Starting weight: 282, 45%
Final weight: 244, 38%
Loss: 38lbs, 13.78% of original body fat loss
Personal Statement:
Growing up in an era when the internet wasn’t the information superhighway that it is today, and with parents that where totally oblivious about nutrition, I never really paid attention to my relationship with food until my early twenties, when it became a real problem due to medical issues. I would try to deal with it by going on crash diets, and really bad exercise programs. Yes I lost weight every time, but I would gain it back faster and then some.
It wasn’t until my late twenties that one day I woke up and saw in the mirror something I couldn’t believe. I hit my heaviest at 336 pounds. I decided to go into therapy and that’s when I realized that eating was my way of dealing with anxiety.
Now that I knew the root of the problem, I was ready to go into it again. Went into a popular diet that really worked. Lost 75 pounds in 7 months but still there was something missing. I felt healthy but didn’t feel quite right and was not happy at all with the way I looked.
After 2 years I gained 28 of those pounds back. One day I realized I needed professional help. I needed guidance from somebody that was an expert in weight loss and not a random YouTuber that you don’t know their real credentials and background.
I researched for the best place in Chicago and that’s when I found Options Medical Weight loss. Through my first program at Options I lost 63 pounds in 21 weeks. I finally got the results I wanted. I didn’t only feel good – I looked good and was actually still losing weight weeks after the program ended.
But unfortunately, years and years of my unhealthy lifestyle caught up and I had to go and get intestinal surgery. I was told not to workout for 6 months which I hated. That plus losing my best friend while in recovery took me to a bad place I’ve been before. Depressed I turned to food for comfort. I gave up on everything for months and by the time I was able to get out from it I had already put some of that weight back.
The first thing I did to take control of my life back was get in touch with my counselor Becca and re-start the program. She’s always been on it since day one. Always adjusting my diet to my body needs and my goals and giving me advice on my work out schedule and cooking routine.
Options makes it really fun and easy to follow the diet. In the first 12 weeks of my second program I’ve lost 35 pounds, and I did it while working 55+ hours a week. I never thought I could be losing weight and building muscle at the same time, but I’m actually doing it. And the way it’s going, by next year I’m going to be in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life.
It can be hard at the beginning. But with the help and encouragement from my counselor it starts to get easier and actually fun. Now I can’t imagine not going to the gym regularly. No longer feel left out when going grocery shopping and realizing all the different kind of dishes I can cook at home while on the program. And even find myself craving some of the great snacks Options has to offer.
I would recommend Options Medical Weight loss to anyone that needs help dealing with weight problems, whether it’s for 10 or 200 pounds you can’t find a better and more professional place in the Chicago area.