I Did What 80 percent of Americans Want to Do

This is me at my 45th high school reunion.
I was one of the skinniest girl in senior class so some classmates
might have been surprised to see that I'd put on a few pounds.

America has one of the poorest health trends in the world with 80 per cent of us wanting and needing to lose weight. We have medical costs at $40 billion annually tied to obesity and heart disease responsible for over 40 percent of all deaths, with diet-related diabetes and cancer rates rising at alarming rates.

I know many Americans are as frustrated as I am by diets that claim to be the answer, but rarely are. I don't know how the saying "gone south " originated but it could be applied to one's metabolism when they reach a certain age, starting as early as 40. I know mine went south about a decade ago.

I'm a very healthy eater, don't like sweets that much and rarely eat them, avoid red meat, eat small portions and lots of good veggies . A few years ago I had a severe foot problem, plantar faciitis, which slowed me down and that and the long cold winters added 10 lbs. I'm also physically active, doing weights and aerobics several times a week. So why wouldn't the scale budge even an ounce, no matter what I tried? Because our bodies are made to resist starvation by holding on to fat and it will fight every effort you make to lose it. Especially us women. A 65 year old man and a 23 year old woman have the same metabolism. Now I ask you is that fair ?!

Recently I was at Border's and a book titled CRACKING THE FAT-LOSS CODE caught my eye. Subtitle was even better : Outsmart your Metabolism and Conquer the Diet Plateau. Just what I'd been trying to do for a decade. The author, Wendy Chant, has impressive credentials in nuitrition science and is also one of the top ten ranked personal trainers in America. The book is also a NYT best seller.

What the heck , I thought, what do I have to lose except 10 lbs. ? I've tried everything else and nothing worked. I was committed to the 8 week ( 4 different cycles ) plan but really wasn't hopeful of any results. Low and behold the first week I dropped 5 lbs! Not 5 lbs. of muscle or water weight that will come right back, but 5 lbs. of fat. Not only did the scale move my clothes size shrunk as well. Long story short I cracked the fat loss code ( yes, Virginia , there is a secret code ) and lost the other 5 lbs. over the 8 week regime . Ten pounds may not sound like a lot but that's 35,000 calories ! I am proud of myself.

This is not a diet as Wendy emphasizes, but a lifestyle change. She gives you the code to help you outsmarty your body's natural cycles for storing and burning calories. It's not a low-carb, high-protein plan either, although she uses carb depletion for the first 2 week cycle. Its a solution to permanent weight management and while its not a walk in the park, with determination and discipline, it is doable .

This is not one of those quick fixes or fad diets, either . You must eat 5 to 6 small meals a day and you won't feel hungry or starved, which made it easy for me because I've never been one to go hungry . And after the 8 weeks you can cheat on the diet, go back on it a few days, and your weight will remain the same. I know because I did that and it worked.

Guess its now time to make the disclaimer here : I am not being paid to promote this program, folks ! Just so excited by my success that I wanted to let my fellow gardeners and friends know about it. I want to be forever fit so that I can garden forever.

Wendy has a website : foreverfit.com for those of you who'd like to check it out.