Reverse Diet Solution - Reverse Diet Success Stories

How Tricia Cunningham Reversed Her Life

One day six years ago, I woke up and decided to do exactly the opposite of what I had been doing my whole life.Up until that point, I had spent most of it struggling with a weight problem. I yo-yoed between bingeing and fasting, eventuallytipping the scale at 280 pounds on a 5' 8" frame.

My weight fluctuated for many years. I tried everything, including starvation and just about every fad diet, all of which failed miserably. Ultimately I gained more weight than I lost. Nothing seemed to work. My family tried to convince me that I was big-boned and that there was nothing I could do about it.

Bingeing and starving became my two best friends. I ate too much during stressful times and nothing after I had done something wrong that is, anything less than perfect. I was a perfectionist and an overachiever in all aspects of life except where my weight was concerned. That was the one thing I felt I couldn't control.

Then on August 28, 1999, everything changed. That morning all of the issues I had been dealing with my weight, my appearance, my lifestyle came crashing down on me. I suffered a major panic attack. At first, I thought it must have been something I ate or drank, so I refused to eat and barely drank even water for the rest of the day. This kept on for the next three days. On the fourth morning, I woke up and knew that I couldn't keep starving myself. I looked into the mirror and didn't hate what I saw, because I was beginning to realize I could change it. I knew that everything I had done up to that point with my weight and health had been wrong. I knew that I couldn't keep living the way I was living. I had to reverse course to flip-flop everything, to change my life. That was the beginning of the Reverse Diet.

Some of the changes to my lifestyle I just fell into. It started with me focusing on using the fewest ingredients for a light dinner. I chose cereal (shredded wheat), but I didn't want milk. I used to drink orange juice every morning, so one day I just decided to mix it in. I know shredded wheat with orange juice sounds weird, but I really liked it, and it satisfied my sweet craving. Other aspects of the plan took research and experimentation and teaming with renowned nutritionist Heidi Skolnik for the reverse diet book has really helped me fine-tune the diet.

By New Year's Eve 1999, just over four months from when I started the Reverse Diet, I went to a party wearing a size 9. I had gone from 250 pounds in August down to just 150 pounds. I had set a goal weight of 130 pounds and knew that I could reach it. By March 2000, I was at 130. I even got as low as 112, but that was too thin for my build. I went back to 130 and have stayed that weight ever since."

Tricia Cunningham

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Reverse Dieters Share Their Success

Ever since Tricia Cunningham first appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” with Heidi Skolnik and shared theReverse Diet, the response from across the world has been phenomenal! Tricia has received hundreds of calls, letters,and e-mails from successful dieters who can’t believe how easy and effective the Reverse Diet is.

Here are just a few of the success stories:

I just want to thank you for telling your story and giving me this wonderful diet. I’ve tried everything to lose weight, but when I saw your story on my local news, it was as if a light bulb went off. It sounded so easy and made so much sense.

I have a very hectic schedule and usually skip all meals except dinner, which I eat late at night before bed. Each day I would say, “I am going to do better tomorrow.” Now my tomorrow is being reversed! I have a long way to go, but it doesn't look impossible now.

Thank you for sharing your story and saving my life. I am telling the world about this!

-Teresa-

Our stories are similar—I too had heart palpitations and went to a cardiologist. After many tests, he told me I was too heavy (240 pounds) for a women of my height (5' 2"). I knew I couldn’t keep eating the way I was (a large coffee from Dunkin Donuts and an onion bagel with cream cheese for breakfast, and a super-sized McDonald’s lunch with diet Coke). That was my wake-up call.

I saw you on Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer, and from there I searched the Internet and found a news article by Wendy Bell from Pittsburgh Channel. It had your shopping list and menus. I started the next day, May 20th. A week and half later, I had lost 19 lbs. From there I started to lose 2 lbs a week. I am down 87 pounds and to 153pounds!

The plan is very easy to follow, and the recipes are delicious. Two of my favorites are Shredded Wheat with Oatmeal and OJ, and your Tangy Smoothie. Good luck, everyone! I know you can do this!

-Anna-

We saw you on the WTAE and love your diet! I’m working toward my certification as personal trainer, and am looking forward to sharing with clients your philosophy and diet approach. It is a great plan. Can't wait for your book!

-Marla-

I started out at 265, and as of this morning I’m 242. I'm keeping this a secret from my doctor until I lose a lot more. The last thing he said to me in April was, "I'm really sorry, Elaine, but I don't know of a diet or anything to help you lose weight." Sad; isn't it?

-Elaine-

I am 23 years old and have struggled with my weight since I was young. About a year ago I wised up about diet pills. I was doing great, going to the gym and eating right, but a knee injury left me down for the count for some time. I now need to lose 150+ pounds.

Last week when I visited my doctor, he said that I was released to go back to the gym and suggested that I try the program featured in Woman’s World (The Reverse Diet). He took me to his waiting room and gave me his copy. He told me it sounded safe and said I had to try it. So here I am: ready and willing.

I have much more to gain than lose, such as friends, confidence, freedom, the real me, and the ability to enjoy life the way it should be. I have had enough of the comments from strangers, family, and the stores I’m forced to shop at because of my size.

I am very excited and believe we can all reach our goals with the Reverse Diet Solution.

-Joanne T.-

Here is the whole sad but now happy story of my journey to Reverse Dieting.

Mid-October, my mother and I were sorting through photos to put a calendar together for our out-of-state family and friends for Christmas. We opened a package that had been taken by the pool during the summer. I just sat and stared. I was a WHALE! Had I really been out in the sun every weekend all summer long looking like that? I just wanted to die. I put the pictures away and hid them from my mother, so she couldn’t include them.

That very evening I was standing in a check-out line and saw the cover of First magazine. I began to read your story and started to cry right there in the checkout line. I decided right then and there to take your advice.

I came straight home and signed up on the web site. Many days later, I am still scared of the scales. But I feel better. I look forward to each day!

I’ve been on every diet that has come out since having my first child 16 years ago, and I’d always figure out how long I’d have to suffer to get to the end. But this time I’m enjoying the journey. This time I’m really changing the way I look at food and the way I use it. Thank you, Tricia, for giving me the opportunity to change my life. I am the mother of two beautiful daughters, and I really want to give them a mother to be proud of. Thank you again!

-Julia M-

I was always a size 5 until I turned 27. Unlike many, I didn’t gain my weight with pregnancies. I gained it with cancer. (Weight gain is a rare side effect in certain types of cancer.) I was given a slim chance of a five-year survival (less than 20%). Through two years of chemo and surgeries, I maintained a weight of between 175 to 190 lbs. I knew that most people don’t die from cancer, they die from secondary problems (like starvation), so I forced myself to eat so I would not become one of those statistics. Treatments ended, and things looked great. I had been given a second chance! I now had to lose all the weight I had gained. I wasn’t allowed to exercise -- nothing to speed up the metabolism as it could cause the cancer to return. I also had some physical limitations from the surgeries, which hindered any chance of even walking for any period of time.

I tried many different diets, from Atkins to Slim Fast, to a liquid-only diet, to Weight Watchers. I lost a tad over 30 pounds, but the weight came back quickly. I grew back to a chubby 171.5 pounds. That was a year and a half ago.

I saw the First magazine article by accident while waiting for one of my staff to finish shopping at a store. I decided to buy the magazine, which I never do (they always have some "new way to lose weight" on the cover, so why would this one be anything special?). But something told me I needed to buy this one. I started reading, then came online and checked out the web site. This diet is absolutely perfect for me! The morning is when I have the most time to sit down and eat properly, so having a big breakfast made sense for me. I lost five pounds the first four days, and am on day five now. I had a big mountain to climb with the cancer, and I feel the weight is a constant reminder of the rough era. I want to put that in the past and get back to my original self. This diet is going to heal my soul and mend my broken spirit. Thanks Tricia for sharing this with me.

Love,

-Kim Z-

Wow! My wife and I started this change of life about three weeks ago. I weighed in at 296 pounds, and my wife at 169 pounds. We followed your program -- first by getting rid of all the processed foods, cookies, candy, and restocked the fridge with fruits, veggies, chicken, fish, O.J. and oatmeal.

To make a great story short, we weighed in today and I’ve lost fourteen pounds and my wife more than twelve -- and this is with no exercise (except walking at work). Three weeks ago my energy level was terrible –I felt tired by noon and dragged the rest of the day. My change of eating has completely reversed this. I’m energized and have even begun to find myself involved in more projects when I get home from work. All I can say is the Reverse Diet works!

-Wesley, M. D.-

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