Amanda Frazier’s 110 Pound Weight-Loss Story

Twenty year old Amanda Frazier has struggled with her weight most of her life. Like most people battling the bulge, Amanda turned to many fad diets and programs throughout the years only to slip right back into her old habits. When weight loss seemed hopeless she turned to the Sansum Clinic Doctors’ Weight Management Program to support her with food choices and behavior changes, resulting in an incredible transformation and a weight loss of more than 100 pounds.

Good Health: What led you to the decision to change your lifestyle and lose weight?

Amanda: I had always been overweight and I was unhappy and unhealthy. I had tried several other programs and diet methods in the past, but would fall back into my old habits soon after I started. I knew that something had to change and that I was capable of making that decision and sticking with it. I was sacrificing a lot in my personal life by constantly putting myself down and feeling helpless. My weight was holding me back. I felt like I couldn’t pursue my dreams because of how unhealthy I was at that time.

The only thing holding me back was my negative thoughts and history of failed attempts and I decided to change that. I began to reverse my outlook on life and change what I thought about myself.

Good Health: How has your life changed as a result of the program?

Amanda: It’s hard to think of how my life hasn’t changed since I began the program. It has resulted in such a drastic physical and emotional change. I am a much happier and positive person now because I feel good about what I have accomplished. My self-respect took a 180 degree turn and I feel as though I am free from the burden of the extra weight.

The program has given me confidence and the tenacity to take on whatever the world throws at me with open arms and a smile on my face. I don’t have constant pessimistic thoughts running through my head like I used to and I am so thankful for that. It is also unbelievably rewarding to feel good about myself.

It’s also great to hear the praise and compliments from friends and family who acknowledge my success. The Doctors’ Weight Management Program completely changed my life and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of it.

Good Health: Can you share some of the small successes you experienced that helped you stay on track?

Amanda: Throughout the duration of the program, there were several instances where I could say, “This is the kind of thing that keeps me going”. I would get messages from friends and family noticing that I had dropped a couple pounds and saying that I looked good. That motivated me to stick to the program and push myself harder.

I also remember the feeling of trying on a pair of pants that were tight a month prior and having some extra wiggle room. I began to receive many compliments and my clothes continued to get looser, which reminded me that I was on the path to success.

Good Health: What were some of the challenges you encountered on your journey?

Amanda: While in the program there were always things that made it hard to stay on track and not splurge. Social events were a big challenge and I eventually learned how to maintain my hard work and still have fun with my friends.

At first I had to remove myself from a lot of events and activities because I knew that my willpower would have been compromised. Towards the end of the program I learned how to avoid splurging — the satisfaction of passing up guilty pleasures completely overrode the satisfaction I would have gotten from indulging.

Now, when I encounter a potential indulgence I take a step back and reassess because I am the only one who will benefit or fail as a result of my actions.

Good Health: What information about the program would you like to share with others who struggle with their weight?

Amanda: The Doctors’ Weight Management Program is an outstanding program for so many reasons. I knew that I had a lot of weight to lose and needed something that would give me more structure about what to eat and what to do to lose weight. I truly believe that this program is the best and worth committing to because it teaches participants lifelong habits to take with you wherever you go. Participants, just like myself, go to weekly classes and keep track of food intake and exercise. There is a huge sense of accountability and that was just what I needed. Eventually, I got to the point in the program where I would be excited to have my mentor and health educator, Liz Morello, see my results and I was proud of what I had accomplished.

The classes offer another advantage because you meet people who are going through the same thing as you, whether they have more or less weight to lose. Seeing the same group of people every week became comforting. We were like a family in that we encouraged and supported each other. The support and stories from my fellow classmates made it that much easier and more enjoyable to get by every week.

Good Health: Now that you’ve reached your goal are you still in the Doctors’ Weight Management Program?

Amanda: After completing the Core program I continued to go to classes for a while until I felt I was ready to move on to Phase 2 and manage my weight on my own. I’m not currently enrolled in the program, but I still use the methods that I learned and practiced during my time there, and will use them for the rest of my life.

Good Health: Is there anything else you’d like the readers to know?

Amanda: It may seem as though you are by yourself and your current situation is irreversible, because that’s how I felt. But that’s not the case. It’s never too late to change your life and health for the better. The program gave me the confidence and skills so that when I would slip up I wouldn’t give up completely. I told myself that I would just have to push myself that much harder the next day, week, or however long it was going to take. I have a new attitude and tools from the program. My entire mindset has changed since my participation and I am confident that I will never go back to the way I used to live my life.

Sansum Clinic’s Doctors’ Weight Management Program is a medically supervised behavioral weight management program that addresses obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes (and pre-diabetes), metabolic syndrome, joint pain and other illnesses and conditions associated with weight management and obesity.

Register Today
View the Orientation schedule -  Doctors' Weight Management Program Orientation and then call (805) 563-6190 to register for a session. (No cost, no obligation.)
Average weight loss for the in-clinic Decision Free® plan is 43-66 lbs. based on research studies conducted in people who completed between 12-26 weeks.