The first time I ever tried to loose weight with any sucess was after watching an Oprah show in November of 1988. I had by luck, taped her weight loss show on VHS. I had never been so empowered by a TV show in my life, I started my first liquid diet the next day and spent the next two months loosing weight. When I graduated from High School I weighed about 270lbs. By the time I started my first diet I was weighing in at about 290. The diet helped me get down to 250 before i crashed.
The liquid diet wasn't for me and obviously it worked for Oprah but not for the long run. But what was important was that show was the first time my eyes were opened and I had seen the light of the possibility that I could loose weight too. Between Oprah celebrating her loss and another guy who also lost weight and ran his first marathon the show was about weight loss triumph!
During a segment of the show Oprah pull out a red wagon filled with 70lbs of fat in a clear garbage bag. I remember this segment pretty clearly after 15 years, it was amazing to see a huge bag of fat that Oprah had been carrying. I am sure it would be amazing to see that same bag filled with the fat i lost.
I lost my VHS copy of that show a few years ago. I wish I had it back I would like to watch it cause it was such an encouragement. It was what i needed 16 years ago to start my first diet. And there are still things that I remember seeing on that show that have had an impact on my current lifestyle change. So thanks Oprah for opening my eyes to weight loss and the joy meeting your goals could be and thanks for planting that seed of unsatisfaction with my size in me.
and now you are becoming an inspiration, too. : )