The signs were everywhere but I misinterpreted them. For example, my eighty year old mother told me I had to start wearing a girdle. My response, "The nerve of her"! My nieces and nephews nicknamed me 'Auntie Sweet Tooth'. Such adorable children. Places where I spent extended periods of time, such as my desk, the car, the sofa had telltale signs of in-between-meals-snacking such as crumbs and empty wrappers. Then there were the clothing manufacturers. GAP started cutting their pants too low. I had to go up a size. TALBOTS redesigned their clothing line. I had to go up a size. And the saleswoman at Ann Taylor, gently urged me to try on their new 'curvy fit' pant. Not my fault. The fashion industry was changing. My weight gain was slow. It occurred over a fifteen year period and it was almost imperceptible. A pound or two here, a tight waist band there. And then, the change was undeniable. I had gained over twenty five pounds and I gained it in one spot, the worst spot, in and around my abdomen. Unhealthy, unsightly and obviously glaring in photos where I turned sideways towards the camera, this weight gain was now a force to be reckoned with. And I had no idea what to do. So, in January 2011, I called Maria Dello. And now, a mere four months later, the weight is gone, I have a new and healthier way of eating and The Gap, Talbots and Ann Taylor have apparently once again redesigned their clothes and now I have to go 'down a size'!! Maria's approach towards my weight loss was designed around my lifestyle, my needs and my wishes. My meal plan is not drastic. I am eating a wide variety of foods that are healthy and fresh. None of this pre-packaged toxic food that some weight loss programs pedal. I needed to become a more thoughtful eater. And I needed to spend a little extra time making sure I had healthy foods in the house. The best part of Maria's program is that her expertise in nutrition, metabolism, and understanding the whole person, makes for a simple plan to follow. Friends and colleagues are constantly asking me about calories, counting points, grams of fat, blah, blah, blah. I haven't had to bog myself down with all of that. That is Maria's job and she does it well. Of course----the opportunity to learn as much as you want from her is there. But sometimes it's just easier to 'do as you are told'. Another thing my girdle-wielding mother always told me. Thank you Maria Dello, your a life saver! read more
