Extreme Weight Loss: Tiffany and Cain

This week Extreme Weight Loss^TM started their Love Can't Weight series and it did not disappoint! Cain and Tiffany are some of the most hilarious, happy, fun-loving people I know. Their joy for life immediately translated into their weight loss journey together.

Before

During their time on Extreme Weight Loss, they went through major life changes, from losing over 200 lbs of weight collectively, to being engaged, planning a wedding, and getting married. Instead of change being a force that drove them apart and off track, they used it as a force to push them together and forward with their weight loss.

During

Whether you're kids are going off to school, you're entering retirement, starting a new job, or preparing to move, like Cain and Tiffany, you can use change as the force that moves you closer to your goal.

How do you do that? By creating a new normal. You're changing anyway, so you might as well make it positive change. Use it to spur you forward. They created new normals from the way they ate out, to what they did for fun, and made all of their norms reinforce their new lifestyle instead of wrecking it.

Find out their keys to success on my video blog below!

If you're ready to lose the weight and don't know where to start, check out Extreme Weight Loss: Destination Boot Camp at University of Colorado Denver's Anschutz Health and Wellness Center. Cain and Tiffany lost 190 pounds together in 3 months at boot camp.

During our week-long boot camp, you'll train on the same equipment, get the same state-of-the-art medical tests, and even learn how to cook the same food as everyone on Extreme Weight Loss. I created this program so that anyone could get the tools they need to lose weight and continue their journey at home with an amazing support system. Not to mention, EWL alums like Bruce Pitcher and Georgeanna Johnson are there to coach you along the way!

*"Extreme Weight Loss," "Extreme Weight Loss: Destination Boot Camp" and "Destination Boot Camp" are each a trademark of 3 Ball Entertainment LLC and are used under license. All rights reserved.

GO Public: Jo

Meet Jo. Maybe you can relate to her. Prior to coming to Destination Boot Camp, she felt like she was a relatively healthy person: worked out once or twice a week, ate a fairly healthy diet, yet her weight continued to slowly creep up. All of that changed when some to Colorado and had her lightbulb moment after seeing the results of her Dexa scan (which shows how much lean muscle and fat is on your body).

After that, it was no excuses. She got her mind right, set it on her goal, and is now the healthiest she's been in her whole life at the age of 62. That's what this is all about. I'm so proud of her!

How did you feel before DBC?
I thought I was in reasonable shape.  My favorite saying was “I am in better shape than I look."   I worked out one or two times a week so I thought I was doing what I needed to lose weight.  I also thought I was watching what I ate and I could not figure out why my weight seemed to keep slowly creeping up.

But now that I look back, my back hurt all the time and my stomach was bothering me almost daily.  I did Destination Boot Camp to lose the last 20 pounds that I thought I needed to lose.  I honestly did not realize how fat I was until I got the Dexa Scan at University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Health and Wellness Center and saw the picture of my real body.  When I saw all that yellow fat, and the real shape of my body, I had a major epiphany.  I saw that little skinny red person (lean muscle) inside and I realized how much I actually had to lose and how badly I wanted that.

What was the moment when you actually realized you were transforming?
The first time I realized I was transforming was when I put on a skirt that I wear regularly and realized if I did not pin it, it was going to fall of me.  The key moment that I realized I was transforming was when I tried on a pair of yoga pants that I found on a “large” size hanger, bought them and when I got home I saw the real size and realized I had bought a small.  I actually fit in a size small.  Wow, I was ecstatic!

How do you feel now?
I feel great.  Now, the only time I am in pain is when I am stiff from working out.  My stomach no longer bothers me and my back is so much stronger.  This last weekend I was in Denver for the Colfax 5K.  I cannot run because I have had a knee replacement so I planned to walk it.  I walked the 5K with Marsha Miller as my pace setter and she pushed me far beyond what I would have done on my own.  I even ran the last 1/2 mile of the race.  I did the 5K in 49.33 minutes.  

Marsha invited me to walk the Colfax 1/2 marathon the next day with her and another teammate, Amy Hindman.  I figured I could walk a couple of miles with them just as support.  After I started walking, I did not want to stop.  I realized that I could totally do a half marathon so I finished it.  Since I was not registered for the 1/2 marathon, I did not have a bib and my phone messed up so I do not have my exact time.  Marsha figured I was about 20 minutes behind Amy so I figure I did it in about 3 hours 45 min.  I felt so good doing a 5K and then turning around and doing the Half Marathon the next day. That moment confirmed to me that I had truly transformed my body. I felt on top of the world.

What are you most proud of with your transformation journey?
I can honestly say that I did not cheat once on the State of Slim plan since I left the Destination Boot Camp in October to the Colfax race weekend.  I loved the muffins and I was never hungry. And since I cut out all bread, with the exception of my indulgence sugar, I have not had any cravings.  

When I went back to Anschutz, I had another Dexa Scan.  I loved the results.  I had gone from a 43% body fat to 30.9%.  I have lost 46 lbs.  I am doing TRX training two days a week, circuit training on Friday and Adaptive Motion Trainer (aerobic) two days a week.  On Saturday, I add variety to my workout.  I am in the best shape of my life and I am 62 years old.

What is the biggest lesson/takeaway you've had through DBC?
Trust the program, it works.  No Excuses.  It is all about mindset.

Thank you so much for this wonderful program.  It has truly changed my life.

GO Public: Heidi

Sometimes an intro isn't required because nothing needs to added to what is said. That's how I would sum up Heidi's experience that she so vulnerably and powerfully shares below. It gave me goose bumps! 

Before and Now!

How did you feel before DBC?

Absolutely depressed.  Every moment of everyday all I could think about was my weight.  I would repeat to myself, “I’m so fat” or “I’m never going to lose weight” or “I’ll just be obese for the rest of my life, who cares?”  By repeating that to myself every day, I believed it and it would put me in a horrible mood with my kids and my husband.  Many times I would stay in bed and cry.  And turn to food to heal the pain I was feeling inside.  It was an absolutely vicious cycle. 

Before DBC 

What was the moment when you actually realized you were transforming?

When I woke up one morning and was excited about getting on the scale.  Not because I had reached my goal weight but because I knew that going public with my weight and my struggles was going to get me to my goal weight faster.  I reported my weight to my transformational coach and team, and at that moment, I knew that I had broken through all the negative thoughts that kept haunting me and now I was in control of my destiny. 

How do you feel now?

I feel so proud of myself.  I made a HUGE sacrifice to be a part of Destination Boot Camp, not only financially but also sacrificing the time I would normally give others and focusing on me instead.  This sacrifice of spending money on me and being selfish was the best thing that I have ever done.  I no longer see it as a sacrifice but as a gift that I finally gave myself for all the hard work I have done for others.

What are you most proud of with your transformation journey?

I am a full time business owner and mother of 6.  For the last 14 years, my weight has fluctuated tremendously.  I always wanted to lose anywhere between 45 to 90 pounds.  I thought the “only way” I was going to be able to do so was to appear on a weight loss show, but that meant I had to gain a massive amount of weight just to qualify.

But what if I gained the weight and never got cast for the show?  If I couldn’t lose 45 to 90 pounds, how was I ever going to lose 125 pounds or more on my own? I knew there had to be more people out there just like me who were struggling trying to lose 15, 20, 30, 45 or even 90 pounds. 

I am most proud of representing those people.  I am proud to say that no matter how stressful or demanding life gets for me, I am proof that it can be done and am still doing it! At home, at work, with kids, no cameras, no celebrity coaches…This is what DBC and State of Slim are all about. Committing to yourself no matter what your day brings!  And that commitment to me has made me absolutely head over heels proud of myself.  I am mentally a different person.  State of Slim and DBC are not a diet and exercise program, they are a lifestyle and one that I want to live for the rest of my life.  And for being able to see this as my new life, I am very proud of myself.

What is the biggest lesson/takeaway you've had through DBC?

My biggest lesson has definitely been learning that losing weight is not only about the food and exercise, it is about your mindset.  DBC showers us with homework, activities and challenges to get us to dig deeper into the root of our issues, which in-turn gives us the confidence to say 'no' to the wrong foods or have the strength to put on our shoes and walk through the threshold of the door to go workout.  I have learned to believe in myself and expect success.  And success is what I have received. 

Destination Boot Camp on the surface to many is a one-week weight loss camp at Anschutz Health & Wellness Center in Aurora, Colorado. But it’s not.  DBC is the journey.  I am on a transformation journey seeking a Destination.  That destination is 365-days later back at DBC where this chapter will end, and my new life will begin! 

Extreme Weight Loss: Josh and Kelli

If you missed last night's Extreme Weight Loss^TM episode, I really encourage you to go back and watch it because it deals with the biggest thing my clients struggle with too: bumps in the road. I see it all the time. They will be doing great, losing lots of weight and transforming, until a bump in the road happens.

With Josh and Kelli, they were both victims to life's bumps in the road. But the truth is, everyone has bumps in the road that derail us from our passion and purpose. The difference is, what are you going to do when life throws you a curve ball? It can either make you stronger or break you.

I hear from so many of you that you wish you could have been chosen for an experience like Extreme Weight Loss. And while EWL is an amazing show, it's unlikely that most people will be chosen to be cast for it. That's why I created Extreme Weight Loss: Destination Boot Camp at the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center. I wanted a place where everyone could have the same experience as the participants on the show, with the same access to the top weight loss program. It's coached by EWL alum like Bruce Pitcher and Georgeanna Johnson, all of the training equipment and medical evaluations are the same as Phase 1 of EWL boot camp, and it's where the EWL Pay It Forward friends/family come. It always sells out and we have just a few spots left in our June and July sessions so sign up now if you're interested!

Live your own Extreme Weight Loss! What is one bump in your road that you can use to make you stronger instead of breaking you this week? Share it on my Facebook page and join my Live Extreme Challenge this season.

Here are my key takeaways from Josh & Kelli:

"Extreme Weight Loss," "Extreme Weight Loss: Destination Boot Camp" and "Destination Boot Camp" are each a trademark of 3 Ball Entertainment LLC and are used under license. All rights reserved.

EXTREME WEIGHT LOSS: Robert and Raymond

Season 5 of Extreme Weight Loss^TM is finally here and boy, did the premier start out with bang! When I met Robert and Raymond, they were actually waiting outside of the Anschutz Health & Wellness Center at sunrise, before the center opened because they didn't want to miss a second of this opportunity. There were so many times when they could have made excuses or lived with a victim mentality, but they chose to be the hero in their own life.

At the finale just last week!

If you're ready to experience change like Robert and Raymond, check out Extreme Weight Loss: Destination Boot Camp. It's a program I developed with the same principles used on EWL during boot camp. You'll come to Colorado for a week with me, just like the participants on the show, and then go home where we help you live it out. My blog has lots of success stories with people like you who have transformed with DBC! 

Below is my video blog of Robert and Raymond's journey (plus some behind-the-scenes moments!) as I break down principles key to their success. Each week I'll be pointing out highlights from the episode that you can apply to your own life. Follow along at the Dr. Holly Facebook page and here at my blog to live your own Extreme Weight Loss!

Video Recap

The top two photos are of Raymond and Robert during their time with me at Anschutz Health & Wellness Center during Boot Camp. The below two photos are of our Extreme Weight Loss: Destination Boot Camp participants. Both the Extreme Weight Loss show participants and EWL:DBC participants have the same experiences. We teach them how to shop in our grocery store lab and then take them to our kitchens where we have awesome cooking classes to teach them how to make meals that taste great and help them lose weight. 

These guys are the real deal! They have the biggest bond and the biggest hearts that I've ever seen. So proud of you, Robert and Raymond! Keep it up! I will continue to be inspired by their character, love for one another, determination, and constant joy. 

"Extreme Weight Loss," "Extreme Weight Loss: Destination Boot Camp" and "Destination Boot Camp" are each a trademark of 3 Ball Entertainment LLC and are used under license. All rights reserved.

Get Vulnerable, GO Public: Kevin

Kevin is the picture of a series of small steps that leads to a big distance. He has taken his journey one day at a time and eventually has completely transformed his life and is helping others in his transform as well just because they've seen his change and wanted to be a part of it. That's the ultimate success story: living your life with so much purpose that others want in on it too! Check out his story below:

How did you feel before DBC?

Prior to Destination Boot Camp I was overweight and felt out of control; nothing that I was doing seemed to work, and my weight just keep climbing. All of my clothes were either getting tight and uncomfortable to wear, or they simply did not fit any more. For instance, the jeans that I wore on the plane to DBC were getting quite snug, and I had reached the point where I just did not want to keep buying larger clothes. That would have been the easy, quick, short-term solution, but it ultimately would not have accomplished anything. It would have been a “Band-Aid” fix. Before DBC, there were definitely times when I felt as though life was passing me by and I was standing on the sidelines as a spectator. To be honest, I was choosing the sidelines especially when any kind of moderate physical activity was involved, because I knew I was out of shape and I did not want to put that reality on display for everyone to see. In short, I felt stuck. As much as I didn’t want to put my out-of-shape self on display doing something physical, I knew that was the only way that I could get back into shape.

What was the moment when you realized you were transforming?

I don’t know if there was a single moment when or where I realized that I was actually transforming. For me, it was more a series of smaller moments (mini-milestones) and little victories or realizations that just began to add up. It started with my jeans fitting better when I left Colorado than when arrived. In February, I had to wear a suit to my Goddaughter’s baptism, and one of my suits that would not fit me before DBC was actually really big on me. Another moment when it really sank in for me was on New Year’s Eve when I went to my friends’ house for a party and people were starting to notice that I had lost weight. It has been kind of interesting to watch how people notice that I’ve lost weight, but are almost scared to say anything or are afraid that if they do say something I will be embarrassed. Toward the end of the party, I was visiting with friends who hosted the party and they mentioned that they were doing a family weight loss challenge, so that was my opening to tell them about State of Slim.  For me it was really neat to be able to tell them that I had lost 40 pounds from October to December 31^st. Their reaction was a mixture of shock and amazement, and then they actually ordered the book right then and there. 

How do you feel since DBC?

Since DBC in October, I have now lost over 70 pounds and I am wearing jeans that are actually smaller than what I wore all through high school and college. I feel like I am living my life again on my terms. I am jumping in and engaging in physical activities, and I am looking for ways to challenge myself physically throughout my everyday life. I feel empowered to be and do whatever I choose. I am planning a hunting trip with one of my really close friends and his family in November, I have completed a 10k race in April, and I signed up for a half marathon in November. I feel as though the world is once again full of possibilities and opportunities for me. 

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the impact that my actions and example have had on those around me. I am beginning to realize the impact my weight loss journey is having on other members or my DBC team. My mom has embraced State of Slim, and has already lost several pounds. My friends who I told about SOS on New Year’s Eve actually started doing SOS along with one other friend; all three have lost over 15 pounds already, and one has lost over 40 pounds since early January. What makes this especially meaningful is that I can remember siting in one of the classes or meetings at DBC and thinking about how beneficial this program could be for my friend who has now lost over 40 pounds doing SOS. At the time, I didn’t know how I could bring up the program in such a way that he would embrace it. Timing turned out to be everything, because sharing my story on New Year’s Eve proved to be the perfect time for my friends to jump onboard.

What is the biggest thing you've learned along the journey?

The biggest lesson or takeaway that I’ve had through DBC is how important the mental piece is to be successful at both losing and maintaining weight loss. For me, one of the biggest keys to my success has been engaging my brain to plan and prepare for overcoming and removing potential obstacles to reaching my goals. I have been extremely busy working very long days 6 days a week for the last four months, so every Sunday my priority has been to plan and prepare as many meals as possible for the coming week. I make sure that the right good meal choices are my default choices now, so that it would actually be harder for me to make a bad food choice than it would be to make a good, healthy, on plan food choice. Weight loss is challenging and can be very hard, but this program has helped me develop a lot of tools that have made it much easier. 

Get Vulnerable, GO Public: Debi

Nothing ever beats the opportunity of getting to be a part of people taking their lives back. Debi is the perfect example of someone who took her life back and is living so fully each and every day. Read her story and get ready to be inspired:

BEFORE

AFTER

How did you feel before DBC?

Before DBC I felt sad and unhealthy. I didn't want to do anything in public. I had many emotions that I didn't feel I had control over.

When did you realize you were transforming?

The moment I realized I was Transforming was during my stay at Destination Boot Camp, sitting among strangers listening to their stories and realizing we were all experiencing many of the same things, living the same issues in life. I stepped out of my comfort zone and shared some of my stories too. That day and the following days, I was starting my journey of transformation and doing things I hadn't done before with the help of our instructors and all the different departments available to us. I realized at that moment that living in the days that would be shaping me for today and for the rest of my journey, and still for the rest of my life.

How do you feel since DBC?

Since DBC, I feel empowered. I am enjoying all the knowledge I've learned and still learning and putting it to use each day.  I feel happier, stronger, and more fit than I've been in years. I am actually fitting into clothes that I have saved since high school and years past, wanting to someday be able to fit into them again.  Though I still have a little ways to go to reach my goal, I will get there soon.

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of understanding that the mindset is such a powerful part of our being. I was always an emotional eater, a yo-yo'er and now I have learned to choose to control my moods and not go for the comfort foods, junk food, candy, etc to solve my issues. I've learned to keep my mindset in-check and talk myself through good decisions that will keep me on track to achieve my goals.

What is the biggest thing you've learned along this journey?

One of the biggest lessons I've learned through DBC is that I am not alone. It is important to ask for help and to not feel bad for doing so-- knowing that when I ask for help I can count on the members of my DBC family, as well as they can count on me. We all have walked in the same shoes, just in different sizes and it is comforting to have the experience together, side by side.

What is your hero jar?

My Hero Jar is a jar I focus on daily. I've learned many things at DBC, especially from Dr. Holly, Dr. Denise, Dr. Hill, and many others. I've taken their knowledge and my experience, and together with my label maker, I've put the memories onto my jar, along with a wristband I received from DBC around the cap of my jar. I read it daily and to remind myself to live a State of Slim life with a smile, full of memories, inspiration, and results, meanwhile full of gratitude to all who inspired me along the way.

I am so thankful that I decided to give myself the gift of a new beginning and chose to attend DBC at the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center. It has forever changed my life, body and soul.