OZzome Spotlight- Mary WilliamsMy name is Mary Williams. I am 62 years old, a wife, mother, nana, sister and friend. I always struggled with my weight from childhood. However, my weight really became an issue when I finished college, had a desk job and then a long commute to and from work. I tried numerous “diets” and workouts throughout my life. I would lose the weight and inches only to gain it back plus more.
After looking at our Thanksgiving and Christmas photos from 2010, it was clear to me I had to do something. We were expecting our third grandchild in May and I wanted to be able to help instead of having to be helped. In January, I heard about the “Move It and Lose It” program being offered by Dr. Oz. My husband’s insurance plan also offered free “wellness coaches” for those who wanted to improve their health. I was ready! Through the Sharecare program, I learned how much to eat and when. Things really started coming together for me. I learned that I had to make permanent lifestyle changes and stay active daily, not just “go on a diet”. After a month on the program, my husband saw my results and joined me in my quest for better health. It has really made a difference for both of us doing it together. We started adding mall walks together to get us moving again. At first, it was just 20 or 30 minutes five times per week. Then we kept adding more minutes each week. We got up to 90 minute walks. We are thankful for the air-conditioned malls given our record breaking heat this summer. Now that we have lost 30 pounds each, we are looking at adding weight training and other forms of exercise to change things up to keep the weight loss going while building muscle to stoke our metabolisms. The support on the Sharecare site is outstanding. The videos helped get me started by pointing out specific things to do to drop the weight and inches. The tools are great in providing immediate feedback for what does or does not work for each of us. We can also see how our food choices help or hinder our weight loss efforts. The suggestions by the members and Sharecare experts helps get us out of a rut. They also help us appreciate just how far we have come when things don’t seem to move as quickly as we would like. I have recommended this program to family members and friends who have asked what we have done. They have noticed the 30 pounds we each have dropped since January 2011. My husband told me not to get frustrated. I want to lose 30 more pounds by February of 2012. He keeps telling me, “Look how far you have come! Remember how much better you feel!” It helps for each of us to cheer each other on and get each other back on track. I started in a size 20W and can now fit into a 16P. When I have gone shopping to get new clothes, I am asked what the occasion is. I have shared my story with sales staff who have then asked for the information for themselves, family or friends. My goal is to get into a 10P or 12P by my birthday in February 2012. For the first time in my life, I know I will achieve my goal! I now have the knowledge and tools to tweak my calories and activity level to get there. Thanks to everyone for their continued support! |
OZzome Spotlight- Wendy Marcinkiewicz My name is Wendy Marcinkiewicz, and I have lost 267 lbs. since May 25th, 2010 (that’s almost a year.) My story is simple. I was dying, and wanted to live. I was stuck in my bed due to an injury and inability to walk for 3 ½ years. I saw ad episode of “Ruby” about a woman who weighed 700 lbs., and how she is losing it. Her therapist said “Just write down what you eat and how it makes you feel.”, and it triggered something in me. I wasn’t dieting, but that made sense, since I felt awful all the time.
I began to log my food, (in February, 2010) and how it made me feel after each meal. I realized that anything with wheat or sugar got me angry, moody and bloated. So I stopped eating those foods. I finally got to the point where I could get both legs together, (with some difficulty), so I got on my scale, which weighs things up to 1000 lbs. I watched it go up and down, until it settled at 789…and then started to go up again, so I got OFF. I couldn’t deal with the numbers as it WAS, but if it got over 800, I would have just cashed it in. Instead, I got busy…I started to count the CALORIES of everything I ate, and then realized that I should cut about 2000 out a day, because 3600 calories was way too much. I began by walking with my crutches, because I am disabled. I was able to get my girth to the front door, (50 steps and back again). After a few weeks of walking this, I started feeling lighter, and more at ease, so I began to walk out the door. I was FREE for the first time in almost 4 years of being housebound. I began to walk down the three front steps and back up…and did this every night for a few months. After some time, I was “WOMAN” enough to attempt the scale again, and I was able to get a weight that didn’t move. It read 736 lbs, and thus began my diligent weighing in on the 25th of every month. I didn’t want to be tied to the scale. I continued walking, and the weight kept flying off, approx. 25 lbs. a month. Then Sharecare came along in January of 2011. I was watching Dr. Oz, as I always did, and I finally got up the nerve to look into this “Move it and Lose it” he kept talking about. I went online, and joined. It took a few days to get a password, and once online, I was totally confused. I saw all these women and men, and didn’t know what to do. I started by reading, and then put a comment out there about Birkenstock shoes. Lo and Behold, I had two people “friend me”…and my life changed FOREVER! A coach named Andy friended me, and challenged me to walk farther than I had in YEARS. “Just 25 more steps…” was his mantra…and I followed diligently. I was SO HAPPY to be pushing my body to move, and getting around. Eventually, I was able to walk WITHOUT my crutches for short spurts, and then on my own. I gained steps everyday, and Andy kept telling me I could do more. And…with that, more people kept friending me and encouraging me to continue walking. They said they found strength in MY accomplishments, and that it empowered THEM to continue when they thought they couldn’t. They encouraged me and gave me more strength than I gave them. After a time, I was invited into the OZzome Group, and that is one AMAZING group of friends. I found SO MANY of these people had problems just like I did. The only thing I had to offer was my experiences. So I started sharing things that happened to me, and things I learned along my journey. Yeah, many of you know now that my life is an open book, and probably will BE a book someday…but you have NO IDEA how you have changed MY life. Because of all the people in Sharecare, I DIDN’T cash in, but found a new love for life, and the ability to actually get out in the world and LIVE! My biggest accomplishments to date have been to walk down to the end of my block to visit my friend Ms. Kathleen, and to walk into the hall and watch as my wonderful son, Phillip, was awarded a medal for “Outstanding Dedication and Service” to his ROTC Unit. I have been on Sharecare Since January 11, 2011, and have lost 43 lbs. Since May 25th, 2010, I have lost 267 lbs. I know I probably lost more, but shudder to think how MUCH more. I have a LONG way to go to get to my goal, but with my OZzome friends and coaches, I know one thing, I will NEVER give up. |
OZzome Spotlight- Laura DavisLast July I had lost my job and when it was time to renew my 4 meds for high blood pressure, I forgot that I no longer had a prescription plan!! My meds were gonna be more then triple the price now!!! I was facing the clerk with a red face when she then asked me if I had the money to pay for them all now!!!! Thats when it clicked for me!!! I said to myself...why are you PAYING to MAINTAIN YOUR UNHEALTHYNESS!! So that started me to get all the information I could to get this weight off me, I started watching Dr OZ, and saw the Just 10 challenge along with the soda challenge and I was successful with that and started to get moving in any way possible I could. I also stopped eating sugar, watched labels for high fructose corn syrup, etc...and my pounds started shedding, and I got more motivated to to this, and I gave myself rewards for lil goals I reached. I was my own lil cheerleader, like the Loreal spokewoman says, IM WORTH IT!!!......I had lost 30 pounds at this point...Little did I think that a comment that I left on the DR OZ's status on facebook regarding that I was doing the JUST 10 Challenge, would have me in NYC within the week doing a taping let alone being chosen as one of the finalists, but dreams came true. They had us by train NY bound and stayed overnight at a nearby hotel, complete with black sedan to take us to our shoot..I was like Cinderella. I couldnt believe this was happening to me. We got there Sunday and my hubby and I had the day to ourselves, but they checked in with us to make sure we got there. The next morning early we took a sedan to Rockefeller Center, I had a photoshoot and video taping for the show..at that time of my journey I had lost 31 pounds, and was in 14s..I had gotten to meet girls from the states of Washington, Oregon, and Florida(other finalists were in the same hotel) we had to arrive back at the studios about 3 hours prior to the show taping, for make up, going over what we are to say and stand etc, thats when I got to bond with the other girls..then we got called to the stage to get in our places and before ya knew it, I was the 1st hand that Dr OZ shook coming on the stage, I was awestruck at it all...the show ran its course!!! Afterwards we went back to the dressing area to wait for a ride back to the train station back to home, thats when Dr Roizen and Dr RO came into our room and talked a lil with us before leaving, I have a pic with Dr Roizen, he said to me..if he can send a message to me that would be not to drink any sodas, diet or otherwise!! They are no good!!! I havent touched one since I started the challenge and dont really miss it..That is something I will never forget... Dr Oz has motivated me to keep on this journey going beyond just losing the weight but maintaining it!! since the show Ive lost over 30 more pounds and wearing a sz 10!! and loving it!! I was able to get off 3 medicines and I down to one med, and hoping to wean off that one very shortly!! |