Success Stories

My name is Shellie Yarnell, I live in Sherwood, OR. I am a home based customer service representative. I heard about Positive Changes through a TV commercial. I had recently moved in with my mother after my husband was killed in a motorcycle accident in California. I had had a life changing experience and I decided it was time to change my life. I was grieving and unhappy with the way I looked, the way I felt and with my whole self-image and everything that is attached to that. I’ve been overweight my entire life.

I’ve lost 85 lbs since joining Positive Changes in February. I’ve gone from a tight size 20 to a current size 6 and I have lost a total of 47 inches all over my body. I currently weigh less than I did in high school.

I’ve tried every method there is to lose weight, from the extremes of doing Fen-Phen, to doing every diet in the book. Some have been successful for a time but I always slipped and ended up weighing more at the end than I did when I started. With Positive Changes I noticed a difference in the very beginning, probably the first day that I left here. I have never been as motivated this long into a program as I was with Positive Changes. I am absolutely as motivated today as I was with day one and I don’t believe that will ever change. It’s a lot of work and you have to really make it your focus.

The changes in my behavior started in the very beginning. Before Positive Changes, I was a huge fast food, candy and snack eater. Now I don’t even think about fast food anymore. That was an enormous difference for me. I do feel in control of my eating habits now whereas I didn’t before coming to Positive Changes. I’m much more active. I wouldn’t say that I used to be an exerciser but now I am currently doing 3 hours a day at least 3 times a week at the YMCA. That includes 2 hours worth of water aerobics. I would have never gone in a swimming pool before Positive Changes, so that too is a positive change.

My friends and family have definitely noticed the difference in me. I haven’t seen my son in awhile and I sent him pictures of me. When I asked him about them he said it was kind of creepy, and I said what do you mean kind of creepy, and he said well mom, I have never seen you that thin before. This is true; I’ve never been as thin as I am now since he was born. I’m working on my confidence but I have a ways to go. I’m my biggest critic.

Since losing weight, I’m doing things like taking hikes. I went to Crater Lake and hiked to the lake and back up and I never could have done that prior to coming to Positive Changes. I feel the cost is justified. You spend money on all kinds of things, and if you can spend money on something and have it work, then it’s definitely money well spent. I look forward to doing more of the same things that I’m doing now. I’m not done with my weight loss. I want to continue having more stamina and going on more hikes. I do look forward to doing that.

The way I feel today is so much different than anything that I have felt in my life. I do believe my weight loss is permanent and I don’t want to go back to the way I was. I now have the tools to stay where I am. I do recommend Positive Changes to anyone who wants to lose weight. I feel it’s a major reason for my success and I would happily tell anyone who wanted to listen.