Success Stories
Barbara Sterdt
If you ever see Barbara and Zeta passing by at the YMCA, and you see her in her "BIGGEST LOSER" sweatshirt, be sure to ask her why she wears it. She will most likely tell you that she truly is the "Biggest Loser" of weight.
Barbara was born with Cerebral Palsy (Spastic CP) a birth defect that does not progress as time passes. Her case of CP on the scale is fairly mild. At age four, she started walking on crutches, and by the time she was in Junior High she was using a wheelchair for speed, safety and convenience, which she still uses today.
When asked about the difficulties and challenges of achieving weight loss while in a wheelchair, Barbara states, "I will not say any of this was easy. One of the main things that motivated me to begin and continue was the possibility of potential health problems that can come from being overweight. Once I started at the YMCA and Weight Watchers, I learned that I could get healthy and stay there."
Barbara just recently hit her goal of losing 65 pounds. She is enjoying the benefits of her new lifestyle, which includes: increased flexibility and strength, decreased health risk, and decreased effects of CP on her daily life. Not to mention more self-confidence!