Always being teased in school and known for being the big girl with the cute face or the butt of all fat jokes. I don’t have one of those stories where I was slim and gained weight overtime; I’ve been overweight my entire life. I’ve had a life full of unconscious eating which led to me being overweight.

At 28 years old I was 320 pounds; happy but unhealthy. At first, I tried and failed at several diets. I had reached a point of frustration and thought I needed a quick fix. I ended up spending several hours researching weight loss surgery options, doctors and testimonies of those who had the surgery. I made an appointment with a doctor who told me I was a candidate for gastric bypass surgery. I went through all the classes, tests and psychological review… only to find out my insurance would DENY paying for my surgery. Why me? I cried for several days.

Still needing help, I joined an expensive local weight loss program. During my weight loss with them, I lost 100+ lbs. and learned a lot about nutrition and food. I never hit my goal because it got too expensive to continue going. Also, in the end they weren’t there for ME – they were just “sales people”, there to make money. In other words, they didn’t really care if you came back or not.

For the next five to six years, I remained the same weight. I wanted to lose more, but I didn’t know how or what to change to lose another 50-60 lbs. Then, I found the AMAZING Dr. Lazarus, Heather Thomas PA; Mary Ellen RD; and all the staff of The Clinical Nutrition Center. Their support, dedication and knowledge to all patients is unmatched. They’ve helped me achieve the goal of losing 50 more lbs., but more importantly they are here to support me and my future of being healthy.

Lastly, I must give a shout out to my Registered Dietitian Mary Ellen. I’ve always felt comforted by her knowledge, kindness and compassion to help me succeed. She’s there for me when I’ve had good weeks and not so good weeks – never judging. She has taught me (and continues to teach me) a plethora about nutrition, label reading, how I judge myself, my choices, being conscious of what I am eating, my thoughts, my emotions, etc. She’s simply the best.