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For immediate release:  April 17, 2007 (Clyde, NC)

Real Life Weight Management Makes a Difference
by Mary Ann Dany, Clyde resident, retired small business owner

In 2006, I decided it was time to get rid of all this extra weight I was carrying. No longer could I blame recovery from knee surgery of the illness of my sister or lack of time because of my job…the knee is as good as it can ever be, my sister is doing well and I am not working!

So, last January I began my campaign to become fit and healthy by losing weight. Problem was it was not working…the weight did not seem to be going anywhere. Intervention was needed and it came in the form of the Real Life Weight Management class at Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center. I saw that a new class was starting in April and signed up for it but immediately left for a beach trip with my girlfriends so thinking about the class was out of the question.

Ten of us go to Wild Dunes, SC for fun in the sun every year. We all play tennis, then some walk the beach, some ride bicycles, some read and some do nothing at all. On the last day of the outing, I said to my roommate that next year I was not going to be one of the heaviest people to go on the trip. My roommate, who is a long-time friend and also very overweight, laughed, said “you always say that and never do it”…BOY, then the challenge was on! (Don’t tell me I cannot do something for I will try to prove you wrong!)

I came back in earnest, went to classes frequently, started working out regularly and slowly the weight started to come off. At first, I did not see it on the scale as much as in the fit of my clothes; things were getting looser. Whoopee! I was seeing results!

Being in a group situation helped me be aware that I was not the only one trying to establish some good eating habits. Having HRMC health educator Leigh Hilger, to guide us, applaud us, and open some doors that we never went through before was most beneficial. I learned new skills like how to read labels and how to change recipes to be more healthful. The general tips and the interaction with others really helped and encouraged me.

Although I’ve always enjoyed exercise, I found myself embracing it. It was very much a part of my life. I was also very encouraged by several people who work the floor at Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center. My results were increasing…I was losing weight, becoming more fit and getting healthier.

Today, I am 38 pounds lighter than I was a year ago and it feels so good. I have dropped three pant sizes and it is wonderful! It is always nice to have someone you have not seen in a while stop in mid-conversation and say “you have lost weight”. Well, yes I have and I feel I could not have done without the Real Life Weight Management Program…try it, what do YOU have to lose?

Weekly meetings facilitated by a health educator, Real Life Weight Management focuses on support, meal planning, and more. Free Orientation session on Monday May 14 at 5:45 pm at the Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center. Call 452-8085 for more information or to RSVP.