Forty-three-year-old John Sommers struggled with fluctuating weight for much of his adult life. He tried several diet and exercise plans that usually helped him get into shape—until the enticements of diet soda and fried foods overcame John’s best intentions. John’s weight steadily climbed until he hit 270 pounds and he felt the full burden—physical and emotional—of his excess body fat.
“My biggest challenge in living a healthy lifestyle is that I’m always battling cravings for double cheeseburgers, burritos, French fries, pizza, and diet soda,” John shares.
“I probably drank over 80 ounces of diet soda every day. I must be addicted to those foods because every time I gave them up for another stab at a healthy lifestyle, I obsessively craved them. I knew they weren’t good for me at all, but I still kept going back for more.”
On top of that, John’s body was especially affected by obesity because of another health issue.
“I knew I needed to change the way I ate to manage my inflammatory response. I needed to change for me, for my wife, and for my four kids.”
Change came in the form of a little healthy competition.
“I like to win things,” John admits.
“So I thought the Slim & Sassy Challenge was the perfect opportunity to motivate me to eat a clean diet and break both the habits and mindsets of food addiction that I have carried with me for years. I hoped to adopt a sustainable approach to health that I could continue for the rest of my life.”
A new lifestyle was born as John took dōTERRA Lifelong Vitality Pack® and Slim & Sassy Metabolic Blend every day.
He fought the fried foods by eating whole grains, vegetables, and unprocessed proteins. Instead of reaching for diet soda, John hydrated daily with water infused with Frankincense and Turmeric essential oils. He walked and hiked, enjoying the beautiful outdoors. The day-to-day of making a long-term change wasn’t easy. Major life events and vacations would start to derail John from his goals. Luckily, he wasn’t alone on this journey.
“My amazing wife was my accountability partner who got me through the tough times,” John says.
“She helped prepare food and encouraged me even when I was stubborn or ready to quit. I’m so grateful that I had her along the way.”
Gradually John gained ground and saw improvement in his lifestyle and outlook.
“The changes have been miraculous. First, my other health issue has improved significantly. Second, I can comfortably bend over and tie my shoes. I feel more confident, and my clothes are falling off me.”
A hike John struggled to complete a few months ago is now a scenic delight.
“I surpassed my goals despite all the challenges we faced over the last couple months. I lost over 36 pounds* and developed sustainable habits to help me get to my ultimate goal weight.” says John.
Best of all, John says, is watching his kids fight and win their own battles.
“Now my kids want to improve their eating habits to care for their bodies and minds. We haven’t preached to them about it—we’re just living it ourselves. Just witnessing my transformation has had a major impact on them.”
Purchase a dōTERRA Lifelong Vitality Pack® and Slim & Sassy Metabolic Blend here.
