Now that I have been without your services for a month or so, I’ve had a chance to reflect on the work you did with me to clean up my eating act. I truly believe that you made a big, positive, impact on my eating habits in a relatively short period of time. I have come to think of your program as one that teaches eating awareness, not food deprivation.

Like a lot of people, I always thought I had a pretty good “general idea” of how many calories were in most of the foods I consumed, and (that with the exception of chocolate, which as you know, is a pretty huge exception), I was in the ball park (as always, a sports metaphor) of where I should be calorie-wise. However, because I never tested my “actual” calories against my “assumed” calories (because I was too lazy to take the time to look up the foods), you were able to provide me with a healthy dose of reality by doing the math for me on a daily basis. I learned that by making small adjustments, I could continue to enjoy foods that I liked, thereby avoiding the dreaded eating splurge.

You were always patient, never chided, and gave me the confidence to know that when I stray from good habits, it is just as easy to get back to them, as it is to continue down the road to rack and ruin. (I have no idea where the phrase “rack and ruin” comes from; however, in this context, it brings to mind clothing racks, and larger and larger sizes!)

I can truthfully tell you that the other night, I dreamed about going to the store to buy celery – and – it was truly a dream, not a nightmare!

Finally, I saw you on FOX news last night, and I salute you on your work with young people to get their eating habits well-groomed as they head off to college. Good luck with your campaign!

Thanks for making food a friend and not a foe!

Cindy