This is my friend, Pam. Ironically, in the modern world we live in, I’ve never met Pam in person. Yet I feel very connected to her for many reasons, and we have become great “e-friends!”
I first met Pam shortly after moving to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2012. I happened to be scrolling through my newsfeed on Facebook one morning and saw that someone from Lincoln was being inducted into Joy Bauer’s “Joy Fit Club” on the Today Show that week. Joy Bauer, the Today’s Show’s Nutrition Expert, profiles people from across the U.S. who lose 100 or more pounds and have kept the weight off for an extended time. I was inducted into her Fit Club in 2009 and in 2012, it was Pam’s turn!
Pam had battled obesity for most of her adult life reaching more than 300 pounds by her late 50’s. Her joints hurt, she had no energy, and, in her own words, “I hated what I had done to myself. My self-esteem was zero.”
It took Pam almost two years, but she lost an amazing 178 pounds! Check out this before and after photo!
Pam and I have remained friends and correspond periodically about the challenges we face as people prone to obesity. Pam had a significant weight gain that she recently successfully addressed with help from Weight Watchers. She relates to much of what I share in my book, “FAT: A Life Unfiltered,” (get your copy here) especially the realization that obesity will always be a challenge we face, but we don’t have to lose hope, no matter what our size!
Congratulations, Pam! You are a “Hope for the Heavy Hero,” reminding us that healthy living is possible and gaining weight isn’t a reason to give up and lose hope. You are an inspiration to all of us who continue to work our way toward a healthier and more hopeful future.
Read more about Pam’s story here. To order your copy of “FAT: A Life Unfiltered,” click here.
Hope for the Heavy 