How the Fattest Kid in School Became the Weight Loss Guru

"How on earth can you help me?" overweight clients would ask me when I first opened my practice, sure that I had never had a weight problem. There I was, at a perfect, ideal body weight, looking like a naturally-thin person. They didn't know that I had spent 25 years hopelessly out of control with my weight, morbidly obese, over 300 pounds, a chronic miserable failure at diets and exercise attempts.

Most of my thousands of attempts to diet didn't last a day. I had no willpower. One year, I paid the whole year's membership at a gym, thinking it would make me go. I went only once, hated it and never went back. I was so ashamed. And it wasn't fair. It seemed like a lot of my friends ate just as badly as I did. They didn't go to gyms. But I got fat. They didn't.

Now I'm known as the "Weight Loss Guru" in Sarasota, Fla., ever since a TV news anchor dubbed me that. People don't wonder if I can help them now. They know I solved the problem and they know I have helped many others to solve it. Now, instead of skepticism and fear, they come with hope.

In 1984, as a behavior therapist and addictions counselor, I finally figured it out and lost 140 pounds in 18 months. There I've stayed, at my ideal body weight, over 25 years, something I didn't think possible most of my life. Now I'm helping others with this obesity problem, and I believe I have the real answers to our obesity epidemic.

If you can identify with some of the things I've said about being overweight, and you've been thinking, "No matter what I do, I can't lose weight," please stop. I guarantee that if you do what I teach my clients, you'll lose weight. Not one client, and I've worked with thousands, has not lost weight following my protocols. There is no mystery to how to lose weight. It's thermodynamics and food science. We know what needs to be done -- physically, anyway. The problem is that we have such a hard time getting ourselves to do what's required. We try and we fail. It seems impossible. We lose faith in ourselves. So we look for some way around reality, like a pill, or a magic diet food that makes the calories just disappear. You will not succeed with pills, magical diets, shots, or magic fairy dust on your food. But this problem can be solved, even if you're a hopeless case like I was. The solution is in behavioral medicine and behavioral therapy, a kind of magic where we can reprogram ourselves to think and live in a way that makes us thin and keeps us that way. Is it easy? No. But it is doable.

You've heard of "The Secret"? Well, it's not a secret. The methods to change ourselves, to change our reality, are known to behavioral medicine. Things like visualization and affirmation are known as cognitive techniques in psychotherapy. They are not hocus-pocus. They work, and they can be learned. And when you learn and practice them, your life can change. Your habits can change. Your body can change. You would be amazed at how they can change.

I was 7 years old when I was put on my first diet. That was the beginning of the process that really started my obesity. I know now, because of my knowledge and training in psychology and behaviorism, how we have literally programmed ourselves to be obese. I became the fattest kid in school, a miserable way to live. I tried and failed to lose weight so many times that I came to hate life, hate being fat and hate what I had become. I was so mad at myself, my flaws and my weakness. I spent 25 years with that curse. But what can be programmed can be reprogrammed, even when it seems too late. When you know how to do the programming, just like with a computer, you can change the programs. When you don't know how, you don't stand a chance, even when you want it badly. Just wanting new programs or deciding to have them is not enough. You need to know how to do it.

I was so lucky to choose counseling and psychology as my field of interest. I learned how behavior and habits, even feelings, can be shaped, even when the subject, be it a child or a pet or even our own self, doesn't seem to want to cooperate. It was a godsend. By the time I was in my 30s I had assembled enough pieces of the puzzle and practiced with them enough to actually solve the problem. I finally found the solution and lost 140 pounds in 18 months, and it hasn't been too hard doing what needs to be done to maintain that success. I'm sure I would have died long ago if I hadn't learned about behavior medicine, behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and self-hypnosis, among other things. (My clients don't know the names of all the things I teach, so don't let the jargon throw you. They just learn about some "tricks and ideas" and use them.)

So, if you are a "hopeless case" like I was, morbidly obese, a chronic failure for 25 years, start using a new script. Instead of saying "No matter what I do, I can't lose weight," start saying "I know I will lose weight if I can figure out how to get myself to do what we know works to lose weight." That will be a good start. There is a solution to our obesity. It is in behavioral medicine.

Check out more of our inspiring weight loss stories below:

Loading Slideshow

• Susan BEFORE

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• Susan AFTER

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• Lori BEFORE

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• Lori AFTER

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• Natasha BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/05/i-lost-weight-natasha-bunby_n_3279886.html" target="_blank">Read Natasha's story here.</a>

• Natasha AFTER

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• Lisa BEFORE

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• Lisa AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/03/i-lost-weight-lisa-thompson_n_3224682.html" target="_blank">Read Lisa's story here.</a>

• Patty BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/28/i-lost-weight-patty-loeffler_n_3201052.html" target="_blank">Read Patty's story here.</a>

• Patty AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/28/i-lost-weight-patty-loeffler_n_3201052.html" target="_blank">Read Patty's story here.</a>

• Dani BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/29/i-lost-weight-dani-holmes-kirk_n_3247225.html" target="_blank">Read Dani's story here.</a>

• Dani AFTER

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• James BEFORE

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• James AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/31/i-lost-weight-james-brice_n_3266806.html" target="_blank">Read James's story here.</a>

• Albert BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/24/i-lost-weight-albert-rivera_n_3188599.html" target="_blank">Read Albert's story here.</a>

• Albert AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/24/i-lost-weight-albert-rivera_n_3188599.html" target="_blank">Read Albert's story here.</a>

• Sherrisse-Lee BEFORE

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• Sherrisse-Lee AFTER

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• Marcus BEFORE

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• Marcus AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/i-lost-weight-marcus-anderson_n_3178182.html" target="_blank">Read Marcus's story here.</a>

• River BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/17/i-lost-weight-river-jack_n_3163443.html" target="_blank">Read River's story here.</a>

• River AFTER

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• Victoria BEFORE

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• Victoria AFTER

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• Mary BEFORE

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• Mary AFTER

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• Kristina BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/10/i-lost-weight-kristina-davis_n_3139651.html" target="_blank">Read Kristina's story here.</a>

• Kristina AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/10/i-lost-weight-kristina-davis_n_3139651.html" target="_blank">Read Kristina's story here.</a>

• Theresa BEFORE

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• Theresa AFTER

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• Christian BEFORE

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• Christian AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/06/i-lost-weight-christian-anthony_n_3056324.html" target="_blank">Read Christian's story here.</a>

• Katey BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/29/i-lost-weight-katey-dyck_n_2973114.html" target="_blank">Read Katey's story here.</a>

• Katey AFTER

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• Tom BEFORE

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• Tom AFTER

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• Mandi BEFORE

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• Mandi AFTER

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• Crystal BEFORE

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• Crystal AFTER

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• Leah BEFORE

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• Leah AFTER

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• Vanessa BEFORE

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• Vanessa AFTER

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• Teresa BEFORE

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• Teresa AFTER

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• Jenalee BEFORE

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• Jenalee AFTER

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• Donesha BEFORE

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• Donesha AFTER

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• Melody BEFORE

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For more on weight loss, click here.

 

 

 

Comments

[William Anderson, MA, LMHC]

08:03 AM on 05/05/2012

Thank you all for such warm welcome to The Huffington Post blogger community!

[Mark Helfgott]

07:49 PM on 03/30/2012

Hey, man don't you know fat is where it's at. Pass that Velveeta and whipped cream, please.

[jim85710]

06:59 PM on 03/30/2012

Kristine - you're totally hot now :)

[SarahTX]

05:53 PM on 03/30/2012

Behavior modification IS the key. How to do it (this article never mentions it) - COMMITMENT to losing the weight, and the realization that it took a long time to get as fat as you are, so it will take some time to get it off. You've got to want it badly. You MUST keep in your head that the pain and frustration is worth looking better.

I did it by signing up for an exercise boot camp, which is having a personal trainer, but overall much cheaper. After 6 weeks you will be thinking, eating and behaving differently.

[William Anderson LMHC]

05:48 PM on 03/31/2012

Behavior modification is only one tool in the toolbox that is Behavioral Medicine, the "How to do it" that would take at least one textbook-length volume to document. Article length publications like these Huffington Post blogs cannot explain it all, however, here's an article that describes what Behavioral Medicine is: http://theandersonmethod.com/category/what-is-behavioral-medicine-and-behavioral-healthcare/ There are lots more articles at my website, the Table of Contents at the bottom right of the page.

[themightyabealrd]

05:44 PM on 03/30/2012

Paying attention is part of the key to successful weight loss and maintaining one's weight at an appropriate level. I keep a log in which I record everything I ingest (that contains calories): the amount, and the time. In another part of that small notebook I record my weight each day, at the same time. The correlation between intake and weight becomes quite clear, as do patterns of behavior that need to be altered. I lost 51 lbs. three years ago and have stayed in a 5 lb. range ever since. Among the habits I ditched: eating out of the package, making multiple trips to and from the kitchen, shoveling food in at a rapid pace without chewing each mouthful several times, failing to put down the fork or spoon between each mouthful. Again-paying attention works!

[William Anderson LMHC]

12:47 PM on 03/31/2012

Great job! Great insights!

[yogi199]

05:39 PM on 03/30/2012

I agree with this story,I "DID LOSE 80 POUNDS " 4 YEARS AGO. I live in Sarasota Florida. I am a Combat Veteran with Diabetes from Agent Orange. I went to Bill Andersons,I weighed 297 pounds,I know weigh 225 ,i went down to 215,I float with 10 pound,all the time. This is not a diet,it is a life change. Thank you Bill Anderson.

Pround Combat Veteran.

[William Anderson LMHC]

12:46 PM on 03/31/2012

Hey! Nice to see you here! Thank you Yogi, for your great work, great spirit, and kind words.

[stan6676]

05:36 PM on 03/30/2012

Yah, I'm going to do something about my weight ...... next week!

[electradscending]

05:34 PM on 03/30/2012

Congrats to you Sir!!!! I LOVE reading stories of real life everday people doing something as awesome as self transformation and losing 180 lbs!!! You sir rock!

[William Anderson LMHC]

12:43 PM on 03/31/2012

Thank you so much!

[ejljr]

04:24 PM on 03/30/2012

This isn't a story. This is a come on advertisement to sell you. He can't guarantee it! It's just to fill his pockets with your hard earned dollars.

[electradscending]

05:34 PM on 03/30/2012

nagh I don't think so....he's not asking for money...some people genuinly DO enjoy encouraging others to learn to lose weight and eat right....I'm one of them...I LOVE helping people lose weight and changie thier lifestyles....

[RexJabber]

03:41 PM on 03/30/2012

That's great he lost all the weight, but now that he's lost all the weight, he's the guru?? What about those that have never been heavy because they have always been smart? Do they not get recognition?
Seems like the only people who get breaks are the f' ups who turn themselves around. There are people out there (not me) who have lead a great life, healthy life, good people, who get no recognition.
But be unhealthy, do bad things and when you begin to lead a good life, you get rewarded.
Great job on losing the weight, but you should have never gotten that big to begin with. Fat, usually equals lazy.

[Richwell]

06:33 PM on 03/30/2012

OMG FAT EQUALS LAZY? And this describes Oprah Winfrey HOW?

[William Anderson LMHC]

12:42 PM on 03/31/2012

Well said!

[RexJabber]

10:40 AM on 04/02/2012

Unless it's medical, how is it not?
People find excuses not to work out. People don't have self control and can not put the unhealthy snacks away. I run during my lunches at work and eat easy lunches at my desk as I work. I can be lazy, not run and eat the garbage other people eat during lunches and gain weight with them. People can make time to pack healthier lunches, make healthy decisions throughout their day, but choose not to.
And Oprah comes up, how? Did she not lose weight? One thing is losing it, the other is being smart enough to not fall into the habits that made you gain the weight in the first place.

[Solitaire727]

06:35 PM on 03/30/2012

If your life is as fine as you describe it -- great, healthy, good --I'm not sure what recognition it is that you feel you need. Just as an example, I come from a long line of alcoholic/hard drug/nicotine addicts. Early on I decided that, however I might mess up my life, it wouldn't be with addiction, and I've held true to that. But I sure don't resent those who are lauded for their success in turning their lives around, and I don't make snarky belittling comments about them. In fact, I tell them: "You're stronger than I am. I don't know that I could have done what you've done." I say this same thing for those who've overcome obesity: You are strong, and what you've done to put your life back to rights is admirable."

[RexJabber]

10:37 AM on 04/02/2012

It IS great that they turned their life around. I, too, come from a family of alcoholics, drug addicts and wife beaters. I partake in a beer once in a while. I've never once put a hand on a woman. We have made the decisions to be the people we saw growing up or learn from them. You could have become anything negative that you saw and you have the excuse to have made that decision. You were smart enough to not go that route and that is great. Great for everyone around you. But if you did NOT choose the route you are on, you'd have affected many lives in a negative way and when you decide to not be that person anymore, you'd get recognition?

[luthien30]

03:04 PM on 03/30/2012

I'm amazed at the amount of dedication some people have. I've been trying to drop about 30 lbs for years. I get halfway there, plateau, and give up. Maybe one day.

On a different note, Natasha before (#63) is obviously photoshopped. Way to do everyone who busted their butts to lose weight a huge disservice just so you can get your picture on a website.

[BiggpussJr]

03:46 PM on 03/30/2012

I think you nailed #63, her face is larger in the AFTER photo. Photoshop fail.

[douglazyxx]

03:49 PM on 03/30/2012

Luthien...trust me...#63 might not be photoshopped. I have seen MANY times someone who looks like that. Even in my Family. Don't let her small head fool you... food was not going to her head, it was going to her arms gut and everywhere under her neck.

[thefigger]

03:02 PM on 03/30/2012

Glad to all the success but I have to ask, what happens to all the excess skin. I know that it doesn't go away.

[ecurbwl]

04:42 PM on 03/30/2012

As you age, you lose elasticity in your skin. If you have reached that point and the elasticity is gone or you have stretched or damaged the skin beyond its normal return, the skin will sag, droop, fold or bag. At that point, the skin is removed by surgery.

[William Anderson LMHC]

12:41 PM on 03/31/2012

You are so right. You sound like a clinician. Are you?

[BJzink]

02:39 PM on 03/30/2012

I've read this article 3 times, and don't see any specifics about his weight loss success program. Behavior modification is mentioned, but I have no idea how to accomplish it. A little more information about his program would be helpful. Congratulations to him............but, I'd like to do it too.

[2Shy]

04:27 PM on 03/30/2012

Of course not ...

He's selling a book (hint, hint).

[DrKMcK1]

04:39 PM on 03/30/2012

He's saying that you need to see a therapist who specializes in behavior modification if you really want help losing weight. I am a psychotherapist myself and if you really work with a therapist and do the work, it will help.

[BJzink]

05:06 PM on 03/30/2012

Too many $$$$, no insurance coverage for this treatment.

[smald4lib]

02:34 PM on 03/30/2012

It's great to see someone drop the weight and feel great. But get a load of those pencil legs. I see this all the time in the gym. These hulking big torsos sitting atop pencil legs. Gentlemen get some balance in your lives..........please. endurance and strength are your assets to the longevity in life. If you have a hard time starting in the gym here's what to do. Eat and then walk at a brisk pace. Wake up eat breakfast and then go for walk at a brisk pace. If you can't talk at the same time you are walking you are going to fast. The largest set of muscles are your thighs so they are using the most caollaries, and at the same time walking uses the most muscle groups then running. This will get your metabolism going early and you will be able to concentrate better at your job or what ever it is you want to do. During the day eat a light lunch and take a walk if you can. At dinner eat a healthy meal and then go out for a nice brisk walk and finish your day by calming yourself down for the night of restful sleep. The idea is to get your metabolism up and running, reversing your sedentary life style by introducing natural exercise into your life style.

[William Anderson LMHC]

12:27 PM on 03/31/2012

I actually get great compliments from the ladies about my legs. We need better photos maybe.

[InventPeace]

02:22 PM on 03/30/2012

Sugary foods and especially drinks lead to diebetes, which in turn is linked to a 2 x increase in heart attacks, and a 6x increase in stroke risk.. (do you want to see your grandkids grow up? ; get off the fast foods and onto low fat low calorie foods.)

[2Shy]

04:29 PM on 03/30/2012

You DO realize that the manufacturers of "low fat/low calorie" foods simply replace the lost fat wit added sugar now, don't you?

Get away from the processed "diet" food and eat REAL food in moderation.