Got With the Program and Reached His Goal

For a good part of my life, weight was one thing that never seemed to worry me. I ate and drank what I wanted, and in my school days I was into sports. I was considered a very active person.

Then I reached my 40s--the time of life I refer to as “getting settled.”

Unfortunately getting settled means a lot of things: getting settled in work, with family and the settling of my metabolism. Things changed. The body fat shifted. Being so wrapped up in everyday life, you tend to forget important things, such as a healthy diet and proper weight.

As a businessman there are things that are important to me. I enjoy deep-sea fishing and attending my Rotarian “board meetings” every Friday evening with my buddies. This ritual has taken place for the past 15 years. Lots of appetizers, tequila and Merlot are consumed.

Then one day I went to buckle my belt and found I needed to add another hole. It was then and there that I knew I had to change my lifestyle of eating and drinking.

I’d heard about the St. John’s Health Center’s “Fit for Life” weight loss program from friends and kept it in the back of my mind. When I reached 212 pounds, it was time to enroll.

After I attended the first two sessions and made the commitment to change, I asked my wife if she would help me with the cooking. She agreed and changed her way of steak-and-potato cooking by serving less generous portions. Dessert is now only served twice a week.

I have had a truly great experience participating in the St. John’s program. Nutritionist Jean Eis and the entire staff encouraged me with their always positive attitudes. Once I noticed the weight loss and a change in my energy level, I kept pushing myself. No matter how stressful my business day is, I will not miss my maintenance exercise class.

All of a sudden my suits were becoming baggy, and I could do more. Even my son noticed and has enrolled in the program. On a recent fishing trip in the Sea of Cortez, I was able to fish all day, bring in my own catch. By day’s end, I was not exhausted.

I am the grandfather to a beautiful 1-year-old girl, who has wings on her feet and can definitely keep me on my toes. Now that I have taken control of my life, I am looking forward to many other grandchildren. I also know that without the professional, caring and supportive staff of St. John’s and my family, I would never have been able to do it. This program has given me a new outlook on life and perhaps a much longer time to spend with my children and grandchildren.

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Vital Statistics

Name: Joseph A. Gonzales

Age: 61

Occupation: Electrical contractor

Old weight: 212 pounds

New weight: 173 pounds

Time It Took to Get There: 16 months

Feel Like Sharing Your Success Story?

Losing weight is as individual as gaining weight. Do you have a story on how you got in shape and stayed there? If so, we’d like to hear from you with a 500-word essay listing what worked in terms of diet, exercise, encouragement / support

as well as your emotional and physical changes.

We’d also like you to send us full-body color photos of you, before and after.

Send essay and photos to “How I Did It,” Health, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, and include daytime and evening phone numbers. No phone calls, please. Submissions cannot be returned.

In addition to publication, winners will receive a Los Angeles Times gym bag and a gift certificate for a free pair of athletic shoes of your choice, redeemable at any Big 5 Sporting Goods store.