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Still Travelling
By Scott Crandell
 My story is more like a health journey on which I am still traveling. I have always been heavy but, most recently, about a year and a half ago, I was at a point that I seriously had to look at the direction I was traveling and knew I had to change my health direction. I was 338 pounds and had been put on several medications to help control my health. I knew the path I was on was not going in the direction I wanted and would not take me to the places I wanted to be in ten to twenty years. I wanted to be here for my family down the road.
I joined Tamarac thinking by making that decision I would be able to make a difference. To this point in my life, I thought I had eaten well and had done well with my health, but I had to look at where I was and accept reality. I had made the decision, but felt that I was not making progress. A turning point was when I was at Bill’s Shop and Save and ran into a friend I had not seen in several months. I had known her for the last twenty years, but didn’t recognize her at first, which was embarrassing. Her name is Stephanie Busman and after a twenty minute conversation in front of the bread, I learned she had completed the New You Program at Tamarac. It had changed her life! She explained it was more than just a decision; it was a commitment to better health and was a gift of health that she was giving herself. This made sense to me but I told her I was not sure if I could do it. She said, “I know you can do it.” This is what pushed me over the edge and spurred me to go to an information session and join the 20-week New You foundation class. This opened another of many chapters.
I, like so many other people in New You, had tried every diet and gimmicky thing in the book with limited success. I had looked into surgery several years ago, but knew that education and lifestyle had to be a part of the solution. This is Tamarac’s motto - “health and well-being”. I started New You February 23, 2009 and began to learn how I was going to change direction. I was going to give this an honest try. I stuck with it and had great results from the beginning. I had an incredible amount of support from others in the class and from my instructor, Amanda Irwin. Amanda is a health educator, fitness guide, and certified personal trainer at Tamarac and has taught me the importance of exercise in a healthy lifestyle. One of my goals was to eventually start running. I remember the day Amanda said to me, “I know you can do it.” I had someone tell me this before and was starting to believe it. Thanks Amanda!
I lost 101.2 pounds in the 20-week New You foundation class, started running, started exercise classes at Tamarac, stopped taking all medications, finished several 5K road races this summer, continued to lose weight, and look back at several great moments over the past several months and say “what a great ride.” One of those moments was at my first race in Hesperia on the 4th of July when Bob Springstead finished the race, doubled back, and ran with me the last ½ mile. He helped me relax and breathe, and said “I know you can do it.” I am only one of several Bob has helped along their journey. Thanks Bob!
My story is still being written. I still have a lot to learn and I am working toward a healthier lifestyle. I look back and see what an incredible impact this whole experience has had on me and my family. My hope is that YOU are headed in the right direction in life and in health. I am here to say, “I know you can do it!”
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