Chapter One

The paper-thin walls of the tiny examining room seemed to be closing in on Laura, as she sat semi-nude on the cold hard table waiting for the doctor to return. It seemed like hours had passed since the nurse had drawn her blood and sent it to the lab for analysis. She glanced down at her cell phone for what seemed like the millionth time, and took in a loud disgusted breath when she realized that it had only been twenty minutes. Looking anxiously around the room, she wondered precisely what the results would show. Surely, there had to be some reasonable explanation for the way she’d been feeling. But what could it be? The longer she waited, the more these questions seemed to invade her mind.

There had to be a logical explanation …show more content…
“Now that’s enough weight to qualify for gastric bypass surgery if you want, but I hesitate to recommend that to my patients. A lot of times – insurance won’t cover it and if you don’t change your eating habits, you’ll just end up gaining the weight right back. My recommendation is to join a local gym and find some type of weight loss support group. I’ve heard that Weight Watchers is a great inexpensive plan that works for some people and weight loss is sometimes easier if you have someone working with you. Without that, there is not going to be a whole lot I can do to make you feel better. Unfortunately, there is not a magic pill to stop the damage all of that additional weight is doing to your body. At this point, it is all up to …show more content…
“There is one other option that I’ve seen work for some people. It doesn’t work for everyone and it may not work for you. But, if you’re really that frustrated, you may want to give it a try. You are way too young to feel like this all of the time and we need to get this weight issue under control. I have had some experience with ‘professional accountability coaches’. You can hire someone to work with you who can teach how to set and achieve realistic goals. In the past, they were typically hired by corporations to work with their employees, but lately they have discovered there is more money to be made in personal coaching. They are kind of like a personal trainer but since they are certified counselors, a lot of insurances will cover it. I have seen these counselors make a huge difference in certain people. If you are interested, I can see if my nurse can get you a few names?” As the concerned physician turned expectantly for a response, she nodded her head yes as he shook her hand warmly and recommended a follow up in six