For any mother reading this, you might understand the feeling of gaining the extra forty to fifty pounds with pregnancy, then working hard to lose it, only to gain it back again. I found myself cycling my weight gain and weight loss for six years as I went through four pregnancies. I used to be a slender 135 pounds, but found myself at 250 pounds, ugh! Not being able to ride bikes or go sledding with my children made me realize I had to change.

I sat in my first Maximized Living Makeover with my eyes wide open. It was the most life-changing information I ever heard. I have radically transformed my diet, and I even manage to make it to the gym four to five days a week as well. The most important transformation was not just for me but my children. Having to raise four kids sometimes leaves them with the easiest meals. Hot dogs, Kraft dinners, and Eggo waffles were popular in my household. Making “adult” meals only meant leftovers that I would eventually pick away at. However, we made the transition and, slowly but surely, the kids got used to the green things adults call “cucumbers.” The most important thing is that I am a role model for my children and thrive on watching them live a healthier lifestyle. Believe it or not, for all the skeptical mothers out there who dread the food fights they know they will have to endure with their own children during the changes that need to be made, they will come around a lot faster than you think!

I have lost over one hundred pounds and plan on never going back. Thank you Maximized Living for helping us transform into a maximized family.

I went to the Maximized Living Class with my daughter Kristina and my friend, Jenn. The class was about four hours and we got a book that gives you the details of what foods are doing to us.

In May 2009 my scrap booking group meets the third weekend of the month and consists of 8 women all decided to do the Biggest Looser for a year. We are putting $5 a month into a pot to see who will win the challenge! To date no one has lost more than 3 pounds and then puts it back on.

During Lakewood’s Chiropractic Biggest Looser challenge being offered I decided to go for it. I have been watching what I eat, and following it strictly. I have been eating brown rice, sweet potatoes, and a spinach salad with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, a few croutons, chicken and salmon with salsa and avocado. Snacks would consist of almonds and apples. Drinking 8-8oz glasses of water a day. I would have a cup of coffee on the weekends and the rest of the time I drank an organic green tea from Sam’s Club that was full of antioxidants. I cut out breads, sugar and pop and fast foods. I gave myself permission to eat pizza once a week or a sub from subway. I have surged trained a few times. I need to improve on the exercising. I cleansed 4 times during that month.

During the 30 days I felt really good and had lots of energy. I suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and found that it was more under control eating the same foods. I always gain weight because my body wasn’t absorbing nutrition. There was nothing processed in my diet. Since Thanksgiving I haven’t felt as good. I ate sugary foods again and I am tired all the time! I am jumping back into my good habits like yesterday!

During the Thanksgiving holiday I guess it was a noticeable amount of weight lost. My daughter Kristina asked, ‘How much have you lost now?’ My friend Jenn noticed the change when we went shopping with me and I went down a size in my jeans. My brother-in-law asked, ‘You losing weight Lisa?’ I need new PJ’s because they look like big bags! I lost 20 pounds and I lost 11.5 inches in 15 days and on the 30 day mark, I lost a total of 20.5 inches total. It is a great start to being a healthy person!