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Sheri Soldau
Chula Vista, CA
My First Place journey really began 32 years ago when at age 8, it was determined that I was a “chubby” child. Upon that realization, my mother put me on various and sundry food plans. None of these were terribly successful in helping with my weight, but they did firmly establish the idea that some foods are good and some are bad, and helped to create the “fat person” mentality that I still struggle with today. Unfortunately, none of my food plans also included an increased activity level. I was told to be careful about what I ate, but was not expected to exercise on a regular basis. Since I was very uncoordinated and hated to play sports, but loved to read, not being expected to be active was fine with me.
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Karrie Smyth
Brandon Manitoba, Canada
My family loves to eat! Whether happy or sad, if we’re together, you can bet food is there. For the first 30 years of my life, I did not realize that I had a problem with food. I was active enough to compensate for what I ate. But after having two children, I found myself incapable of losing the weight I had put on. I tried a number of different diets with little success. I knew what to do, but couldn’t seem to do it. With the pressures of work, being a wife, mother, and daughter as my Dad was dying of cancer, life was out of control and so was my eating.
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Paula V. Stacey
Monroeville, Alabama
"I can’t believe that I am writing this testimony, but it is due to God’s empowerment and loving care. In May 1995, I began First Place in Monroeville. Was I apprehensive! I was scared, but I had reached the point that I was ready to do something about my weight. The first time I stepped on the scales, I weighed 295 pounds, wore a size 26 and was in terrible health."
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Don Steffey
Murray, Kentucky
Last fall sometime, I had reached my maximum weight ever of 424 pounds. That is a lot of weight, even at 6 ft. 3 in. I could not even walk without becoming short of air. You would think a registered nurse would know better than to get in that kind of shape, but I'm here to tell you that it's not what you know, it's Who you know.
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Susan Steinke
Jacksonville, Florida
"Although I have a personal relationship with Christ, First Place has helped me to grow and learn to place Christ FIRST in all areas of my life. It has helped me to have a closer relationship with God."
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Linda Stone and Beth Johnson
Beth Johnson was a 47 year old mother of three, who lives in Kittery, ME. When trials developed in Beth’s life, she turned to food–causing excess weight gain, knee problems, and other health concerns. Beth, inspired by a desire to become healthy and lose weight for her daughter’s wedding, noticed the weight loss and glow of Anne Philbrick. She learned that Anne (who has lost 46 pounds and helped others to so) was participating in First Place at Bethany Church. Beth believed in faith-based weight loss, and decided to join First Place in the fall of 2006. Since then, her life has become transformed, and now she is helping others to do the same— including her sister.
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Valera Swenson
Wyoming
"This truly is a Christ-centered program."
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