Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog

Here is an example of an outstanding weight loss success story. This individual went through many challenges in his life including many negative life choices which lead to his obesity, run-ins with the authorities and an unhealthy career choice. However through it all he overcame adversity and found a way to lose the weight! Watch the video to see his brief but touching interview which brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye!

Even after overcoming obesity, he still experiences the same problem that Rich Hubbard is dealing with... Loose Skin After Weight Loss.  Either way... If this guy can do it... SO CAN YOU!

While the weather is nice remember to take time with your children and do something active outside.  Keep your kids healthy so they do not end up like this! Don't let this happen to you or your child! 

Do we really need more Rosie O'Donnell's?

I wrote about wanting to tighten my loose skin after all the weight loss a while back. I just thought I would follow up the story as I'm still dealing with the issue.

The problem is that my belly was stretched for so long with all the extra weight, it's taking it's time to go back down. There's no fat in there, at least I don't believe there is, but as many formerly obese people will understand, I'm left with hanging skin.

Back in April of 2012, I was in my first Wellness Challenge at the YMCA in Torrington. I had already started to lose weight... I was 299 pounds at the start of the challenge, which was actually down from 345 pounds in November of 2011. After losing 45 pounds, my weight loss had slowed down. I decided to try the Wellness Challenge and figured it might kick start the weight loss again, as I still had a long way to go in order to get to a healthy weight.

The kickoff meeting at the first challenge changed my lifestyle completely. After that, I followed the guidelines that I learned and still follow many of the guidelines. As they say, it's about a lifestyle change more than it is about a temporary reduction in weight.

I would like to congratulate New York on a new law I wasn't aware of until today. New York now has a Fruit and Vegetable Prescription plan. This means that New York now acknowledges that fruits and vegetables have the power to cure disease, something the FDA doesn't exactly agree with.

A doctor in New York can now prescribe "Healthy Bucks" to those who are obese, and they in turn can use them to get fresh fruit from the farmer's markets there. I think it's so cool that New York acknowledged the health benefits of vegetables. It's like a big advertising campaign to wake up the obese people to start eating better. The idea might be slightly over the top, but it's a step in the right direction. It's refreshing to hear of doctors not writing prescriptions for drugs for a change.