In the back of my mind lingered the nagging question: why was I still gorging myself with food? I even ignored my doctor’s concern about my weight and reasons for lowering my cholesterol. I was eating when I was glad and when I was sad; I was running out of excuses. I could no longer zip my favourite black slacks. That very Sunday evening I vowed to seek help on Monday morning. I’d follow my doctor’s advice and sign up for weight counseling.

My knees shook when I approached the counter to register for weight counseling, but I felt at ease when a gentleman with a smiling face greeted me, “Welcome, I’m one of the weight counselors here. My name is Frank.” I fought back the tears as I introduced myself and confessed to him how desperate I felt. As I filled out the paperwork, Frank uttered softly, “As of today, desperation and self-loathing are banished from your vocabulary.”

Next, it was time to step on the scales. I didn’t want to look, but I had to face the awful truth; I had gained forty pounds. I felt my cheeks grow hot, I closed my eyes, but that didn’t stop the tears from trickling down my red face.

“You have to think of this as a lifestyle change, not a diet,” Frank said, as he handed me a tissue. “This programme is not a quick fix. Once you lose the weight you cannot go back to your old habits, and you won’t want to.” My lifestyle change entailed banishing my two addictions, chocolate and white bread, from the house. — Beliefnet.com