TRANSFORMATION
Weight-loss journey starts with new mindset.
The secret to Conroe resident Marc Berger’s weight loss was simple: He realized he couldn’t do it alone. That meant finding a coach and a support group. It also meant that in eight months, Berger dropped 105 pounds.
“Long term, I’ll never quit on myself again,” he said.
That’s because Berger, 52, is confident he now has the tools to remain successful.
“I struggled with weight my whole life,” Berger said. “Like a lot of people, I tried everything.”
In fact, in 2019, he lost 30 pounds by adding protein to his diet and cutting back on carbs. After three months, however, he stopped and gained all the weight back.
Then about a year ago, Berger noticed on Facebook that his friend Victoria Kimball was losing weight.
“She was melting away,” he recalled. “I wanted to tap into whatever she was doing.”
Kimball lost 100 pounds in a year.
“I thought if I could just get anywhere near that, I’d be unbelievably tickled,” Berger said. “But with my track record, I didn’t really believe I could.”
Still, he hesitated to contact her. “I thought for the 105th time, I can do it by myself,” he recalled.
Finally, Berger decided to make the call on Aug. 20, 2020.
“I was sick and tired of being sick and tired,” he said. “I went in head first, fully committed.”
Kimball met with Berger weekly on Zoom.
“The difference for me came in having a coach,” he said. “We didn’t just talk about food. We talked about mindset, food addiction, cravings, really exploring what is going on and digging deeper.”
He focused on the little steps, which he calls “micro habits,” like eating fewer calories, more lean protein and vegetables. He upped the number of meals he eats to six a day, decreased the portions and created a more balanced diet.
Now, Berger eats between 1,000 and 1,200 calories a day. He also drinks a minimum of 64 ounces of water a day, usually more. He eliminated sugar and processed carbs.
“It took willpower,” Berger said. “But when the weight started coming off, that became thrill power.”
Changing his beliefs was another challenge. He learned to recognize cravings and ask himself what was the root cause.
Berger also created a list of reasons why he wanted to be healthier — like avoiding medical complications and being there for his two children. He would read that inventory whenever he felt tempted by the drive-thru.
“I took a pause, challenged myself and made the choice,” Berger said.
And if sometimes that burger called, or a couple of tacos, he did not let that stand in the way of the next healthy choice.
“I didn’t feel bad, and I wasn’t quitting,” Berger said. “I got right back in the mode of being healthy. I got right back on track.”
Having a coach’s guidance helped him break the cycle of guilt and shame that often stands in the way of a good nutrition plan. In addition, the support and accountability of a Facebook group kept him going.
“It might be a cliché to say this is a lifestyle change, but it’s really true,” Berger said.
For the past few months, he focused exclusively on diet. He recently added short bouts of strength training to the mix.
“You’ve got to make sure you’re toning so you’re optimally healthy,” he said.
Without the extra weight, exercise is easier, Berger added.
“It’s amazing how much easier it is to do that,” he said. “It’s such a difference.”
Recently, Berger has become a health coach as well.
“I could not help but pass on this structure,” he said. “It’s too effective.”
He even inspired his wife, Holly, to try the plan. She has since lost 50 pounds.
“At first, my wife was like, ‘No way,’ but after two months, she said, ‘Wow this is really working,’ ” Berger recalled.
Holly admitted to being skeptical at first — and then reluctant to try her husband’s routine.
“Marc and I had both dieted our whole lives,” Holly said. “I went back and forth.”
Still, Holly had extra motivation to give it a go
“I have diabetes,” she said. “And my blood sugar just kept climbing and climbing. I thought, this is worth a try. I’ve tried everything else.”
Within two weeks, Holly noticed a difference.
“I felt better,” she said. “I slept better.”
Her blood sugar also dropped — and now she no longer has to take medications or insulin injections.
“To get off my medication is a big deal,” she said. “I definitely want to keep going. I don’t want to go back to taking medicine and feeling lousy.”
Holly is also celebrating the small wins of her weight loss, which her husband calls “non-scale victories.”
“Like right now, I’m wearing a pair of capris that were in the back of my closet forever,” she said. “They’re kind of loose now.”
The couple’s son Zachary, 17, also started following the plan and lost 40 pounds. Their daughter Sadie, 12, enjoys having healthier food choices in the house — as well as healthier role models in the family.
“We’re all in it together,” Holly said. “We’re like our own support system. It’s just changed our lives. We’re better versions of ourselves.”
She added that COVID-19 put a damper on so much — and caused others to gain weight.
But not her family.
“We used this as an opportunity to turn the beat around,” Holly said.
Berger said that having the right mindset made all the difference.
“There are so many habits that we think are just the way they are, like our sleep habits, hydration,” Berger said. “We tell ourselves, ‘I’m not someone who eats healthy’ even if it’s not conscious.”
He wants to do his part to change that — and that motivated him to become a weight-loss coach.
“I honestly feel like I have always been meant to somehow help people, but I never knew how that would look,” Berger said. “Then I had an aha moment. I may not be a nutrition expert or a counselor, but I know how to show up and support people.”
He realized he has a gift to share. “If I did it, you can do it,” he said. “The first thing I want people to know is that you can absolutely do anything that’s important to you. The first thing is just deciding.”
Holly said that reaching greater health has brought out a whole new side of her husband.
“It’s given him a real purpose, and I love that for him,” she said. “He’s been able to help himself and now other people. I’m so proud of him. He’s changing people’s lives, and that’s amazing.”
Even if you don’t believe weight loss is possible, decide to take the first step, Berger said.
“Not only is every day an opportunity to start something but every moment is,” Berger said. “You don’t have to wait until tomorrow or next year to do better. You can be empowered to make a choice right now.”
Remember that weight loss is a journey, he added, one that requires dedication.
“You don’t have to be perfect,” Berger said. “Go for progress over perfection. And if you don’t quit, you can’t fail.”