Success Story #2

In August 2009, Ellen had a routine visit with her physician, Dr. William Hoover, at the American Health Network in Peru, Indiana. She says, "I had wanted to lose weight for a long time. Although I didn't 'look' obese, I weighed much more than anyone could imagine. I was 60 pounds overweight and my body mass index (BMI) showed that I was morbidly obese. I had problems with my feet and experienced pain in my body. Then came a medical scare that seemed to be a heart problem, but turned out to be stress. That created momentum for me to find help. So, after I had a complete heart check up and found that I was heart healthy, I decided to take the initiative to ask for help from my doctor."

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Dr. Hoover recommended the HNT program to Ellen after he witnessed several of his patients succeed with weight loss through HNT. This "was a huge nudge" for Ellen. Then, after coming to a free information session she thought, "I can do this." 30 weeks later, Ellen has lost 48 pounds and no longer has "daily body pain from lugging around excess weight" and feels "more positive about life" and her self image. She is "happier and ready to face the day with more energy."
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Ellen states that "the main thing I like to communicate about this program is its legitimacy." There are registered dietitians as Health Educators and "it is backed by an endocrinologist that reviews the progress of participants. So I felt confident. The camaraderie you experience with classmates, which are all struggling to achieve weight loss, is another wonderful benefit of the program. I feel super close to the ladies who went through the Foundation class with me. Another benefit is the educational aspect of the classes. My coach, Christina Varvel, said something that sticks with me: 'You are not expected to be good at a task without the knowledge and skill to perform it. Why should weight loss be any different?' The Foundation class gives you the skills and knowledge to continue after the initial 20 weeks to succeed."

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Ellen discusses some of the skills that she learned. "During the Foundation class, I learned about toxic environments and adjusting daily habits to succeed with the program. More than anything, I realized I had to overcome the eating habits I had picked up over a lifetime. Your workplace is one place you cannot change the environment so you have to learn to change YOUR environment space and how you react to every situation. I am in control."
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When asked what the biggest lifestyle change that Ellen made from her past lifestyle that has contributed to her success today, she says that it "has been that I don't structure my life around the next time I get to eat. I structure my life around my hobbies, family, and work and fit in how to eat smart around my schedule." She realizes that change does not happen overnight. "This will be an ongoing journey. I've changed my daily routine now and I realize that I am never going to be able to eat like I did. But the change was gradual and with the skills I learned form HNT, I know I can continue that journey."
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My words of encouragement would be, start now, wherever you are in life. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be, but I had to be ready. I should have enough self-control to not eat the wrong foods, right? Wrong. I go back to what Christina said. It takes skills. Your life will change, your body will change, and your attitude will change - all for the better. Start today thinking about it and what the good benefits will be for your physical and mental health. Invest the time and money to start a whole new life. Get the skills you need to succeed. You must be accountable to yourself and be truthful. I am proud to be chosen as a 'success story,' but I would be even prouder if this testimony caused one person to say, 'This is the day I am going to change my life. This is the day I am going to join HNT and do something about my weight loss."

Ellen Before HNT
Ellen NOW!

Ellen with her Coach, Christina

(Pictures courtesy of Ellen, Peru, IN)