I wasn't really "in shape" and for the first time, I feel like next summer, not only will I be the size/weight I want to be, but I will be "in shape" and have that bathing suit body I want!

Thank you NutriSystem!

Cindi (VeronicaLodge)

(photos used with permission)