Success story: Fran McCleland
in
McCleland, before and after
Amount lost: 34 pounds
How: First Place 4 Health program
Fran McCleland had already lost 72 pounds when she started the First Place 4 Health program at Crossgates Baptist Church.
She had hit a plateau, and really only started First Place “for the fellowship and the Bible study.”
“My husband Steve and I had just joined Crossgates a few weeks earlier and I was looking for an opportunity to meet and get to know people, as I wanted to find my place in our new church,” she said.
She felt God moving in her life, she said. In her earlier weight loss program, she was accountable to herself although she thanked God for her weight loss.
“Once I had reached the 72 pounds, I had just kind of stayed where I was and at the first of January 2008 I felt the need to go further in this weight loss journey,” she said. “I decided to join First Place but that I would continue to diet the way I had been.
“But God was pushing me to seek more so I learned the program and made the decision to truly commit to the plan.”
First Place encourages members to strengthen their Christian faith while they make healthy diet and exercise changes to lose weight. McCleland gave up all her diet pills and supplements, and jumped headfirst into the First Place program.
“For me it is a daily struggle to eat right and exercise, but I know that it really is as simple as putting my faith in God and making the right lifestyle choices,” she said.
She lost nearly 34 pounds in her first session of First Place.
“I still have a quite a few pounds to lose,” she said. “It is such a blessing to have people around you who are fighting the same battle. I learn so much from each of them and I feel so connected with them that I am willing to share my struggles and they know what I am talking about and they understand.”
To tell your weight loss success story, e-mail sandi.beason@jackson.gannett.com
