My name is Alicia Hunter Wilkinson, and since about age ten, I was a "chronic dieter". My weight would yo-yo within 30 to 50 pounds. I tried every diet known to man, including some I would make up myself (like the All-Bran and Tab diet!). My main problem with any diet was that it made me feel like I was being deprived and punished - two very detrimental and negative feeling to have on one's conscience when already feeling bad about oneself!While I realized that calorie intake and output were the main sources of weight loss, I was always looking for that "quick fix" - a magic pill or magic diet that would finally work for me. The only times I ever had real success (where I would lose at least 20 or more pounds) were programs where I was ACCOUNTABLE to someone (i.e. Jenny Craig or Nutri System, etc.). However, those programs tended to be costly, and I would struggle to purchase the program and the food each week; this stressor would ultimately cause me to drop out.
Things like always wearing a shirt over my bathing suit or declining social invitations, or sometimes calling in "sick" to work because nothing fit that day were taking their toll on the quality of my life! Cycles of crash-dieting and self-sabotage were interfering with my health and happiness. I didn't realize it, but what I really needed was a program where I would be accountable, eat foods I could buy from my regular grocery store, and exercise without paying a lot of money to join an intimidating gym I barely had time to visit anyway.
In 2004, I experienced a profound loss in my life that gave me perspective that I "knew", but I never really applied: Life is so incredibly short. It's a gift and it's meant to be lived to its fullest. I was not living my life to the fullest by being overweight; in fact, I was only a spectator in my own life. I decided to stop disrespecting myself and the gift of my life, and to make some permanent changes.
My attitude became this: there is no time like the present to turn it around. Since then, I have gradually formulated an eating plan I can stick with, and have helped my clients formulate smiliar plans that work for them. Buoyed by the support and accountability of many professionals who celebrate with me in personal success and the importance of looking and feeling healthy and happy, I've created this program to help you look and feel your best! Changes do not happen overnight, but they DO happen, and I am here to support you along the way!
I invite you to explore this unique opportunity with me, and I am excited for your "loss"!
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Besides my own story, I would love to share with you some other success stories, still in progress! More are coming, but I've decided to take a few examples from my family members, who have agreed to share their stories with you:
My brother, who is 24, had been a weight fluctuator like me - gaining and losing throughout his adolescent and teen years, then into his early 20s, trying crash-diets and pendulum-swing exercise regimens. Last winter, he went through a very dramatic life change. He resolved to be healthy and respect himself, and much of this had to do with taking good care of his body. He looked to me for advice and direction. Together, we studied the importance of eating mindfully and where he was getting hung up, and we came up with a plan that suited him. He had additional strength goals, and I helped him find a gym that would fit his lifestyle and financial means. Today, he has this incredible body, so much that people approach him at the gym and ask him what exercises he does to make him look so good! He expresses wonder at feeling like the guy with the "hot body", when before he was always self-conscious. This experience has even made him want to help others reach their goals. Who knows- maybe he will soon be listed in my Beauty Network as a personal trainer!
My mother, who is 64, had hip-replacement surgery last year, and had gained a lot of weight during the years she was in pain and of limited mobility. Under my guidance and following my plan, she has already lost 20 pounds, and is still losing! She looks and feels better, and has more energy to exercise and thus speed up her progress. She knows that, in moments of weakness, I am only a phone call or email away! This helps keep her accountable, and helps her remember that her long-term goal is just a series of smaller, more managable goals. Once she reaches her 60-pound goal, we have a Mother-Daughter trip planned to Savannah, Georgia!
My sister is my most recent client; over the past 6 to 12 months, she has turned 33, quit smoking, and (due to a hectic work and volunteer schedule) lost her workout regimen. Her weight has consequently risen by a fluxuating 10-15 pounds. On her petite frame, she says it makes her feel 30-40 pounds overweight! What is interesting to note is that she is Vegan with a wheat allergy. We are working to help her take into account that, although she eats "healthy" by most standards, she must adjust her diet and eating habits as her metabolism changes, in order to maintain her weight, as well as find time to prioritize and perhaps modify her exercise regimen. This is a challenge I am happy to take on, as I belive your diet should fit YOUR lifestyle, not the other way around!
This blog will follow my clients' progress. I hope you can find some inspiration and comfort in these accounts, and I hope you will allow me to get you started on your personal success story!
Please feel free to email me with any questions!
Sincerely,
Alicia Hunter Wilkinson
Permanent-results.com
alicia@permanent-results.com
