Bettelynn's Blog

In January 2009, Tampa Bay's Mix 100.7 FM hosted the “Muffin Top Meltaway” contest, a 6-week weight loss challenge with contestants using different weight loss programs. Bettelynn was randomly chosen from dozens of entrants to represent Dr. Bernstein Diet & Health Clinics and a second contestant was randomly selected to try another diet program.

At the end of 6 weeks, Bettelynn and her competitor weighed in. On the Dr. Bernstein Diet, Bettelynn had lost over 30 lbs. Her competitor only lost 9 lbs in the same period using another program.

Bettelynn was thrilled with her results and has vowed to continue to lose all of her excess weight with the help of Dr. Bernstein Diet & Health Clinics.

Follow Bettelynn on her weight loss journey as she writes about her experiences and progress here.

In Bettelynn's words

My "Before" Pics
Thursday 02-05-2009 6:26pm ET

I have already lost 5 lbs on the program from Friday to Monday... another appointment tomorrow…

Monday Update
Monday 02-09-2009 12:30pm ET

I never thought I would ever be selected as a contestant, but thought what the heck do I have to lose. I have a lot to lose. I have been struggling with my weight for some time due to medical reasons from Fertility to a broken leg.

I get a call from the radio station telling me that I am one of the contestants, I truly thought I was dreaming... OMG the chance to really make this happen, and it was happening with many things to motivate me.

I am a wife and mother of 2 children, 6 and 7. I am 45 yrs old, and it isn't easy to lose the weight. I have a very busy schedule, I work full time, and I am a coordinator for a youth cheerleading. My dinners normally consisted of late night drive thru fast foods. Yeah, this was going to be interesting

Friday, 1/30 I walked into Dr. Bernsteins office and felt right at home. The staff was awesome. They went over all the details on what was going to happen and answered all my questions. I am on a very strict diet, eating foods that are selected for me. I was given a goody bag with a food scale, cookbook, and a food list of what I can eat.

OMG reality set in, Sunday is the Super Bowl and I am working to raise money for our cheerleaders, how am I ever going to succeed with all this food around me.... I survived and kept strong through out the day and Monday, 2/2 I weighed in 5 lbs lighter. Wed, 2/4 another 4 lbs gone... I am not hungry and this is a breeze I thought, Friday 2/6 another 3.4 pounds... OMG I have lost 12.4 lbs in 7 days. Now I must over come this weekends battle, THE STATE FAIR our cheerleaders have competition Saturday, how on earth am I going to walk through the fair with all that food around me... cotton candy, corn dogs, elephant ears... the staff encouraged me that I can do it, and I left the office with protein shakes to take with me that day...

I am so excited about this opportunity, and cannot wait to see the end results in 6 weeks. Although this is a terrible time for me to be on a diet, as the next 8 weeks are when we compete at 4 different cheer competitions, but hey, I have 37 cheerleaders rooting me on, and a great husband and friends that will cheer me on...

Week 2 Update
Thursday 02-12-2009 9:26am ET

not too much to report... this weekend was great our cheerleaders placed, for both teams.. and I did not even crave fair foods. Went to the doctor on Monday, 2/9 and had lost another 3 lbs... go back on Friday and we will see... I still feel great, I can tell my clothes are starting to fit differently, which is very nice.

DAY 20
Thursday 02-19-2009 1:34pm ET

I have never dieted and felt this good... I have energy and I am not hungry at all... I am eating 2 proteins, 2 fruits, 2 veggies and 2 breads daily... and it is very satisfying...

I weighed in and I have lost 20 lbs - this is so exciting, clothes that were tight on me are now loose, and people are noticing the difference. Friday I will get measurements and see how many inches I have lost.

This is so exciting!

Day 25
Tuesday 02-24-2009 9:46am ET

I am down a total of 22 lbs from day 1 - I have lost a total of 4 inches from my hips and waist and I know I look thinner because people are starting to make comments.. One of my best friends said that I lost my bootie. A co-worker came in from another office yesterday and immediately noticed the difference.

I feel great and want this to continue until I lose it all, hopefully I will be able to make that happen, Win or lose, the staff at Dr. Bernstein's office have been awesome, and extremely supportive.

A challenging weekend is ahead of me, as I will be living in a hotel and the girls have a competition at Disney Wide World of Sports and we are staying the entire weekend... protein bars and shakes are going to be my friend and lots of apples and veggies... I will have to be very careful when we go out to eat, but I know I can do it.. I have survived 25 days and several family nights going out... Willpower is all that it takes...

A special update
Wednesday 02-25-2009 11:09am ET

I thought that I would share some info with everyone. I never even thought about it until I was with some friends last night and they started asking me "what do you eat, and you are losing really fast"

It has become a major lifestyle change for me, but what diet isn't a lifestyle change. When you lose weight you must change your lifestyle or your diet will not be successful.

Breakfast normally consists of a Dannon Low Fat Carb Control Yogurt, and a slice of Old London Malba Bread. Lunch is 3 1/2 oz of protein, sometime it is tuna, fish or chicken or I might decide I am not all that hungry and I will eat a YUMMY Dr. Bernstein's Protein Bar and a medium apple. Dinner is my best meal of the day, I eat 8 oz of green salad, cucumbers and mushrooms with a small amount of Kraft no fat Italian Dressing and either Grilled Fish or Chicken. For a desert I will eat an apple, or strawberries… so even though this is a strict diet... I GET TO EAT and I am full... I am not taking an appetite suppressant and I am getting the satisfaction of FOOD...

I am looking forward to Friday as I will weigh in and get my 3 week totals and have photos taken, as you can see from yesterday's post, the "muffin top" is fading... and I can see it in my face and butt... so I am losing all over. I should have measured everywhere before I started this program because the inch loss from other areas other than my hips and waist is amazing...

Update to come Monday with NEW Pics.

Monday's Update
Tuesday 03-03-2009 1:28pm ET

Being very strict on this diet has not even been a concern... I was in Disney all weekend, staying at a nice Italian hotel... OMG the smell of pizza and pasta, I have learned that my body does not like these foods, and that at 45 if I want to be healthy, I cannot eat these things. We went to city walk and went to an Italian Restaurant, while everyone around me was eating pasta and cheesy foods, I was eating broccoli and grilled shrimp, AND I DID IT... Saturday morning, while everyone was eating, fried potatoes and eggs, I was eating fruit and egg whites, for lunch I had a nice salad, for dinner I ate grilled chicken and salad... Sunday I had fruit and egg whites for breakfast again, my lunch consisted of a salad and shrimp, for dinner I had another salad, yogurt and some crackers... and I had to force myself to eat that...

I have learned that portion control and eating the right foods is what I need to do to make myself healthy. It is a lifestyle change, and no one can believe I am doing this and being so successful... I am not hungry, I plan my menu every week, and I keep a diary of what I am eating, which shows me WHY I use to be so heavy. Although I am not a size 10 YET, I can definitely see why I was a 18.

I have to be honest that until I saw my after picture after 3 full weeks, I really hadn't seen the difference in the mirror, but I am still wearing my FAT clothes, well these pictures really do tell a 1000 words... see for your self. Win or lose this competition, I am very happy with my results.

Another long weekend at cheer competitions this weekend, but hey, I know what I need to do, and I will DO IT!

The Final Stretch
Tuesday 03-10-2009 9:45am ET

This has been a fun experience, I wish there was more time to do this... but I feel amazing, and when I look at that after picture below, I even feel more amazing. This has been a lot of FUN. Yes, I did say dieting is fun... I have learned so much about the foods I eat and my body. I know what to avoid, I know what my body likes to store... I wasn't born fat, but I have always struggled with my weight, not any more, because these past 5 - 6 weeks have taught me, I can control my hunger, and what foods I eat with behavioral modification, portion control.

I am very excited about Friday, the final weigh in to see which of us is the "BIGGEST LOSER" kinda funny to be saying that, but I am actually doing this with an ending prize... and win or lose the prize I am still a winner because I am looking amazing. GOOD LUCK MEGAN - Win or lose we are BOTH winners.

Final Day (with Pictures!)
Friday 03-13-2009 1:19pm ET

I would first like to thank WMTX-FM and Dr. Bernstein Diet & Health Clinics for having this amazing contest. I have had a lot of fun participating in the contest and it gave me the opportunity to do something that I could not financially afford to do.

Jan 30th, I walked into Dr. Bernstein's office. My weight was 238.0 lbs - I was wearing a size 18-20, my waist was 39" and my hips were 48"... I did not like to look in the mirror and didn't know what to do, I had tried to diet and it just wasn't going any place. Today, March 13th, I walked into Dr. Bernstein's office, and thought it would be a fun way to end the contest by wearing the same clothes I wore on Day 1.... today I weighed in at 207.2 (darn sweater, it could have been 207 even without it) my waist measured in at 35 1/2" and hips 45 1/2... so in 6 weeks I dropped 30.8 lbs and 3 1/2" waist and 2 1/2" hips… now keep in mind I have lost inches all over, those are just the ones we are keeping track of... I am completely AMAZED by my results.

As I have stated before, this is a lifestyle change, and behavioral modification and NEVER say NEVER because you can do it too... This is the easiest diet I have ever participated in, not to be hungry is the best thing... I eat the foods that are GOOD for me, I only eat what portions I should be eating, and I want for nothing... I DID IT... and I feel GREAT...

Good Luck Meghan! Although I would love to win the prizes, I am a winner either way!

Spring Break
Wednesday 04-08-2009 3:29pm ET

On Monday after being away on vacation, going to theme parks and camping with my family for spring break, I found myself losing yet another 3 pounds. But the best part of it all is I got measured and realized that I only have 5 3/4 inches to lose on my waist before I am back to a 28" waist, which is where I was when I graduated high school 28 years ago... how exciting that achievement will be! Basically I have been above 200 lbs my entire adult life. And to be currently at my wedding weight from 9 years ago currently, tells me it is only going to get better. I have learned so much about portion control and myself. I feel great and am so grateful that I found this program. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

I love this program!
Friday 04-24-2009 2:30pm ET

I am at my 12-week mark and I have learned so much about weight loss and what works and doesn't work. Looking at what I was doing compared to now, there is one thing that I have discovered. The more water I drink, the more I lose. I have also found that the smallest little slip can slow the weight loss program. I am not saying that I have been cheating, because I am so strict that my friends are amazed. However, I have a few foods that my family likes, that I taste to make sure the flavor is there, and I am the only one that knows, and during the Easter holiday, I did have to take a small taste of them. It is funny how you see your bad habits when you are doing a program that requires you to track everything. I am excited with my results, as I am at my wedding weight. My little girl (7) came up to me the other day and said "mommy you're skinny". I would not say that I am skinny yet, but to a little girl that has known mommy to be a size 18-20 her entire life, I am skinny to her. :-) I love this program, and within the next 9 weeks I should hit my goal and be on the maintenance program. Goal 140 lbs... 48 lbs to go... that is less than a 1 lb weight loss a day... I CAN DO IT...

THANK YOU DR BERNSTEIN FOR MAKING THIS A REALITY INSTEAD OF A FANTASY

I feel great !
Wednesday 05-20-2009 3:30pm ET

We are all human and we all struggle with something in our lives; mine has always been weight issues. I am pleased to announce that in 4 months, I have lost 61 lbs I have gone from a size 18-20 to a 12. I am almost to that 28" waist... That is huge, many of my friends say I don't even look like the same person. I feel great, I look great. I am hoping that I should hit my personal goal in the next 2 weeks... At that point I will discuss with the doctor and nurses to see where I go from there. I can say that I am NEVER hungry, there are days I have to force myself to eat all my meals. I am a very active person, and get very little sleep so energy has never been an issue for me... but I feel GREAT! I love it when someone that doesn't see me much has to take a second look... If there was ever a program out there for anyone.. this is it... don't allow the food lists to overwhelm you, because if you make your grocery list before you go, and pre-plan your meals it is so simple.. I am amazed when people say, "I could never restrict my foods like that..." I simply respond "I don't look at it as a restriction, more a lifestyle change" Through this entire process, I have met great people, and I am 100% on my way to living the rest of my life not labelled as OBESE and that feels AWESOME! So once again, in closing...

THANK YOU DR BERNSTEIN FOR MAKING THIS A REALITY INSTEAD OF A FANTASY

I went down 2 more sizes!
Wednesday 06-29-2009 11:00am ET

I went down 2 more sizes, I am now wearing a size 8. It is awesome when you run into someone that hasn't seen you in 6 months and they are amazed by your results. Even our football coaches have begun making comments on the weight loss. I am very proud of my success and have learned so much, I feel like I can conquer anything at this point. Even my cheer coaches put me up into a stunt the other day... never thought that would happen, now I am conditioning for our Parent Cheer Team... imagine, I am 45 years old, and acting like a 15 year old again.. how I miss those years.. and I am the same size as I was back then 30 years ago... My husband is a man of not too many words, but I know he is proud of me... my 7-year-old daughter tells everyone that her mommy is on a diet and has gotten skinny... she is too cute. She even tells me that she wants to eat healthy and will eat salads with me. Things are going well, and I continue to eat healthy foods, and recording everything. I am very pleased with this program and recommend it to everyone that asks what I am doing.

It has been a crazy month for me!
Wednesday 08-05-2009 9:00am ET

It has been a crazy month for me. Our cheerleading and football [season] has begun and although it is crazy for me, I have to say that I enjoy being active, and so has my body. So, I have gotten a lot of feedback from people that have not seen me since November. 85 lbs makes a huge difference. Some people stated they didn't even recognize me, others have stated they are still trying to get use to the new me. It feels great! I am wearing a size 6 now and it feels awesome! My Maintenance appointment is tomorrow. I am so excited that I have gotten this far. Now it is time to get my body ready to start accepting more foods and continue to make good choices.

I have passed the 150 mark, and working on my 140's
Friday 08-14-2009 9:00am ET

I have passed the 150 mark, and working on my 140's I cannot express the satisfaction I get when stepping on the scale... 148 that is a weight loss of 90 lbs... OH AND BEST OF ALL, MY WAIST IS SMALLER THAN IT WAS WHEN I WAS 16 yrs old... YAHOO.... I learn something new everyday on this program.... if I don't drink enough water, I don't lose... If I drink more water, and eat before I go to the cheer practice, I drop the weight... and it is amazing... Size 6 looking good and feeling great!

A milestone in my weight loss... 92 lbs lost in 7 1/2 months
Friday 08-21-2009 9:00am ET

A milestone in my weight loss... 92 lbs lost in 7 1/2 months... 11 inches lost from my hips, 11 inches lost from my waist... OMG... I feel great, I have never complained that I am hungry, and I am so proud of myself. So as of today, I am beginning my maintenance program to keep the weight off. I have learned so much about weight loss and the life style changes that take place with it... Hey, I didn’t get to 238 lbs. by eating healthy... so you can't go back to the old habits or you will gain the weight back. I cannot thank Dr. Bernstein and his staff enough for supporting me, through the slow months and the successful months... I giggle when someone asks what made me decide to do this.. I entered a contest with no motivation what so ever.. and look at me 7 1/2 months later... I have ENERGY, CONFIDENCE, KNOWLEDGE and I lost half of me... thanks to the clinic and its staff... THANK YOU DR. BERNSTEIN AND HIS STAFF FOR MAKING ME A SUCCESS STORY!!!!!!!

Life keeps me busy, and the energy that I have makes it more tolerable
Wednesday 09-16-2009 11:00am EST

I am working on week 4 of maintenance and so far, doing well... At first I was very scared to take the maintenance journey. What if I eat the wrong foods, what if I don't eat enough... several thoughts ran through my head... but I am proud to say that I am maintaining the weight loss.

This journey has changed my life and my attitude towards foods. I will be 46 yrs old on Friday, and my weight loss has turned my life around to be healthy. 30 years ago I was at the same weight, I looked good then, and I look good now.
I can never say thank you enough to Dr. Bernstein and his staff.

Well over a month has passed and I am still maintaining my weight loss.
Wednesday 10-26-2009 9:00am EST

I can eat whatever I want, in moderation, of course, and I still feel absolutely amazing. Two months into maintenance and what a nice feeling - with most (other) diets you lose, and then when you start eating you tend to gain it back. I am loving life. A friend of mine told me the other day she was looking through some old photos and that I have completely lost a whole person! I feel great and love my new look.

Thank you Dr. Bernstein for making my life healthier and happier!
Bettelynn