I sat on the couch at my parents\u2019 house next to my younger sister, Jamie, my eyes fixed on a photo of me with my brother-in-law, David, taken earlier that day. Triple chin. Rolls on my stomach. I knew I was overweight, but did I really look like that? \u201cIs this what you see when you look at me?\u201d I asked Jamie incredulously.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm\u2026yes, T, it is,\u201d she said, measuring her words.<\/p>\n
Jamie and I are both nurses. I knew obesity led to serious health issues like high blood pressure and diabetes\u2014I\u2019d seen it in patients. But I was in denial about how overweight I was. I hadn\u2019t stepped on a scale in six years. Diets? They never lasted. Exercise? As if I had energy after working the late shift at the hospital. I didn\u2019t have energy for much of anything now. I\u2019d stopped going out with friends or to church. I didn\u2019t want people staring at me, judging me. But now that I was staring at my photo, I couldn\u2019t blame them. I didn\u2019t want to live like this anymore. \u201cHelp me, Jamie,\u201d I said, fighting back tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, T\u2026I never told you this, but after you helped me beat cancer, I prayed that when you were ready God would let me help you lose weight.\u201d<\/p>\n
If anyone could help me it was Jamie. She was strong, disciplined, motivated. Everything I wasn\u2019t. At just 26 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. David and I took turns driving her to doctor\u2019s appointments, running errands, watching their two kids. Not that Jamie dialed back any. She kept working full-time, volunteering at church. She even took up running and often jogged after chemo treatments. I\u2019d tell her not to do so much. \u201cI\u2019m going to keep living my life,\u201d she\u2019d say. When Jamie went into remission it felt like the three of us\u2014she, David and I\u2014had beat cancer together, as a team. To celebrate, she ran the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.<\/p>\n
Two years ago, the cancer came back. After six weeks of grueling radiation, Jamie went into remission again.<\/p>\n
\u201cJamie, you beat a life-threatening disease,\u201d I said now. \u201cThis isn\u2019t the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHello<\/em>, T! Obesity is life-threatening!<\/p>\n We\u2019re going to tackle it one step at a time. Each Sunday I\u2019ll give you a new goal for the week. Sound good?\u201d<\/p>\n I had all kinds of doubts but I knew better than to argue with Jamie. \u201cI\u2019m in,\u201d I said, almost as if I were surrendering.<\/p>\n Sunday evening Jamie called me at work. \u201cHere we go! Goal one: Weigh yourself every Monday,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019ll keep you accountable. No more denial.\u201d<\/p>\n The next day one of my coworkers put me on the scale. She pushed the metal bar to the 350-pound limit. It didn\u2019t balance. My mouth fell open. She took me to the bariatric scale, wide enough to roll a wheelchair onto. The digital readout showed 399. Almost 400 pounds! <\/em>I called Jamie in tears. \u201cI\u2019ll never lose this weight!\u201d I cried.<\/p>\n \u201cThat number will go down,\u201d Jamie said firmly. \u201cGive yourself a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n Then David got on the line. \u201cWe believe in you, T. Take down your walls and let God back in. He wants to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019d expected my sister to stand by me, but David\u2019s support gave me a boost. And truth was, I missed having God in my life. I started with a prayer before bed each night: Lord, give me strength to get healthy so I can live my best life for you.<\/em><\/p>\n The second week, Jamie gave me a new goal: \u201cDon\u2019t eat after dinner and avoid drinks with calories.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut I usually drink a soda and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, T,\u201d Jamie said, cutting me off.<\/p>\n Later in the hospital cafeteria, I looked longingly at a can of Coke. But I bought a diet cola instead. Before I clocked out, Jamie called again. I told her what I\u2019d done. \u201cAwesome!\u201d she said. \u201cNow go home and go right to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n Bed? I usually stopped at a fast-food joint, then stayed up late watching TV. Grudgingly, I set my alarm for early the next morning. I woke up feeling energized. Same thing the next few days. Maybe this wasn\u2019t going to be as hard as I thought. Then, on the fifth day, I gave into a craving for a high-calorie soda. \u201cI feel like a loser,\u201d I told Jamie.<\/p>\n \u201cT, we all have setbacks. I\u2019m here for you.\u201d She had me memorize Proverbs 3:5: \u201cTrust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.\u201d David got on the phone. \u201cT, I know you\u2019re discouraged, but you can do this. Remember Philippians 2:14: \u2018Do everything without grumbling or arguing.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n My third goal? Shop smart and cook healthy. Sunday afternoon Jamie took me to the grocery store (David was away on business). She showed me how to read labels and loaded my cart with fresh fruits and low-calorie, low-fat replacements for my favorite foods. That night I got an even bigger surprise. My phone rang. David calling from the road! \u201cHere\u2019s a quick tip,\u201d he said. \u201cTrade chips for carrots\u2014they\u2019re crunchy and packed with flavor. Keep going, T. You\u2019ve got this.\u201d For the first time I started to believe it.<\/p>\n Jamie and David\u2019s program got results. Four weeks in I\u2019d lost 30 pounds. I stuck with their advice for the next few months. \u201cYou\u2019re doing great! Now it\u2019s time to start walking,\u201d Jamie said. \u201cCome over tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/p>\n Walking? Well, at least it wasn\u2019t running! Oh, how wrong I was. I got winded just a few paces in. Then we came to a hill. \u201cNo way,\u201d I moaned.<\/p>\n \u201cThink about James 1: \u2018Consider it pure joy when you face trials because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance,\u2019\u201d Jamie said.<\/p>\n