What brought you to One Life?

I had just moved here from Arkansas to Solana Beach.  As a mother of 3 kids, the weight gradually crept on over the years.  I was never an overweight person growing up.  I opened my own cupcake shop and that alone made me put on 20 pounds.  I tried to start exercising and change my eating habits to lose the weight, but I had no idea what I was doing or where to start.  After moving to Solana Beach, I drove by One Life one day and saw the sign and took the time to look it up.  I knew I was ready for a change and from there, I made my appointment. 

How much weight did you lose?

When I started the program I was 189 pounds and got down to 124 pounds. I have maintained the 65 pound weight loss for almost 3 years now.

What has One Life taught you about losing weight?

I had never done a program before.  I had only tried crash dieting.  I never learned about nutrition.  One Life taught me that the biggest enemy is being hungry.  I now have to start with breakfast everyday and I have to be prepared and plan my meals in advance.  I know the importance now of protein as a first choice vs carbs.  It fills me up without the crash and I was never aware of that before.  One Life also made me more aware and more mindful of my choices and the weekly handouts were a big help as well.  I also learned that it is the food that makes you lose weight.  Once I had learned the discipline with the food, it made me want to have discipline in other parts of my life.

Do you have any tips or tricks that kept you on track?

The weekly appointments and accountability were huge for me.  That really kept me on track.  I would build menus from the foods lists in the One Life book and plan accordingly each week.  Making grocery lists and planning my meals for the entire week was key.  The appetite suppressants helped initially to curb my hunger, and helped me say no to temptations.  I also journaled everything.  Not just the food, but day to day.  Everything that I ate and how I felt.  So if I had a week where I did not lose as much, I could go back and see what happened in my life that week. 

How easy was it to implement One Life into your daily life?

I was so ready to lose the weight that by the time I had the first appointment, I was very mentally prepared.  Something about the program just spoke to me and I knew I could do it.  So for me, it was very easy.  I realized through the program and journaling that I was an emotional eater and following the One Life plan made me overcome that obstacle and learn how to deal with it.

Tell me about the One Life Staff?

One Life is a very nurturing place to lose weight and there is no shame involved.  The entire staff is all so wonderful and encouraging.   Michelle is great.  Even with my last ten pounds to lose, I knew she wanted me to succeed.  They genuinely care about every individual.  Dr. Haynes and Ashlee are like your best friends giving you encouragement along the way.

How has One Life changed the perception of yourself?

Well for one I give myself a huge pat on the back for keeping the weight off for 3 years.  I am a long term success story and I am proud of how far I have come.  When I stop and think about it, I am speechless.  I did not realize I was capable of this.  I know that I will never gain the weight back.  If I can do it - anyone can do it.  I still have my journals and now when I have a bad week, I can go back and re-set and make one of my pre planned meals.  One Life has really helped me understand my body and eating habits.

What would you say to someone thinking about joining One Life?

What do you have to lose?  You don’t know until you try!  I would encourage them because it is not just about losing the weight, it is about learning healthier lifestyle habits.  One Life educates you with all the tools and information to succeed.  One Life is too important not to share.

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