It was a conscious decision to take up the Cohen Program in order to improve my health. I had been overweight all my life. My medical test results were never normal. In addition, as an aspiring lawyer, I had to lose weight and stay in shape to withstand the rigors and the demands of the profession. I had to face the reality that image will always be a part of my career.

My lifestyle before undergoing the Cohen Program was staying up almost every day of the week. To compensate for sleepless days, I had to give my body the energy it needs. Fast food, chips, and the ultimate enemy - rice – were my staples and I rarely watched what I ate. My weight steadily increased and although I survived my stay in law school, I felt sluggish, heavy, and insecure about myself.

There were numerous difficulties in being overweight. My blood pressure was unusually high given my age. Wheezing and being out of breath was not new to me whenever I climb up a flight of stairs. Moreover, I was always insecure about the way I looked.

I think everyone who has been overweight can relate to my phase of trying several fad diets out there. I have been on the Atkins Diet, theSouth Beach Diet, and several other cleansing diets that require only liquids or soups. I have also tried body sculpting methods.

In contrast, the Cohen program is simple, logical and easy to remember. All it really does to get you back to basics and remind you what your body really needs—fresh, well cooked food.

The program isn’t short term. It teaches you to treat weight loss as a lifestyle. It gives you the habit of wanting to live healthy. Ultimately, it has changed the way I see food. It has given me discipline, self-control and balance in the way I eat.

It has taught me that there really is no short cut to achieve success and that you need to have a strong support group to reach your goal weight. Aside from my family and friends, I really find will power and the motivation from the online support group and from the Cohen consultants who encourage you to finish the program without deviations.

Looking back, it was not all too difficult to adapt to the program – everything starts with that decision to never go back; to never see that high a number on the weighing scale ever again.

I am more than happy – I feel so blessed that my hard work and sacrifice has more than paid off. Aside from having a healthier body image and having a normal BMI after being overweight almost all my life, I have more confidence than I ever did before. Everything fits, I look better in photos and the compliments as well as the words of encouragement and praise seem never ending. I literally wake up everyday thanking the Lord for the new “me.”