For my 67^th birthday my wife asked what I wanted for a present and I replied that I would like to be 10 years younger.  On my birthday I received a certificate stating that a "bodybugg" was on its way to me.  I received my "gift" a couple of days later and I must say that I was somewhat under-whelmed by this new accessory.  I did receive a call that day from my new bodybugg coach, Tamala Proos, and she got me started and got my measurements set up and away I went.

I immediately rediscovered, after logging all the food I ate, the old adage  "if you want  to lose weight you just eat less and exercise more". Well, I had heard that all my life and it never  really stuck.  Suddenly I see what the calorie value of the food I'm eating is and the effect my walking or playing golf had on my body. 

Tamala set me up on a 500 calorie per day deficit and I began to lose weight by the end of the first week.  The effect on my thought process was immediate and I didn't even have to give up my evening cocktail (which had derailed several previous attempts at dieting) as long as I maintained the 500 calorie deficit.  When I know I'm going to be going somewhere that will require my eating something that doesn't really fit into my program,  I can plan for a little more deficit one or two days before or exercise a little extra afterward. My exercise consists of walking in the neighborhood and playing golf (with an electric cart).  I was amazed at how many calories I burned while playing golf.  Really a tough way to lose weight, right? 

I have been on this program for almost a year now and have lost 71 pounds to date.  I have continued to have weekly calls from my coach Tamala and it is comforting to be able to talk to someone who knows how this program works.  I have had those "trip up" weeks where I didn't lose anything and even a couple of weeks where I gained a pound, but we could always pinpoint the probable cause of the gain.  I recently went into the hospital for a hip replacement and I didn't wear the bodybugg for three weeks.  Tamala set my plan for maintenance, meaning I was just trying to break even with the intake matching the outgo. I still lost three and a half pounds because while I was unable to exercise I was just naturally conscious of what I was eating.  I have twenty-six pounds to go to reach my goal of 185 and I have no doubts that I will never put the weight back on. 

After reaching my goal I will wear  the bodybugg periodically just  to check myself,  but my clothing will tell me very quickly if I got a little carried away.  I have tried diets in the past that have worked, but the weight eventually comes back (and usually a little more), but this has just opened my eyes to how easy it is to live and maintain a proper weight.  Thank you, bodybugg, and my coach Tamala Proos.