This is our story; two sisters on a journey to weight loss. Our story is not unlike many others who struggle dealing with obesity over the course of their lifetime. My sister, Donna, and I both have been overweight most of our lives. We have been on every diet you can think of and even some that we invented ourselves! We’d lose weight on diets, but then turn around and put it back on; with extra pounds to add. We are both entering middle age at this time and seriously began to look at what we needed to do to change our lives. We began researching Gastric Bypass Surgery and made the decision to go forward. We realize that GBS is not for everyone, but rather a personal decision one must make. It makes us sad when there are others that say “we took the easy way out”. I’m sure most would agree that until you have walked that walk, don’t assume it’s that easy. The struggle has been unique and we have hit rough spots along the way, but we are happy with our decision and our outcomes. We felt like we were at the end of the road as our health was being affected. Health issues included hypertension, borderline diabetes, and depression. We also have a family history of heart disease and stroke. We knew we had to do something! On November 17, 2006, I had GBS and December 20, 2006, Donna had surgery. This is a journey unto itself. We have both been fortunate. Our journey has been positive. I have lost 226 pounds and my sister has lost 114. We have gone from size 32 to12-14 and Size 28 to 8, respectively!! Our health has improved tremendously and we are almost off all medication. Yes, there have been bumps in the road, but they were minor compared to the outcomes we have achieved. The most important part of our journey has been EXERCISE. My sister and I joined Curves and have been exercising a minimum of three times per week faithfully for the past year. We were educated earlier on the process of pursuing the GBS that exercising would make the difference of how much and how fast we would lose weight. Curves has been extremely instrumental in helping us along in our journey. We attend the Westminster Curves in Carroll County, Maryland, and can’t say enough about the staff and the atmosphere at our Curves. We are an inspiration to ourselves as well as other members as we continue our journey. My sister and I would not have been as successful as we have been without exercising at Curves and practicing portion control at mealtimes. While GBS might not be the answer to your weight loss journey, please understand that exercise will be. We recommend Curves to all women who are battling weight issues and to others to keep themselves healthy. We wish everyone the best in their journey! Good Luck! --- Two sisters in Westminster, Maryland

February 11, 2003 is the day that Irene Wanner changed her life. She was overweight at 230 pounds, had bad knees and was using a cane for support. Her doctor told her that she would have to lose some weight and get her blood pressure down before she could perform knee surgery. Her doctor gave her the name of a local diet clinic, but the thought of getting on yet another diet did not appeal to Irene. Then she remembered a friend telling her about Curves. She joined immediately! After three months she was losing weight and her knees began to feel a lot better. She continued to lose weight after she joined the Six Week Solution Class. It has been four years since Irene never did have to have that knee surgery. In fact, she hung up her cane for good!

Tracey Toltl didn’t like the woman who stared back at her from the mirror each day, so much so that she eventually stopped looking. Her mother struggled with diabetes, high blood pressure, and more, and Tracey knew she was headed in the same direction unless she took control of her health. That, and Curves’ TV commercial, motivated her to join. Before long, she was happy to see herself not only reflected in the mirror but also in the eyes of others.