Over 45? Can’t lose weight?
Herbal supplement blocks fat storage! Lose 30 lbs in 40 days!
As her health rapidly deteriorated, Michelle Browning’s body resisted her every effort to lose weight. Finally, she gave up. Little did Michelle know a miracle was waiting for her . . .
It’s time to consider weight-loss surgery,” said Michelle Browning’s doctor, glancing at her chart. At 370 pounds, she had sky-high blood pressure, high blood sugar, depression, chronic fatigue, difficulty breathing, severe back and foot pain, one knee in a brace, plus side effects from her latest prescription appetite suppressants—nausea and extreme hair loss. “Obesity is in your genes. I believe gastric bypass is your best chance to improve your weight and health. Of course, even surgery fails for some people.” Michelle stared at him. Very slowly she realized what he was telling her. Even the most drastic option might not be enough to help you. He handed her a pamphlet on the procedure as she left.
In her car, a heavy sadness came over Michelle. I know the surgery won’t work for me, she thought, tears streaming down her face. Always a little overweight, a hysterectomy in 2012 had turned her hormones against her. Now, no matter how diligent she was—using shakes, fasts, group plans, pills—her body would not shed more than 20 pounds. “Nothing works for me, so what’s the point of surgery?” she whispered to herself. As one tearful day gave way to another, Michelle decided: No surgery. I have to accept there’s no hope. At least her son, Cody, and daughter, Shanti, were young adults now—and she’d probably get another five years with them. This was her reality. Ashamed, she started eating—mountains of fast food, chips and cookies—until she felt numb.
Finding hope
For months, Michelle tried to hide her despair from loved ones. But on Michelle’s birthday, her mom, Hazel, arrived with a
small package. “For you, honey,” Hazel said. “They’re the supplements from QVC I told you about. I know you’ve been discouraged, but they’re working for me, and we have the same genes.” Her mom had dropped a few sizes—and they did have the same genes. Plus, on QVC they’d said the supplements—a mix of fruit and flower extracts—were proven to amp up a hormone linked to fat burning. Weren’t hormones the culprit behind her worst problems? If nothing happens, nothing happens, she thought, swallowing a pill without reading the label. She kept it up for a few weeks, expectations low, until the day she went to stand up and her size-22 stretch jeans slid completely off her hips. Quickly hiking them up and laughing in disbelief, Michelle got on the scale. She’d lost nearly 15 pounds with zero effort. She couldn’t help but feel hopeful.
Michelle dedicated herself more fully. She read the package insert for the first time; it suggested a 2,000-calorie daily limit, so she downloaded an app to her phone and started tracking her portions. To hit her new target, she opted for smaller burgers, salads and unsweetened tea. After a couple of weeks, she was in a groove, never hungry and her cravings subsiding. When she got on the scale again, she was down 21 pounds!
“You can do it!”
Motivated, Michelle paid more attention to her food tracking app, which encouraged lean protein, whole grains, fruit, veggies and good fat. She explored local Pennsylvania farmers’ markets, buying ingredients for simple meals—like egg scrambles and salad with chicken, beans and corn. Processed foods disappeared from her menus— and her cravings disappeared, too. When her daughter suggested they go for a walk, Michelle realized her joints were much better. “Okay!” she said. Winded after five minutes, Michelle considered turning back. “Come on, Momma. You can do it!” Shanti said. So Michelle kept going—not just that day, but a few more times that week. Without even realizing it, she had incorporated yet another strategy that was enhancing the effect of her supplements, boosting levels of a fat-burning hormone called adiponectin. (See box, right.) What Michelle did realize: She was losing 15-17 pounds every single month. “In 275 days, I have lost 148 pounds,” the 49-yearold proudly marvels today. “All my blood work is normal. Most of my pain is gone. I see a nice improvement in my hair, and I feel and look younger than I did years ago!” Since her darkest days, Michelle has found new love, started working on a screenplay and is looking forward to decades with her kids. “Never give up. Even when you think it’s too late, health and happiness beyond your wildest dreams can be waiting!”