After having babies I packed on the pounds. Working full time with a very demanding career and having 2 small children I felt like my entire life was out of control. Photos from a recent trip to Florida for my cousins wedding were a real wake-up call for me.  The person in those pictures was not me, nor was that the body I wanted to be in for the rest of my life.  I weighed over 200 pounds with a horrible rash on my face, dry unhealthy looking skin and uncomfortable back pain. I did not look healthy nor did I feel healthy.  The last thing I wanted was for my children to grow up with a mother who resembles the fat lady who sits on the couch all day eating nutty bars and potato chips. Since we are talking about food, I will admit that I knew which foods to avoid (fast food, sodas, processed foods, etc.), but there was still that underlying feeling that I didn’t really KNOW how to eat healthy. My lifestyle was not very flattering to say the least. The world can be a cruel place, and unfortunately I often intercepted derogatory vibes from people – a sense of not being valued or truly respected, almost to the point of people being annoyed when I was in their presence – that is my past.

I needed a physical. My biggest hurdle was finding a Doctor who would meet my needs. I’ve always been a firm believer that the human body is an amazing machine that has the ability to heal itself. I needed a doctor who shared my philosophy of healthful living, not the type of who pushes prescriptions and tells their patients to come back if those drugs don’t work. I went online in search of a Doctor in the Spring/Woodlands area who was somewhere in between the pill pushing physician and the holistic witch doctor. I found TWIHW! It took me a couple of weeks to convince myself this was the right thing to do, which didn’t take much convincing.

I was very excited that I would finally get some blood work done and have my situation diagnosed and be on the road to improving my overall health. Looking back I can say that the end result well exceeded any expectations I had. When I initially made my appointment with Kim Beale she asked if I would be interested in doing the Medical Weight loss protocol. I immediately said no with the mindset that I didn’t want a “quick fix.” I needed a lifestyle change! After much thought and research about their program, I thought, “hey why not? I’m probably putting worse things in my body the way that I’m eating.” I decided to go for it with the idea that it would at least give me a good kick start.

I remember my first appointment like it was yesterday. Everyone was friendly and helpful and I felt somewhat overwhelmed with all the changes I had to make. How would I remember all this information? I took a deep breath and told myself it would be ok. I was provided all kinds of resources and an open invitation from the staff to call anytime I had questions or needed help.

Dr. McManus recommended good quality supplements and I continue to take those. The medical weight loss protocol was a piece of cake. I don’t see a need to do the protocol again as my change in lifestyle has enabled me to maintain a healthy weight. I feel great! After completing it, I did the yeast cleanse for 28 days, that to was easy. I was amazed at how my skin cleared up, my energy levels are up and I continued to drop weight.  My favorite part of the yeast cleanse was the consultation with Nancy Mehlert. She was AWESOME! I learned so much from Nancy and I think this was actually the missing link in my life, proper nutrition and eating. Thank you Nancy!

One thing that stands out, during my meeting with Dr. McManus, I was asked if I was addicted to food. At the time I said no, but now I wonder. I really have learned what foods are my friend and what foods I need to avoid. I’ve connected the dots I now realize the connection (for me) of how certain foods played a role in my life and may have been consumed to satisfy feelings.

Finally, a real boost for anyone’s self-esteem, all the compliments I get from people. I hear things like, “You look phenomenal! You look like you did in High School, you look like a whole different person, I didn’t even recognize you. You look healthy! Wow, what have you done? How much weight have you lost? I didn’t realize how big you were.”  I find that most people are intrigued by this transformation, including myself – did I really look that bad? I am amazed at how differently people treat you when you look and feel good. I’ve noticed a spark in them, their eyes light up and they take time to interact. People want to know what I eat. Most of the delicious healthy foods that Nancy introduced me to, my friends and family have never heard of. I’ve even had people tell me that I’ve been an inspiration for them.  The best way to describe my transformation – it feels like I finally got out of a BAD relationship and I’m free!

Dr. McManus, I share this with you because I want you to know that what you and your staff are doing is awesome.  Being associated with TWIHW has changed my life! I give myself credit for sticking to the program, but I also credit TWIHW for fostering an environment that breeds success! I have more confidence, more energy, I rarely get situational anxiety anymore (which has plagued me ever since I can remember) and I have a positive outlook on life. Your words still echo in my head from my consultation back in May when I express the fact of how sad it was that I use to be a collegiate athlete and how my (now past) lifestyle was pretty much sedentary. 6 months ago I never thought I was capable of being so active feeling young again. I was stuck in the mindset that this is the way my life was meant to be after childbirth, you gain weight and you drive the kids around, never to feel young and active again. Dr. McManus, you told me that I needed to “do something, even if it’s just 15 minutes”. I live by that message every day, and I hear those words you spoke to me especially when the voice in my head says you don’t have time to exercise. To this day, your words still motivate me to “do something, even if it’s just 15 minutes!”

Being healthy is priceless. The cost for my wellness program was well worth every penny! Looking back I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change a thing. When you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything!