Lynette and Marlin Miller are enjoying life with their friends and family more since Lynette’s health has improved through a lifestyle program that helped her lose 104 pounds last year. Photo courtesy Lynette Miller.
The Dakota Conference has a tradition of giving $25 or $30 gift certificates to pastors during Pastors’ Meetings, held annually the first week in January. These certificates are awarded based on criteria such as most baptisms, highest per capita number of Religious Liberty subscriptions, and losing the most weight since last January. For 2015, President Neil Biloff asked the pastors if they would mind opening the weight loss category to conference staff as well.
Along with several pastors, three staff members decided they needed to lose weight during 2015, and the challenge was set in motion. All who lost weight “won” through improved health and the need for less or no medication.
This past January, as Elder Biloff called off the pounds lost in 10-pound increments, several hands waved in the air. At the 50-pound mark, three hands remained. Eventually, only one hand remained as the tally continued higher. Lynette Miller, Adventist Book Center manager and administrative assistant, won the gift certificate with a loss of 104 pounds.
“I didn’t know I had lost that much until the day before Christmas,” she explains. “My doctor said, ‘I am amazed. You don’t realize what you have done. You have lost 104 pounds.’ I didn’t believe her because I hadn’t owned a scale for years.”
Miller’s decision began in February 2015 when her granddaughter, Hannah, wanted her to go sledding and ride bikes with her. “I couldn’t physically do it,” Miller recalls. Hannah told her, “We need to fix this.”
The second incentive was when Miller’s doctor wanted to increase her medications, which were all weight related and had adverse side effects. Thirdly, she fell descending the steps in her home and couldn’t get up. Her husband and son had to help her. “I didn’t realize I was in such bad shape until then,” she said.
Miller went to get her ankle checked and discussed what she could do to lose weight. “First, stop drinking soda,” her doctor suggested. Miller had tried Weight Watchers and Nutri-System before and had lost some weight but was not taught how to eat healthfully. And she had never liked vegetables so her choices were limited. When she met a friend, whom she barely recognized because she had lost so much weight, Miller asked her what she was doing. She explained she was using a program through Sanford Hospital called Profile by Sanford, a three-tiered program—Reboot/Reduce; Adapt; Sustain.
Miller chose the most aggressive Reboot/Reduce program. She also knew she would be more likely to remain on the program if she buddied-up with someone. Her doctor agreed to write her a referral with a two-month progress check up.
In March, Miller started walking and in May she purchased a FitBit to keep track of her steps. Miller had to write down everything she was supposed to eat and what she actually ate. She went through a notebook of journaling and then started using the My Fitness Pal app on her phone. Through everything, Hannah kept encouraging her.
“A requirement of a minimum of four cups of vegetables a day, preferably two cups raw and two cups cooked, was challenging. I didn’t want to eat them but you have to eat what is on the list,” Miller said. “We also had to set short term and long term goals. Now I am able to walk, sled with my grandkids and keep up with them. I am off all medications as of Christmas. Taking the stairs hurt before so I always took the elevator. Now I can walk on the treadmill for half an hour and not feel tired. I no longer hurt.”
One of Miller’s goals is to walk the challenging and hilly Dirt Kicker Charity Run’s 5K at the Dakota Conference camp meeting in June. “My mother can’t believe I now crave vegetables, especially roasted. I am going to the church where I grew up this weekend. They will be surprised to see me bring a platter of vegetables,” Miller said smiling. “I just want to say I could not have done this without the support of my family and friends. I thank God for them.”
