Zoo trip unmasks 800-lb. gorilla in the room
Little did Heather Cooper know that, when she took her kids to the zoo, it would be a day that would change her life forever.
At the bears exhibit, Heather's son said, "Mommy, that bear's huge! It's bigger than you!" Though those eight words stung, they were the reality check she needed to tackle her lifelong weight battle.
Heather weighed 256 pounds at the time, and her health was deteriorating. She had high blood pressure, breathing and sleeping problems, and was a borderline diabetic.
She napped every day, and could barely get down on the floor to play with her kids. Plus, she was worried about her family history: Her mother died of cancer at 46, and Heather didn't want her kids to grow up motherless.
But joining a diet program wasn't feasible while raising two kids. Then on Heather's birthday, her father gave her a check to use to join L A Weight Loss. Turns out it was the best present Heather's ever received!
Heather dropped 6 pounds in the first week on the program. From then on, it was all about setting goals.
She a started a journal listing things she wanted to accomplish as she shed weight. She also began exercising for the first time in her life. She consistently added 1/4 mile to her jogging routine each time she ran the trails at the local park.
Less than a year later, Heather is a new woman! She's lost 100 pounds, going from a size 24 to a size 8!!! She rewarded herself by learning how to rollerblade, and now circles the park four times. And she's accomplished everything she listed in her journal, with just 25 pounds to go.
In fact, she's been so successful, the Oklahoma City L A Weight Loss Center she attended hired her last November!
Here's Heather at 256 pounds:
And look at her now in her new, beautiful 156-pound frame:
FAST FACTS
Name: Heather Cooper
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Okla.
Age: 29
Height: 5’4"
Starting weight: 256 pounds
Goal weight: 125-135
Current weight: 156 pounds
Program start date: April 14, 2006
Favorite food: Peanut butter.
Biggest temptation: Sweet desserts, like brownies and ice cream.
Biggest motivator: Getting healthy so she could play with her kids, and be around for a long time.
Biggest obstacle: Overcoming her high blood pressure and other health issues.
Old eating philosophy: Lots of fried foods and indulgent desserts.
New eating philosophy: She still eats ice cream, though in moderation, and balances that out with healthier foods like fresh vegetables.
Best thing about losing weight: When her kids wrap their arms around her, when her husband picks her up, and when her daughter says she wants to be just as pretty as her.
Best weight loss secret learned: You don't have to deprive yourself of the foods you love. It's all about learning how to balance foods in a healthy way, while still having control over what you eat.
At the bears exhibit, Heather's son said, "Mommy, that bear's huge! It's bigger than you!" Though those eight words stung, they were the reality check she needed to tackle her lifelong weight battle.
Heather weighed 256 pounds at the time, and her health was deteriorating. She had high blood pressure, breathing and sleeping problems, and was a borderline diabetic.
She napped every day, and could barely get down on the floor to play with her kids. Plus, she was worried about her family history: Her mother died of cancer at 46, and Heather didn't want her kids to grow up motherless.
But joining a diet program wasn't feasible while raising two kids. Then on Heather's birthday, her father gave her a check to use to join L A Weight Loss. Turns out it was the best present Heather's ever received!
Heather dropped 6 pounds in the first week on the program. From then on, it was all about setting goals.
She a started a journal listing things she wanted to accomplish as she shed weight. She also began exercising for the first time in her life. She consistently added 1/4 mile to her jogging routine each time she ran the trails at the local park.
Less than a year later, Heather is a new woman! She's lost 100 pounds, going from a size 24 to a size 8!!! She rewarded herself by learning how to rollerblade, and now circles the park four times. And she's accomplished everything she listed in her journal, with just 25 pounds to go.
In fact, she's been so successful, the Oklahoma City L A Weight Loss Center she attended hired her last November!
Here's Heather at 256 pounds:
And look at her now in her new, beautiful 156-pound frame:
FAST FACTS
Name: Heather Cooper
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Okla.
Age: 29
Height: 5’4"
Starting weight: 256 pounds
Goal weight: 125-135
Current weight: 156 pounds
Program start date: April 14, 2006
Favorite food: Peanut butter.
Biggest temptation: Sweet desserts, like brownies and ice cream.
Biggest motivator: Getting healthy so she could play with her kids, and be around for a long time.
Biggest obstacle: Overcoming her high blood pressure and other health issues.
Old eating philosophy: Lots of fried foods and indulgent desserts.
New eating philosophy: She still eats ice cream, though in moderation, and balances that out with healthier foods like fresh vegetables.
Best thing about losing weight: When her kids wrap their arms around her, when her husband picks her up, and when her daughter says she wants to be just as pretty as her.
Best weight loss secret learned: You don't have to deprive yourself of the foods you love. It's all about learning how to balance foods in a healthy way, while still having control over what you eat.
Labels: 100 pounds, Cancer, Diabetes, Heather Cooper, High blood pressure, Oklahoma, Sleep apnea
posted by Jackie Zima-Evans @ 4:57 PM
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