Pt IV: The Be Well 365 Experience with Terri Johnson
Continued from Pt. III…
Terri: Yeah, yeah. ‘I’m losing weight, weeoo!’ And then the first time you drop a clothing size, that’s a big positive reinforcement, cause you’re used to buying, okay I’m going to the fat ladies section. I used to wear a size 18-20, now I’m size 10-12. So huge difference. So I don’t have to go to the ‘women’s’ section to get clothes. I can go to the petites, I can go to the juniors, you know. Far more selection of clothes.
Dr. Lopez: You know, going to the cute, sexy section.
Terri: (laughs) Uh, like, uh, oh there’s some stores that don’t even cater to large people, like Chico’s. They’re made for older women, and to be fashionable and to, uh, in style, cause older people like to be in style too, but they don’t go above size 14. They use the European fashion, and their sizes, er, their highest is a size 4. I couldn’t have dreamed in getting into those. I can now.
Terri: So… It’s the positive reinforcements you set for yourself as well, you know. People coming up to you, uh, even my family was really supportive. Uh, when we would have family outings, they would ask me ‘What can Terri have?’ You know. ‘We don’t want her to blow her diet, she’s looking good. What can she have?’ and uh, you know, or, uh, or they would just flat out ask me. Also even, even reinforcements at work, at the workplace. Once a month we would have what they call a birthday celebration, and they would have cake or cupcakes, something sweet. I asked if the company could buy a fruit tray. And sure enough they tried it. Everybody likes the fruit tray. It’s not a bad thing. So you know, I would grab a couple strawberries, some blueberries, you know, maybe a piece of pineapple. It was good! And I didn’t blow my diet.
Terri: And they’ve all been very supportive at work. ‘Wow, you’re lookin’ great.’ ‘Wow,’ or you know, when you wear those new clothes into work, everybody knows, cause you’ve been wearing the same thing for a year, or two years and then you wear a new outfit: ‘wow, you’re looking good,’ you know. So it helps.
Great. Well Terri thank you so much for being so candid and sharing your story. We hope that the future is as bright for you as it is now.
Terri: Well thank you. It will be.
Does your story sound like Terri’s?
We want to hear from you! Call us today to set an appointment with Dr. Lopez and her team. You could be on your way to greater health and enthusiasm for life with Be Well 365.
