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By Cathy Cox
eDiets Contributor
Can 60 pounds save a life? Maybe it’s not always a matter of life and death, but in Pratima’s case it could have made all the difference !
Pratima had always struggled with her weight and had tried dieting several times in the past and failed. She restricted her food intake, yo-yo’d up and down, but she couldn’t lose the weight and keep it off. By 38, she nearly gave up thinking she just didn’t have the will power to lose the weight, even though as a Diabetes Researcher, she was keenly aware of the risks associated with her weight. Her knowledge about the risks to her health were not enough, and Pratima continued to struggle with portions, evening “snack attacks,” and her sweet tooth.
But in September 2006, all of that changed. Pratima’s father was a Type I Diabetic, and Pratima and her family learned his kidneys were failing; they were all faced with the possibility that he could need a life-saving kidney transplant. Pratima jumped at the chance to help her father, offering her kidney should she be a qualified match. That’s when she learned that she was a match, but she would not be able to donate one of her kidneys. At 5’3 and 200 pounds, her BMI disqualified her as a potential donor.
We all have those moments when we really find our motivation, we have that one moment when it all clicks and we decide once and for all we’re going to lose the weight. Pratima’s came the moment someone told her she could not help her father. She questioned herself, “You don’t have the willpower to save your father? You don’t care about yourself, that’s fine. But you care about your father, you have to do this!” That’s when she gave herself an ultimatum, and that’s when she joined up with eDiets.
Being a vegetarian, Pratima chose the eDiets Combination Plan (Editor’s Note: We also have a Vegetarian Plan!) because she found it had a wide variety of vegetarian options that would suit her likes and needs. She started losing right away, she said having the right food and knowing the portions to prepare is what made the biggest difference. The visual changes she said, were slow at first, but she was beginning to feel excited about all of the fitness related things she was learning she could do, and she noticed a big change in her body composition.
Her willpower was strong to keep her on track, but STILL found she needed the support and insight from others to help her overcome some of the same obstacles that had gotten in her way in the past. She learned about the importance of consistency and learned how to better control her sweet tooth and those late night snack attacks. Reading what others did and how they met their challenges helped her.
And what about exercise? Pratima always struggled with getting the nutrition AND the exercise going at the same time, but this time she excelled. She got a Personal Trainer to help teach her the basics, and she joined an eDiets Support Board, Exercise and Fitness. It was here that she not only was able to find that balance, but she began to discover her “inner athlete!” She says, “I was learning, could I possibly BE an athlete?!” We think so! Since her weight loss journey started, Pratima has now completed TWO Half Marathons (including this one)! She’s gone from an inconsistent exerciser to working out 5-6 days per week, a combination of Tae Kwon Do, strength training, and cardiovascular exercise!
Fast forward to December 2008! Pratima now weighs in at a slim and trim 140 pounds! She’s inspired her mother to lose 40 pounds herself and better manage her own Diabetes. Pratima has dramatically decreased her own risk of disease, from the “Very High” increased risk category, her BMI now puts her at no increased risk, and she’s looking and FEELING fantastic!
Best yet? Her Father started on a medicine that has significantly improved his kidney function and is no longer in need of a transplant. Pratima can rest easy though, as should the need arise, she’s now a qualified donor for her father.
A new turn in her journey begins, and Pratima says her next biggest challenge is figuring out how to maintain her new lifestyle. She plans to run a FULL marathon in October of 2009, and is focused not on further weight loss, but on changing her body composition and adding more muscle to lean o
ut her physique.
We asked Pratima for one piece of advice to share with those of you just starting out or who may be struggling. She says, “Do your best, even if things don’t go exactly as planned! If you are struggling, ask for help! There is plenty of help and plenty of expertise, the boards are full of advice. I’m here today because of the Exercise and Fitness board. Ask for help, don’t hide, don’t go it alone.”
Don’t forget to check out our Member Success Slideshow for more inspiring stories!
You don’t have to go it alone, start the journey to a whole new you and you’re instantly connected to our entire Community of others just like you, our expert Nutritionists and Fitness Professionals!
t Pratima lost 60 pounds in 27 months on the eDiets Combination Plan. Generally expected weight loss for active eDiets members is 2lbs/wk during the first 5 weeks of the program. Promotional discounts were received.
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