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Beverly Knight was a smoker for 27 years until February 2009 when she decided it was time to make a change. Beverly realized that her weight had gradually been creeping higher over the years and she wasn’t happy with her lifestyle choices. In particular, she wanted to quit smoking because her health was paying the price, along with her wallet.
So she made the commitment to herself that February was her time to quit. She realized how difficult it was going to be to overcome and enlisted the help of prescription Chantix and the West Virginia Tobacco Quit Line. Beverly truly believes that Chantix “saved her life” and that the support she received through the Quit Line (and her family) has assisted her in becoming smoke-free for the past 10 months.
Participating in the Wellness Program’s Walk 100 Miles in 100 Days® kicked off her incorporation of exercise and nutrition into her new lifestyle. She enjoys power walking and using her elliptical, and has become much more interested in nutrition. Some of the nutrition guidelines she follows include cutting out late night snacking, drinking lots of water throughout the day (no soda), and avoiding foods that contain high fructose corn syrup.
With her new exercise routine and healthy nutrition, she has been able to lose over 20 pounds and maintain her tobacco-free lifestyle. It wasn’t easy, though. Initially when she quit smoking she did see a weight gain, but she knew that if she stuck with her diet and exercise that she would see the desired results. Her advice to anyone who is considering quitting smoking and adopting a healthier lifestyle is “It’s a choice. You have to want it really badly. You have to decide that this is what you are going to do, no matter the cost.” Thank you, Beverly, for sharing your inspirational story!
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