The long hours of my job, the late night pizza runs, the company cafeteria, and the constant barrage of baked goods in the office (not to mention solo midnight trips to the corner market for my favorite indulgences) had me quickly outgrowing my clothes and feeling increasingly moody and tired. For the first time in my life, I was truly overweight. Then one day, it dawned on me: the reason I couldn’t lose weight —or keep off the weight I did lose—stemmed from using programs that weren’t right for me. I didn’t want to be weighed publicly in front of other people, and I didn’t enjoy eating tiny, prepackaged meals. But I also didn’t have time to fix the elaborate meals touted by some diet books and weight loss articles. I needed a simple, practical program that provided variety in the foods I ate. Like most people, I truly enjoy eating, and I relish good food. I finally had an epiphany: in order to find a weight loss program that offers everything I want—the option to easily dine out, follow simple recipes, enjoy a variety of meals, occasionally indulge in my favorite foods and, most importantly, sustain the weight loss, I’d need to develop my own. Although I felt horrible at first, once the unhealthy refined sugar was out of my system I started to feel better—so much better that I decided to eliminate other foods that I knew were sabotaging my weight loss goals. After sugar, wheat and dairy, I decided to give up all highly processed foods — if it came in a box or bag, it wasn’t for me. After the initial week of giving up sugar, wheat, dairy, processed foods, artificial sweeteners, meat and alcohol; I spent another week free of those seven foods. Never in a million years did I think this was the solution—but it was! I was losing weight rapidly! The weight loss was wonderful, but one of the most unexpected benefits of cutting back on foods that were sabotaging my weight loss was that my sense of taste reemerged. I started to realize how great food tastes, and I noticed that I once again appreciated the process of eating. I no longer mindlessly inhaled my food; instead, I savored every bite, detecting subtle flavors and new aromas. It was as if my entire eating experience had been reborn! I started sharing my program with co-workers, friends and family. I was willing to help anyone who asked. Once these initial participants began to lose weight, they introduced me to others who also sought my help. I finally put my 14-day program on paper so I could share it with even more people. This is how my book, Healthy You!: 14 Days to Quick and Permanent Weight Loss and a Healthier, Happier You came to be. In just 14 days, I was able to finally lose weight but more importantly, I became more conscious of what I was eating and how those foods made me feel. Those initial 14 days (which became the Healthy You! program) started me on a path to my goal weight. I lost all 40 pounds and have been at or near my goal weight for 20 years. Just 14 days really did change my life! In just two weeks, you can learn to eat clean and lose weight.
