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Hi my name is Brenda Summers, I live in Flint Michigan and I'm writing to tell you the story of my 17 year-old daughter Mariah. Mariah has lost 117 pounds and kept it off for three years. Mariah struggled with her weight, at 15 she was 277 pounds and one day she came home upset because one of her school mates had called her "BIG MAMMA". We talked about and she decided to do some research and along with one of her great teacher's advice she started with yoga and a treadmill. Her dedication led her to a execise routine and eating healthy (not dieting). I have noticed the changes in her self esteem, her confidence has no limit. I constantly here that our teens are losing the bulging war, my daughter is a great example for other teens who wants to lose weight and keep it off simply by changing the way you eat and adding exercising to your routine. My daughter did not take diet pills, she just changed her eating habits, drank more water along with a great exercise routine.

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A criminal inspired me to loose 45 lbs in 10 months!

It is Ms. Renee Bowman, a mom who kept dead kids in freezer for at least one year while collecting money around $30K from government because she adopted three children. So the adoption of three children is just a way to get government free money.

Well, I have two children that I love very much. I always want to be there for them, to care for them. Then, my doctor told me that my cholestrol level has been tripled than the allowed amount for years. I could have got stroke at any given time.

So, the thought of me get stroke and die leaving my children to be cared by other people that can be another Renee Bowman ...scared me so much.

So, I decided to live a healthy live. Renee Bowman picture was in my refrigerator door for awhile. Her picture and my two children gave me strength to say NO on the food I craved about.

I just want to live long enough to take care my two children.

Mom of Two

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Hello, my name is Laura and while I don't feel that I'm really a fitness inspiration story, I thought I would share my story for all the young ladies out there. I was working in a law office, sitting down a lot, and eating even more food. The job was stressful, I dreaded going in everyday, and the way I coped was I ate by feelings away. All the women in the office started to see me gain weight, they would make comments to me, and eventually I was called into the head manager's office to find out if the rumors were true, was I really pregnant, I'd put on so much weight I looked like I was pregnant.
I didn't listen to the rumors, silly people were making fun of me, and I paid no attention, I still didn't pay attention when all my pants stopped fitting right, and if I could get them on, they would leave seam marks all over my legs.
The best and worst thing I did was I stood in front of the mirror in my underwear and looked, really looked at myself. I was disgusted by what I saw, I really looked like I was pregnant, I had a huge belly that seemed to come out from no where.
I spoke to my family, my loving boyfriend, and told them what I was planning to do. I needed to change jobs first, it meant a slight cut in pay, but I liked myself so much more, and I didn't drown my sorrows in food anymore. I got a job at a sporting goods store, so plenty of exercise clothes, equipment, and ideas were always right at hand. I got a pedometer, tracked what I ate for months, and counted calories.
Instead of saying that I would never eat that bad food again, I said I would have 1 unhealthy breakfast a week, 1 unhealthy lunch, and 1 unhealthy dinner or dessert. I began to work out 5 days a week at home doing videos. I made sure that if I really wanted that chocolate cake, that I had a little bit, and worked out harder the next day. If I wanted a donut, I worked out harder the next day.
I found something that worked for me, I lost over 25 pounds in 6 months, and I've kept it off for a year now.
Don't say you'll never eat that food you love again, just hold off for a couple of days, learn some healthy alternatives, and even if you slip 1 day, try harder the next. Don't feel you have to start at the beginning of the month, start right now, tomorrow, or whenever you want. Talk to someone that knows, personal trainer, certified person that happens to work at a sporting goods store, and find exercise that works for you, that makes you happy but challenges your body at the same time.
What ever you do, don't give up, keep working, keep trying, and feel good about yourself whenever you look in the mirror, the outside will eventually match the inside!

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I've just begun on this journey...I have been a stay at home mom for over 10 years. As the children grow up and move on I realize that my whole life has been for them--what am I going to do when they are all gone? No more carpools, no more scouts, PTA, sports, etc. My life as I have known it, is about to come to an end...so , one morning I woke up and decided, that it is now "all about me". I went and joined the gym, got on-line and researched the "safe" way to diet (completely change my eating habits). Looking to going back to school--a total life change. I have been 'weeding' out all the bad in my life. By that I mean habits, food, and even friends! You can not be successful if you have negative people around.
I workout daily, eat small healthy meals along with protein shakes. I have more energy now than I have had in years!! What a difference an hour at the gym makes. In 5 weeks I have lost 11lbs and a total of 5 1/2 inches (arms, thighs, waist). My goal is 2lbs a week. 50lbs by May 1st.
I have come in contact with a old friend from high school which we have not seen one another in 20+ years. They too are going through the same changes in their life. We have joined together to become a "team". We call one another and check on how our day is going--we are there for one another emotionally and spiritually--we have made a committment to one another!! Our goal will be the 50lbs by May. At that time, we plan on getting together to see each others hard work!!
My journey so far has been wonderful--I will keep you posted on OUR success!!

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I had a gastric by-pass 7 years ago and lost 170 and have keeped it off. When you want to take that extra bite , think of how hard and painful the road was. That is some place people who have been large never want to go back.

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My name is Aldith Diaz and I am 46 years old. Something happened in 1997 that would change the course of my life forever. I was a stay-at-home mother of three children living in Bronx, New York. Our youngest child was eighteen months old and I still could only fit into my maternity size 22 ½ clothes. I was only 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 189 pounds.


All my life I’d been fat. My nickname was “Butterball”. I would spend my life trying to fix it myself. After each pregnancy I would spend money on yet another exercise gym membership, personal counseling diet program, or liquid protein shakes. Always I would regain the weight I had lost plus some more.

The course of my life was changed forever at the Weigh Down Workshop “Exodus Out of Egypt” class where I learned for the first time in my life that God owned my body, my breath and my life. This sweet lady was telling me that God had designed my body, and knew how and when I should feed myself, but most importantly – God created me because He wanted to have my whole heart devoted to loving HIM. I did this class twice before I fully understood the power of this truth. By eating only when my stomach called for food (waiting for it to growl) and stopping when I felt full, I lost 64 pounds. I could eat real foods like cheesecake, French fries and Snickers chocolate bars. This was earth shattering!
.

Check it out: www.weighdown.com

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I am blessed to have been led to WeighDown in May of this year. My life has changed forever. I am 6'5" and was at 355lbs in the beginning of May. I did a Weigh Down change class and have lost 95 lbs as of today. No special foods, no pills, no excessive exercising (as a matter of fact, no exercise program at all) and no calorie or carb counting.My body loves the changes. Walking, moving about and even sleeping are so much better now, but I have gained so much more than that. I have a new relationship with God and Jesus Christ that has released me from other terrible strongholds as well, including 2 1/2 packs of cigarettes a day, sleeping pills and anti-depressants and binge drinking. I cannot encourage anyone strongly enough....at least look at this program, if it can change a thickheaded 45 yr old man's life like this, it can do it for anyone. There is even a free program that you can try, but I will encourage anyone to get into a class if you can afford it. The support and encouragement really help to keep you on the right track.
I still have about 30 more lbs. to get to where the doctors would say I need to be but I am sure I will be there before year's end. I am blessed to be around many people who have done this program and have kept a total of over 30,000 lbs off for years! My sister is the one who led me to WeighDown and she has kept 105 lbs off for over 4 years now.

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Hi, my name is Nancy and I was overweight since I was young. I started dieting as a young teen and this continued until I reached 40 years old. I would lose and gain many pounds over the weeks and years of my life--I never knew if I threw that pair of jeans in the wash if they would fit by the time they came out even if they avoided the dryer.
When I reached 40 I realized it was time to be done with this horrible life of torture: waking up thinking about the food, going to sleep dreaming about it and living a nightmare in between.

That's when I found The Weigh Down Ministry. That's when everything became clear in my mind of what was going on: by thinking about food and planning it and living for the food I had ended up loving it more and more and so destined myself to misery if I stayed in that. Through the classes offered at Weigh Down Ministries I have learned how to NOT love the food, how to live NOT thinking and dreaming of the food. I have lost almost 75 lbs. (74.5) and have kept it off since 2005! The size 20 jeans in my closet have disappeared and are replaced by size 4 and 6 jeans that are freely thrown in the dryer.

I am healthier now and more energetic than I was even as a teenager, plus I have 2 teenage children that I can easily keep up with now. The Weigh Down classes have saved my life and freed me to truly live.

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I had been a big guy for as long as I can remember. I remember the childhood jeers, the painful (physically and mentally) gym classes. All of the ridicule, the pain of childhood can all be attributed to my being severely overweight my whole life. My peak weight had to have been somewhere in the 500's, just by judging by the pictures. I tried Weight Watchers, pills and even a few home made diets. I could never successfully lose weight, at least not consistently. The fact was that I loved food too much. I ran to it when I was sad, depressed, angry, whenever, just to get that comfort, that feeling. Whenever, I got into my early twenties, and into college, the food wasnt enough. I discovered the world of drugs. Soon enough, I not only ran to the food for my comfort, but now, to the drugs. I lived for them, they were my everything. It was never enough, I had to do more and more to be at peace. After September 11th, 2001, when I thought that this was it, its time to get a new life. Funny how I thought that these things that gave me comfort, only left me worse off than when I started. Now, I had been raised in church my whole life, but at the age of eighteen, I left, after all, there was so much of the world out there to explore, so much to experience, right? During all of this time, I met a lovely young lady, now my beautiful wife, Maggie. She had been abused as a child, and we had a similar running to food to get comfort story. Maggie topped out at 440 pounds, however, I didnt ever know her at this weight. She had already started seeking for something else, for some help. Like myself, Maggie tried Weight Watchers, Atkins, amongst others. None of it was a permanent solution. Someone had introduced her to the Weigh Down Workshop during this time of seeking, and Maggie ordered their Weigh Down at Home kit. These were simply videos telling her that our lives were not meant to run to food, but to God. They told her how to find when she was truly hungry. It seemed so simple, but so revolutionary to eat when youre hungry, and then stop when you are satisfied. Wow! Through watching these tapes at home, Maggie lost 180 pounds. Shortly after this weight loss, Maggie moved down to Tennessee, to be closer to me. We began dating, no longer long distance and soon found ourselves back up in weight again. Maggie had gained back 50 pounds over the next year. Soon enough, August 31, 2002, we got married and began our lives together as husband and wife. Maggie was soon miserable because of her weight and just knew that something had to be done. Then she realized, she was in Tennessee, this was where the Weigh Down Workshop was founded. So, she called the 800 number, and began a class called Weigh Down Advanced in November of 2002. Maggie began coming home telling me things about God that I had never heard, but sure enough it was there in His Word, and the weight WAS coming off. So, I followed suit. I began my weight loss journey in January of 2003. Over the next year and a half, through the teachings of the Bible and through the Weigh Down Workshop, I lost all of my weight, 257 pounds to be exact. Maggie continues to lose, she has now lost 284 pounds, and is still going. This program has changed our lives in so many ways. Not only do we have new bodies, which is really just the tip of the iceberg, but we have new outlooks on life. We have been many trials throughout our relatively short marriage. In October of 2003, we lost our baby daughter while my wife was seven months pregnant. We later found that this was attributed to a genetic blood clotting disorder that my wife had gotten passed down. The old us would have ran to the food, ran away from each other, simply put, we would have just ran away from the pain. This was not the case however, we simply ran to God. The teachings of the Weigh Down Workshop have changed many lives that we personally know. We know that if it werent for the kindness of the people at Weigh Down, for the amazing seminars and books, that our lives wouldnt be. We would be hopeless like we were before. I know that many out there are looking for answers, and please let me tell you, its out there. My wife and I have been given new leases on life and we praise God every day for them. So, if you are struggling, even if weight isnt your problem, please consider The Weigh Down Workshop. Many have entered Weigh Down with all kinds of addictions, issues and problems and have come out of these classes with the answers. Together, Maggie and I have been ridden of close to 550 pounds, and counting, eating whatever we wanted, but within the bounds of hunger and fullness. I challenge anyone out there to visit the website www.weighdown.com to see the changed lives, to see the answers, to find out how to live a better life. Praise God!!!

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I was thin until age 12 when I had my tonsils outs! After that food tasted great and from then on I struggled with my weight. I tried diet after diet - my weight went up and down. I tried Weight Watchers, the cabbage soup diet, Diet Center, etc. I would lose 20 and then gain 30 etc. When I became heavier than my Mother, I said I'll try once more. A friend was losing weigh by going to WEIGH DOWN MINISTRIES. In 2002 I lost 70# and have kept it off now for 7 years! I eat regular foods; I'm not hungry all the time; I get to wear regular size clothes; the cost is reasonable! The money I save from not eating as much - more than pays for the classes! Plus we get so much material in the way of workbooks, CDs, etc. You can also take the class online! They have so many classes online at all hours of the day and week! They also have a web site that keeps encouraging me every day. Please - check it out (www.weighdown.com) - you will gain peace and not feel guilty or disgusted with yourself any more!

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I was braught up by my family whom had created me to believe that I had high metabolizm because I could eat as much I wanted and not gain weight. It was not until I had my first child when I realized this was all a lie. The excercise I had been doing beforehand was not working anymore, I new in my heart I did not want to do or try any diets because my mother had done all you could possibly think of and every year gaining more weight than loosing. At this point my mother had taken a WeighDown class saw her lose all her weight but not only that peace,love joy hapiness was this new mother whom for the first time in her life was full of life. She saw that I was not happy anymore because I could not lose weight, I decided to take a WeighDown class and give it a try. To my suprise it continues to be life changing, yes I did lose my pregnancy weight (38lbs.) by learning to feed God's body through hunger and fullnes, while being able to enjoy eating whatever I want and not worry about calories, fat, etc. as long as I stay in those boundaries. I don't do regime exercise anymore because I get full of this with two active boys. Even after my second child I am still back at my normal weight. I could never thank God and the WeighDown Workshop for a life changing relationship with God that continues to grow day by day. The weight loss is extra when you realize all the blessings that come along: Wonderful Marriage,Obedient children, all in all best relationships I could not have established on my own.
www.weighdown.com

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I had struggled with my weight since I was around 10 years old.It all began when I started to run to food for comfort,By the time i was 13 years old I was over 200lbs and then by 16 years old I was over 300lbs and miserable. I would pretend to be happy and try to make everyone laugh by making jokes about my weight, but deep down inside I was very unhappy with myself. I started dieting before I was even a teenager. I remember eating salads to try to lose weight, I would try to exercise, I have tried just about every diet under the sun to lose some weight only to gain it all back and then some. I listened to doctors,family members,and strangers talk about how I needed to lose weight.This only made me angry and more depressed and then I ran to food even more.Everyone close to me would help make excuses for why I was so overweight, some thought it was my sexual abuse as a child, others thought it was because it ran in my family. I had lost all hope that I would ever be thin and thought I might as well accept myself the way I was. I had no idea that I was quickly getting bigger and bigger and I lived in denial about how much I really weighed. One day while visiting my mother in the hospital I decided to jump on a hospital scale that was outside her door, much to my surprise it said 445lbs and I burst into tears.I was scared and disgusted and in shock.This was my wake up moment. Doctors had told me if I didn't lose the weight I may not make it to be 30 since both my parents had numerous health problems including diabetes and heart disease. I was also told I would most likely never be able to have children this made me very sad. I would lay in bed at night and have chest pains and wonder if I would even wake up in the morning,this is something a 27 year old should not be worried about.So one day while walking in Wal-Mart, I saw a book called Rise Above By Gwen Shamblin and I decided to give Weigh Down a shot. I lost some weight and then moved to Tennessee where my now husband Andy lived. After we got married we were both so morbidly obese, I knew I had to keep going so I joined a local Weigh Down Class and 6 years and 3 pregnancies later God has removed 300lbs from my body. I now am able to shop in regular stores. For so long I had to wear men's clothing because I was so large.I am forever thankful first to God and then to Weigh Down Ministries for giving me hope that anything was possible if you make a change.

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