The Ebony/JET Weight-Loss Challenge: Vega Family
5 families take charge of their lives
2008-06-30
Name:
Edwin, Krystyna & Sianne Jusino-Vega
Age:
Edwin, 45; Krystyna, 47; Sianne, 10
City:
Fayetteville, N.C.
Occupation:
Edwin: Medical support assistant, Womack Army Medical Center;
Krystyna: Deployment specialist for the Department of Defense
U.S. Army
Sianne: Fourth-grade student
Weight:
Edwin: 254; Krystyna; 208, Sianne: 146
Height:
Edwin: 5 feet 10 inches
Krystyna: 5 feet 9 inches
Sianne: 4 feet 6 inches
Reason for Weight Gain:
The family’s affinity for baked goods, plus a medical condition that temporarily prevented Krystyna
from exercising
Target Weight Loss:
Edwin: 64 pounds;
Krystyna: 40 to 50 pounds;
Sianne: “Enough that I don’t see my stomach.”
In The Refrigerator:
Cheesecake, pecan rolls, cinnamon rolls, lasagna, macaroni and cheese, deep-fried potato balls.
Motivation to Lose Weight:
Fear of medical conditions associated with excessive weight.
The Inside Story:
The family, who spends as much time together as possible, had established a routine of bike riding on Saturday mornings, so tackling their weight problems together was just another activity they could do as a unit. But they hadn’t made a consistent effort to lose the pounds, even though weight-related medical problems exist on both sides of the family (one cousin died in December because of a weight-related condition). “I had gotten to the point where I didn’t look at myself when I was brushing my teeth and
washing my face because I didn’t like what I saw,” Krystyna says. “I was wearing some of my husband’s clothes because mine were too tight.” Their physical appearances and the “huffing and puffing” that came with little exertion weren’t enough to get them to seriously deal with their weight, but their daughter’s problems created a new level of urgency for everyone. “Sianne told us that the kids at school were making fun of her weight and calling her some really hurtful names,” Krystyna says. “It made me cry to hear that, and she wanted to know why she couldn’t be skinny like her friends.” The family decided that if they were going to lose weight and live a healthier life, they had to do it together. That decision yielded immediate results. “When we decided to lose the weight together, our daughter’s attitude changed right away. She doesn’t care what people say anymore; she feels a sense of control. That lets me know we’re doing the
right thing.”
The Assessment:
The entire family is overweight and the father is morbidly obese. They do some things well [exercise], but some things poorly [making nutritional choices]. The entire family needs a health makeover. They are excited to get going and seem determined to succeed.
The Plan:
“Edwin and Krystyna will go through the Fat Smash Diet Phase I Detox to get them back to ground zero. Theywill move on to Phase II for 30 days, which increases their protein and restores the good carbs. They will move to a couple of weeks of Extreme Fat Smash Diet, then finish off with the last two phases of Fat Smash. Sianne will engage in regular physical activities along with her parents and eat healthier snacks.”
Vega's Blog
The first 9 days was the detoxing. That was pretty rough, to be honest. For Eddie it was like recovering from crack. He was curled up in bed the next day because he was hungry...
Read Full Entry
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