I started my weight loss journey a month after I returned to school from 8 weeks of maternity leave. The adoption process for my newborn daughter was immensely stressful and I gained 40-50 pounds from emotional eating in the six months leading up to her birth. I had been a Weight Watchers member in the past, but the program changes gave me too much freedom and I was not successful. I also tried other weight loss programs and exercise plans, but I could not stick with them long term. I had lunch with another Duval employee who is a friend of mine that I hadn’t seen in a while and I was so surprised at how wonderful she looked. When I asked her what she was doing, she told me all about Thin Centers MD and the Fresh Diet. I went to their website and also to the Wellness section of the DCPS website to see what benefits I had as an employee. The cost hands down was the deciding factor for me to give it a try. I enrolled on April 30, 2013. Dr. Capasso and his amazingly supportive staff really helped change my mindset about weight loss and made it more about a lifestyle change. I learned more about how to make better food choices and to make those choices into permanent habits. I have not missed a weigh in since April 30th and I have now shed over 40 pounds to date. I love the way I look and feel! However, the support never stops. If I get in an eating rut, the staff is always ready to give me suggestions for additional foods, websites, and recipes. If the scale is stuck on a particular number for a couple of weeks, they look at my specific numbers for fat, water, and protein and suggest ways for me to change up my eating and water intake to get my metabolism going again so the number on the scale will continue going down. When I make my appointment for the following week and realize that I need to stay late at school, the staff at Thin Centers MD are always accommodating to change my weigh in date and time to whatever works best for me. When I do consult with Dr. Capasso, his discussion with me is about the whole body and mind. It’s not about the number on the scale or the bad choices of foods I ate the previous night. He delves deeper into what I want, how I want to look and feel, and ways to achieve my goals through meditation, positive thinking, and suggested exercise. My body now only craves healthy choices and food takes on a new meaning to me…..nourishment. I am no longer battling the bulge; I am battling clothes that are too big!