(The number next to my name above is my weight as of the date shown and the amount of weight I have lost since I started the Lighten Up program on 6/8/08 at (392 pounds) my all time high of 406.4 pounds in March of 2008 (I had lost 14 pounds prior to starting the lighten up program). I am 6′ 5″ tall and my goal weight is 228 pounds)

I have been heavy most of my life.  In school I was the fat kid who got made fun of and picked last.  When I turned 18, I went on a crash diet and lost 73 pounds in 1 year (from 272 to 199).  I knew then that I wasn’t dieting in a healthy way, but it worked.  I was watching Richard Simmons’ show for motivation, and I was exercising, but I wasn’t eating the way I should have been.  I kept that weight off for about 3 years… then it came back 20-25 pounds at the holidays… until about 9 years ago when I quit smoking (2-3 packs per day) I weighed about 290 and had heard that 11 pounds was the average weight gain when you quit smoking.  I was careful and only gained 8 pounds in 2 months… then I relaxed and gained 70 more pounds in the next year.  I hovered around 350-375 until the end of March 2008 when I went to the doctor and the scale wouldn’t weigh me becuase the limit was 400 pounds.  I had to go down the hall to be weighed and found I was at 406.4… I was devastated.

I started cutting here and there, but I wasn’t making the drastic changes I needed to… My portions were HUGE and I ate anything and everything… the more fat the better.. Breaded and fried.. perfect… I never felt hunger, just cravings, which I instantly satisfied.

In an act of desperation, I went back to what had helped motivate me 26 years ago… I found Richard Simmons’ email address on his website and I wrote a rambling email… I spoke of where I was at with my weight and my fears about my health and my lifespan.  I wrote about my wife and kids, who I love dearly and how I don’t want to die early and leave them.  I also wrote about how my wife was in the process of taking the classes in preperation to get the Lap Band procedure, and how scared I am of her having complications with that.

Not too long after that, I received an extremely motivational email reply from Richard that helped me to get my mindset a little closer to where it needed to be, but it still wasn’t enough.  I shared the email with my wife and she simpley said “Isn’t this stuff we already know?”  She was right in a way since we all know eating right and exercising is the healthy way to lose weight, but the email was more about motivation that anything else.

Then on 6/8/08  I received an email from Rita and Iris (Associate Producers of Lighten Up with Richard Simmons – Sundays on Sirius Channel 102) asking if I would be a caller on the show.  I agreed and it was set up for Fathers Day (one week later).  I went to the Sirius website and found the Lighten Up program information there (http://www.sirius.com/richardsimmons) and started the program that day (I weighed 392 pounds).  In 1 week I had lost 10.5 pounds!  When the radio show called on Father’s Day, they asked if Cece was available, also.  She didn’t want to be on the radio, but she did it for me…and it was great.  Richard was able to get her to realize that she can do this without the surgery, and that my wife and I can do this together!  He invited us to Slimmons for a visit, which we are planning to do on a Sunday in July!

After the call was over, my wife and I had a wonderful talk, and she made a commitment to try the Lighten Up program with me… she will decide later if she still wants the Lap Band and will continue the classes for now, which is fine.

So my wife and I got fat together.. quit smoking together.. and now for the first time ever, we are losing weight together, and it is wonderful!  I have joined Richard’s Website Clubhouse and we have ordered the Sweatin’ DVD set and Food Mover system.  We are working together on planning and cooking meals and new recipes.

My intention with this blog is to keep us honest and hopefully someone, somewhere may gain that little bit of confidence that they need to take the leap and start the journey to lose weight and become healthy.

Thanks for reading!

Steve Axworthy