Where I was at:

I was strong enough, so that wasn't the issue. As I morphed from physical therapy at Forster Physical Therapy to ongoing strength training at Phase IV, PT Ron Berry and Assistant PT Laurel Fresquez were with me every step of the way. Their impact on my fitness, and on my overall sense of well-being, for the past 3 1/2 years has been immeasurable. Hands down (pardon the pun!) they are the best.

When Ron mentioned Phase IV's "Fit but Fat" seminar last Fall, my first thought was, "I'm not fat, I'm a size 4!" Except by then I really was a size 6, bordering on 8, a very gradual increase that I simply attributed to being on this planet for more than six decades.  Overall I was in good shape and I've never been an over-eater.   I figured that cold-pressed vegetable drinks a few times a week; a good fish or meat dinner now and then; a few salads here and there; and whatever else I felt like eating should count as a good enough nutrition plan.

My experience at PHASE IV...

I didn't go to the seminar, but I knew that my healthful eating habits of the early 2000's had devolved much more than I wished to admit.  So I decided to sign up for the Nutrition Program with Phase IV Nutrition Specialist Tina Paymaster.  My first assignment was to track my daily food intake. That was a real eye-opener. Some days I ate cereal for breakfast, other days all I had was coffee until the afternoon. Some days peanut M&M's would suffice for lunch. Then I would down a vegetable drink to counteract the candy.  Frozen dinners, something I never used to eat, had crept into a weekly habit. I also looked forward to a vanilla/mango ice cream bar every night. After all, what's wrong with 90 calories at night if I've hardly eaten anything all day?  (Turns out, a lot!)

Next, Tina emailed a calendar of "what I should be eating."  This plan required me to think about, purchase and prepare food in an entirely different way.  Instead of buying packaged salads, pasta and canned soup, for example, I began buying items like quinoa, chia seeds, fresh spinach and other greens, sweet potatoes, "supercharged" oatmeal, plant-based "pea" milk, and lots of spices.

Getting used to this new mindset didn't happen overnight. But as the weeks, then months, went by I adapted to the new routine, basically making sure that I:

• Started each day with a capful of apple cider vinegar in a cup of warm water
• Ate breakfast (and optimally other meals as well) around the same time everyday
• I made more "creative" breakfasts, like eggs-over-easy with spinach and sweet potato, oatmeal with fresh fruit and sliced almonds, or chia pudding with blueberries
• I added protein to mid-afternoon snacks (or drank a protein shake)
• I eliminated as much sugar and flour as possible
• I ate more whole foods and plant-based products, and much less processed foods

Bottom line:  eat consciously, not impulsively

My results...

Four months into the program I noticed I felt more energetic, had fewer mood swings, and most amazingly, since I eat more now than I have in years, lost 10 pounds.  Now, 9 months later, I've lost another 5 pounds bringing me to 105, a weight I haven't touched since high school. I don't crave candy or ice cream like I used to, and I actually look forward to eating healthful meals instead of junk food.

My next goal is to tighten loose skin and eliminate that pesky cellulite in my arms and legs.  Ron says once I add Phase IV's metabolic program to my training regime, that will happen.  So it will be my next undertaking.  After all, he and Phase IV have yet to steer me wrong!