It has been quite a journey that involved a great deal of personal change. The rewards have been countless and well worth it. Your situation may not involve as much weight as mine, but the basic principles of physical and emotional transformation remain the same.

I am here to tell you that YOU CAN DO IT TOO! In fact, part of my purpose in losing my weight involved a commitment to help others make the same transition. Since excess weight can rob us of living our lives to the fullest - physically and emotionally, we give up a piece of ourselves each day we remain the same. Life is continuous change, that is certain...and the choices we make on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level will also affect other areas of our lives for the better or worse. It all begins with a decision to make better choices.

My focus was on getting healthy. . . one day at a time. It had taken me many years and a lifetime of bad habits to put the excess weight on, so I was prepared to take the time required to take it off. I started gradually cutting portions, making better choices such as replacing red meats with leaner white meats and fish. I also began exercising but found I was too exhausted. Yet, I knew the solutions were simple and basic - within my reach. . .

I decided to go to a dietician for advice. She told me to eat more fruits and vegetables. I ate some fruits but I disliked most vegetables. Knowing that I had to start somewhere, I began shopping differently. I even considered juicing because of the dense nutrition and variety it provided. But I soon realized that with two very small children I just wouldn't have the time. It was about this time that my sister-in-law, an R.N., told me about a whole food supplement in capsule form - Juice Plus+@. I was excited about the possibility of a simple and more effective way of getting the dense nutrition of fruits and vegetables through this supplement. I knew the technology existed, it made sense, and I was thrilled! Not just a fragmented vitamin but a whole food supplement. "Jetson Food" at last! Although the capsules were providing the micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and phytonutrients) I also needed to increase my nutritional intensity of the macronutrients (good proteins, carbohydrates & fats) I was consuming. So I also started having a Juice Plus+ Complete shake for breakfast every day. The Complete provided me with a way to start my day with the best most "complete" nutrition available. It seemed to set the pace for my cravings for the day. When I added in Juice Plus+ Thins as a snack throughout the day - the nutritional foundation was set. Finally, I had tools to ensure that every day I was getting the foundational nutrition my body needed to heal itself.

You see, our bodies have bought the lie too. We have told them over and over that there is famine (diets) and lack of nutrition. - I was 330 lbs. yet I was malnourished! The longer I fed and nourished my body with proper foods, the more it 'trusted' me to let go of the fat! I was rewriting my body's story cell by cell and after a couple of months I actually felt strong enough to exercise.

In addition, one of the most important steps I took was to focus on the emotional aspects of why I gained the weight in the first place. I knew if I could work through my emotions instead of using food as a distraction I would keep from repeating the same behavior and I would lose the weight and KEEP IT OFF!

It has not always been easy but the results have been well worth the effort.

May you partner with God in rewriting your story,   Kathrine Newlan-Lee