Corinna

Before Corinna joined our program in April, she sent me the following email:

I wrote back: First off, your writing is excellent. I don’t think that will be an issue. We work with clients throughout the world. And we’ve worked with many clients living in Germany. It’s never been an issue. Though the foods are a little different it won’t get in the way of us being able to help you. The time difference has never been an issue either.

Note: Corinna’s story is lightly edited. It’s important that I disclose this because none of our other stories are edited. The content is the same — just the flow/spelling/grammar has been changed.

50 kilos off for my 50th birthday

My name is Corinna. I just turned 50 years old and I lost 53kg between April and my 50th birthday at the end of November. That would be a loss of 117 pounds. I am living in Germany so I am used to calculating with kilograms. Like so many others I have a long history of being overweight and obese for many years. I am not even sure if the history matters that much so I decided to start my testimonial at the turning point.

I do believe that you are at a turning point too if you visiting the “My Body Tutor” site. You are probably looking for inspiration, help, answers, ways, a key to success, a miracle, or let’s call it: A solution.

On my search to find a solution, I came across an article by Adam Gilbert in a German women’s magazine. It was translated from an article he had written.

The idea of someone willing to look at my eating habits every day and discuss with me possible changes met my desire. On the homepage, I read a few of the testimonials and saw video testimonials. I was skeptical at first because how could I know if it was real? I also didn’t trust myself to follow through.

I decided to write to Adam and ask if he would take a client from Germany and see what the response would be. Our two cultures, eating habits and ingredients are not quite the same and I am not a native English speaker.

Adam responded quickly and I got the impression that MyBodyTutor and he is a real thing. When I signed up with MBT after some email correspondence with Adam I did not have a clear view how much would change. I was only certain that something must happen, otherwise I would probably become very sick soon and maybe not even make it to the high school graduation of my 13 year old son.

I was taking blood pressure medication and my blood sugar had been over a normal rate many times. Everything had become so hard and I was trapped in a body that was heavy and full of pain.

My multiple sclerosis restrictions were only one part of my misery. I knew something had to happen but I was still hoping for an easy way or someone else doing something for me. On top of that, there was a pride or rather arrogance in my mind. I did not want to be a person that takes herself too seriously and annoys other people with food choices and calorie talks. I told myself that food is not that important and I don’t feel like having to think about food all the time.

The truth was in fact: I did focus on food all the time because most of the time I was thinking about what to eat next. I was in a sort of self-destruction mode. After I ate the third piece of toast with butter and nutella, honey or jam or whatever, I would feel embarrassed but often get angry and stubborn, eating the next one…. and so on and so on.

Meanwhile, after the first response from Adam, I had signed up for the free email course before I joined. I loved what I read and was ready to give MyBodyTutor a try. I knew no one could eat for me but it would be of great help to be supported and helped along the way.

So it started in April 2018.

The process of answering the initial questions and thinking of goals was a kick off and the first unexpected challenge for me. At that time, I had been angry and miserable for months. Everything was getting on my nerves. Everything was heavy. Not just my body but my mind and my mood.

I was eating all the time to compensate for my anger, frustration, stress and frankly every emotion. For many years I had given in. Only occasionally was I angry about being so fat. Most of the time I had learned to ignore it. From time to time, I was very sad.

Getting new clothing was always painfully uncomfortable. So was being invited somewhere special. On the one hand I felt ashamed and responsible for my misery but on the other hand I wanted help and knew I would have to share my fears and my problems with someone.

Maybe you know that yourself. You actually know the truth that you hold the answer in your hand or rather in your mind but at the same time you realize you need someone on your side to support and guide you.

With the help from a tutor willing to listen to me every single day, comment and advise me, I gained back control of my eating, my weight, a lot of emotional stuff, and so much more.

Once I was honest enough with myself that I needed to let someone help me step by step, things started to become more clear.

Do you know the Dreamworks Kung Fu Panda? My younger son and my husband love it and they told me about it with a grin. The secret is: there is no secret! It’s up to you to get yourself the help you need.

It is as simple as that. I am convinced that there is no extreme obese person in our modern times with a basic education, who doesn’t know that healthy living is necessary for healthy being.

So you probably know that your have a great responsibility for your own body and your own life. I am not saying that it is easy to change. It is not. I have been obese for over 20 years. It’s not theoretical what I am trying to say.

It’s a challenge but having my coach with me meal by meal made all the difference. Meal by meal, day by day, week by week…it really works!

It is such an unbelievable and amazing feeling for me to be where I am now. Just to live and to move without hesitating all the time. I used to think: “Should I go and see if the laundry is done?” “Do I have to look upstairs for the the book or can I go later and so on.” I think you get the idea.

Now I am mobile again. I recognize myself in the mirror but even more amazing and importantly for me I recognize myself in behavior, agility, spontaneous moves, good moods and even being cheeky and joyful in some situations like I used to be when I was young.

It’s so much more than losing weight. It’s gaining life quality and confidence.

Today as I’m writing this on the first Advent Sunday, I’m down 55kg. I continue to lose weight doing what I’ve been doing. I want to lose 9 more kilogram. I would like to reach 78kg, like I was 25 years ago when I was at 75/76kg.

My goal is to stay consistent after that and I am confident I will! I am grateful for all that I learned because it will lead to a sustainable improvement of my health.

So thank you Adam for creating your program and thank you to my tutor who withstood my doubts, questions, and moods. And to you on your way to finding help and understanding: The best thing you can do is be honest with yourself. I’m so glad I was. It changed my life!