Some Girls Have All the Luck


Me and Anthony
Me and Anthony

Most of my adult life I have been driven to help others develop and maintain a dedication to healthy living. Trust me, it hasn’t been easy. Unfortunately, enthusiasm alone  can not make others successful, people have to be ready and willing to step in to the world of change, period end of statement.

I have always been a follower of Dr. Oz and bought his original book, You on a Diet, when it came out a couple of years ago. He recently revised the book and has been touring the country to promote it. Little did I k now, the book that I so loved and encouraged others to read, would come back to me directly through Dr. Oz himself.

This past week, I had the pleasure and honor of meeting Dr. Oz as part of a Weight Loss Challenge by Fox News here in Chicago. Mark Saxenmeyer of Fox News,  put the challenge together and included not only some of his colleagues to participate in the weight loss challenge, but his viewers as well. On Wednesday, I received an email from Mark, letting me know that I would be part of a select group of people that would be able to meet Dr. Oz, talk to him, ask questions and be part of his Weight Loss Challenge using his new book.  What I didn’t know is that I would also have the opportunity to meet and train a very special young man, Anthony Marzullo.

Anthony wrote to Mark at Fox News when he heard about Dr. Oz’s Weight Loss Challenge and shared his story about his life long struggle with weight. He has done every diet, tried every weight loss program out there, yet at 31 years old, he continues to struggle with his 350 pound frame.

“I did it to myself,” he said, “I put the fork in my mouth. I take total responsibility. But now it’s time to take responsibility in a positive direction.” So, I have the privilege of working with Anthony over the next year, using Dr. Oz’s book and philosophy which is exactly like mine (thank God, or I’d never do it!). Mark will check in with us during the course of the year to see how we’re doing.

I met with Anthony for the first time and reviewed where he’s been, what he wants to do and what is going to be different this time. I told him, “Anthony, your entire life you have ‘fought’ weight, it’s time to stop fighting. To be successful, you’ll need to change how you think and instead of focusing on weight loss, you need to focus on health gains. Every choice you make from  here on out needs to be about your health. Up until now, it’s been all about the weight. So let’s try to redirect your efforts. Remember, a byproduct of healthy living is a healthy weight!” Anthony agreed and we set a few goals and are ready to forge ahead.

At one point Anthony told me that when he’d go to the gym or be out for a walk people would yell, “Hey Fat Boy.”  I told Anthony, from now on you will be referred to as “Fit Boy.”

So our journey starts today. I am excited for Anthony and I’m lucky to have this opportunity with the help of Fox News and Dr. Oz. I remind my clients all the time, “You can spend the rest of your life trying to lose weight or you can enjoy each day by making choices that positively contribute to your overall mental and physical health, .”Me with Dr. Oz

I hope that you will join us on our journey. I’ll be blogging about it and hopefully I can get Anthony to do the same! Until then, join us on Facebook and share your thoughts and encouragement for Anthony and the millions of others that strive for a shot at a healthy body every single day.

“You do not succeed because you do not know what you want or you don’t want it intensely enough.”
— Frank Crane


3 responses to “Some Girls Have All the Luck”

  1. Nicki just to let you know that I had a challenging weekend but I accomplished so much, and met a couple of my goals as well!!! I understand that this is a start, a start to long journey to eating healthier as well as living healthier. Talking to you on saturday as really motivated me and got me making changes for the “Fit Tony”. Thanks see u soon…

  2. Came here from your column in the Naperville Sun.
    Dr. Oz is so right about “motivation” being the hindrance to getting healthy and losing weight.
    I have in many ways wanted to lose weight and get healthier for about 8 years. I had put weight on while working full time, parenting teenagers and going to grad school all at once. I left my full time job to take advantage of being a parent for the last couple of years that my kids were home, yet still could not find the right motivation. It was my doctor’s appointment in October that got me moving. After years of my weight being the only problem I had, I finally was diagnosed with high blood pressure (150/90) and cholesterol (205). The doctor wanted to put me on medications right away, I asked for the opportunity to try to change these diagnoses without meds first. My mom was put on meds for both things about 10 years ago. After reading about the meds she is on as well as the one my doctor wanted to put me on, I believe that the weakness and muscle problems she has today are directly related to her meds. (She barely gets around anymore.) I figured I am still young enough (46) to change things around without the meds. I am too much like my mom to risk the side effects she has had from teh meds if I can take care of these issues with a proper diet and exercise.

    I have been exercising 5-6 times a week on the treadmill or on the new bike I asked for for my birthday in November. I bought a couple hand weights and have been doing some exercises using those. I have some fitness videos on my Netflix Instant Watch list I also use. My new Ipod has a pedometer on it, so I carry it with me everywhere and am following Dr. Oz’s 10,000 steps advice.

    Food wise, I have totally changed everything we eat in our home. Everything is low sodium now. I have taken recipes we have always utilized and adapted them to low fat and low sodium. Instead of snacking on chips and cookies, I grab some raw veggies or a piece of fruit. Oatmeal is my breakfast, Monday thru Saturday. I just mix different fruits in each day for variety. On Sundays, I make muffins but grind up oatmeal into flour and use whole wheat flour instead of regular flour. I was given a pasta maker for Christmas, so I make fresh whole wheat pasta for those times we have it. Once every two weeks, my husband and I go out to dinner, and on that night I just eat whatever I want without worrying about all of the other things. I plan for that meal for two weeks. The interesting thing is that I am finding that I am eating less and less of those meals and bringing more home, which my husband then eats for lunch the next day when I go back to the healthier foods. But it is still a nice treat.

    I had a doctor appointment this week to check on my progress. (I am so glad she is letting me try to do things this way.) My blood pressure at this time is now 125/75 and I have lost 30 pounds. But the best part is I actually feel really great, better than I have in years. While it was all hard at first, it is becoming easier and easier.

    I will follow this blog so I can see some of the advice you give to Anthony and hopefully incorporate it myself.

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