Alice's Story 

When the group asked me to write a testimonial about my weight loss experience, my first thought was fear for I can not write. Secondly how will my testimonial be different from the usual things people talk about such as how they feel now that they have lost the weight and that they will never be heavy again.

I did not want to start my testimonial that way.

So here goes:

I had been friends with Debbie Gryniewicz before she moved to Florida with her family. After she had moved, I was communicating with her via e-mail and she had told me that she had lost 30 lbs. I said to myself 30 lbs.? I never thought Debbie had to lose that kind of weight. Of course we started corresponding about how she had done it and she was raving about this "New way of Life/Metabolic Balance". I jokingly wrote back that I could stand to loose three times that amount and she wrote back and told me that she would be happy to help me with loosing the weight (if I was interested). I have been on every diet known to man since the age of nine and I have been successful to some extent, but it did not change the way of eating that this program has to offer. I was very intrigued by the fact that Metabolic Balance is designed by your own blood work and would be unique to just you. I was skeptical about the weight loss plan itself, how can they tell by your blood work what to eat, really can they speed up your metabolism which I always thought for me was non existent and I was worried because she was 1200 miles away. I thought I would have to do this on my own and could I? I have to say that this whole time Debbie and her staff have been very helpful and supportive, and have given me answers as quickly as I can write them.

It was a gradual transformation, not an overnight process and yet the time went by surprisingly fast. One day it was 1 lb., then 5 lbs then 25 lbs and so on until I find that I have now lost 75 pounds. When I say that to myself, I am truly awed by how fast the weight did come off and that I have accomplished this in just under one year. My initial goal was to loose 100 lbs this was my own number in my head not that any Doctor nor Metabolic Balance had said to loose. What I was truly shocked by was the way I was loosing weight which was so different than any other weight loss program I had been on before. Usually when you are losing weight, it seems to start from the face down. I found the new way of eating was taking it from my heaviest places first rear end, hips; thighs, waist and my face did not look like the usual when you loose a great amount of weight. I am feeling and seeing bones that I never felt before. I even scared myself with my breastbone thinking I had some kind of lump before I realized what it was. Well that's encouragement even in itself.

I find myself more outgoing and personable now that the "weight" is not dragging me down! I even joined a gym and I do have more energy. I also found that my reaction to people reacting to me was totally different. Some would say that this is a crazy diet and when you finish you will gain back the weight and more. You better not get rid of your fat clothes etc. My response was to think to myself we will see. I told them I was getting rid of my fat clothes and if I need them again I will just buy some new ones. Personally I think that this helped. I had already made up my mind from the start that I did not want these clothes around. I do not have the jeans to hold up to show everyone what size I had been, but I know, and there still are photographs to look at. I feel very optimistic about my future and ready to take on new challenges.

I knew I had to make changes for health reasons. I really do love the food I am eating now and I also find myself feeling bad when I am not able to eat the way that is best for me. Do not get me wrong food still calls me especially chocolate but I am able to have some on occasion and there is something so right about this way to eat. It is based on you. In reality I am eating all the things that are good for my body and enjoying adapting what I can eat into foods that I used to eat such as pizza by using my vegetables, fresh mozzarella and Wasa breads. I wish I had discovered this plan when I was younger I am now 58 years young as this would have been a great way for my husband and children to have eaten. My husband of 40 years is now benefiting from my new knowledge.

I want to encourage all of you needing and searching for the next greatest diet to help yourself get rid of the unwanted and unhealthy weight and that is to give this program a try, invest in yourself for the next year. Start this plan not as a diet but as a maintenance plan of your weight forever. There are no magic pills! Change how you think and feel about food. Eat to Live, not live to eat! I am amazed and truly grateful. I firmly believe in this program and if you are true to it you will believe to.