Lose 2 lbs every day*

"You're not a candidate for knee replacement, Debby. At your size, your body couldn't handle the recovery," said the doctor. "If you don't lose weight, you'll end up in a wheelchair 24/7." He paused, giving the Washington state grandmother time to absorb what he'd said. Debby felt stunned. I didn't realize I'd gotten so bad, she panicked. He's saying my mobility will get worse and worse, unless... "Debby, you can do this. I know you can," the doctor added in a gentler voice. "Find a plan you think you can stick with, and we'll talk about it." Debby hesitated. "Okay," she replied. She had no choice but to try.

As Debby’s husband, Lewis, drove her home, she tried to stay positive. “I’ve dealt with worse than this and made it through,” she told him. And was that ever true: Decades before, after weight-loss surgery that was supposed to change her life, a mystery condition caused her to slowly go deaf. Terrified of a world she could no longer hear, she rarely left home and snacked constantly to soothe her nerves. It was why she carried 298 pounds on her 5' frame, her knees shot. She was in constant pain and needed a walker to get around.

I did get my miracle, Debby remembered. Special devices called cochlear implants had finally restored her hearing. “I want to make up for lost time,” she said. “But I just want to do it without a walker or wheelchair.”

IT WORKS!

From a size 4X to a 12!

Washington state retiree Debby Rose, 71, uses a version of intermittent fasting that limits when she eats but allows her to choose what she eats. “I loved the idea from day one because there’s no list of what I can or can’t have,” Debby shares. The approach lets her enjoy family meals and restaurant meals. She’ll even have a peanut butter and banana sandwich if she wants one. “I was no good at diets. But I’m good at this!”

A happy discovery

Not long after, Debby sat in her recliner watching Today With Hoda & Jenna. The hosts were getting ready to weigh-in on national TV. “We’re starting intermittent fasting,” Hoda said. Debby had heard the term recently from her daughter Tammy. Tammy said it might help me, Debby recalled, leaning in to listen to the segment.