Stephanie Redmond: From Sideliner to Sailor

	Stephanie's Best Life Stats
	Starting date/weight	January 1, 2007 at 278 pounds
	Pounds lost	55
	Goal weight	180 (43 pounds to go!)
	Best Life Status	Phase 3/Activity Level 2*

Before the Best Life
Stephanie Redmond was the classic emotional eater. By age 15, she was overweight at 145 pounds, and she spent the next 30 years gaining and losing—all the while comforting herself with food.

As an Air Force pilot’s wife during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Stephanie soothed her stress by eating. Alone at night after she’d put her three kids to bed, she’d plunk down with a slice of pie, trying to relax. “I knew better than to sit down with a drink; pie was acceptable to me.” The yo-yoing continued as she gained and lost, and gained again.

When she and her family were transferred to Hawaii in May 2006, Stephanie found the scenery and weather so stunning that more than ever, she wanted to get off the couch and become active. “Frankly, it was embarrassing to have to sit out from activities like hiking because I didn’t think I was fit enough to participate. No one likes to be the one to slow everyone down.”

Adopting the Best Life
By December 2006, Stephanie was sick of sitting on the sidelines and so desperate to lose weight she was planning on bariatric surgery. At 5 feet 6 inches, she was 278 pounds. Then she saw Bob Greene on Oprah. “Some things jumped out at me during his appearance. He told Oprah they’d been working on her for 15 years. And he talked about the emotional side of weight loss and how we have to address that.” After the show, Stephanie cancelled the surgery, bought the book The Best Life Diet, and her journey began.

The first thing she did was to push herself out of her comfort zone by starting sailing lessons. “As we sailed in one of those early classes, I had a true ‘A-ha!’ moment. I realized I had become a spectator in life while others participated,” she recalls. “I was tired of that!”

In addition to taking up the Best Life Diet and learning to sail, Stephanie embarked on a weight-loss contest with some of her girlfriends. She became a frequent visitor to the Health and Wellness Center on the base. She also loaded up her iPod with inspirational, upbeat music including Casting Crowns (Voice of Truth) and Michael McDonald (Second that Emotion), bought new exercise clothes and began a regular exercise routine. She aims to walk five days a week and logs two to four miles each day. "I usually walk alone because I want to be totally focused on what I need to do,” she says. She also sails once or twice a week, time permitting, which in the strong winds of Hawaii, can be quite a workout.

Best Life Rewards
Nearly a year later, Stephanie is enjoying her success! “I’ve lost two dress sizes; my blood pressure is dropping; and my feet rarely swell, which used to be a daily occurrence.”

Although her journey is far from over—she’s still hoping to lose at least another 40 pounds—she is enjoying this “during” time. “I’m down 55 pounds, and I’ve noticed a huge change in how I feel and what I can do. Recently, I completed a four-hour hike one day and a six-hour hike to see an active lava flow the next day. In December, I wouldn’t even try this strenuous hike. But I did it and I was so incredibly proud, as was my husband. I still have a long road ahead, but even with the changes I’ve made so far, I can tell I’m well on my way to my best life ever!”

*People following the Best Life plan progress through three separate phases on their weight-loss journey. They also learn to identify their activity level and are encouraged to move up the activity scale. The phases and activity scale are explained in the book and the website.

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From time to time, Bob Greene checks in on www.TheBestLife.com members with a phone call to offer encouragement and advice. When he spoke with Stephanie, he was able to give her advice on how to get through setbacks.