Every doctor knows that stress can trigger or worsen physical problems. High blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, skin conditions, and arthritis are just a few conditions that stress can cause or worsen. They are typically treated with medication. The problem is that there is no pill for stress management that is 100% effective. So how do we get rid of stress and its effects?

I started gaining weight in 2022. Two years later, I had gained over 70 pounds. Things did not look good health-wise if I continued on this path. I tried to lose weight but found it took a lot of effort to lose five or ten pounds, and then I would gain it right back, plus. I tried bars or shakes as meal replacements, the South Beach diet, the Mediterranean diet, the flat-belly diet, the 21-day diet, the keto diet, going low carb, going low fat, going vegetarian, eating limited dairy, etc. I tried skipping lunch and ended up eating cookies because I was hungry. Nothing worked long term.

In 2024, I davened for help with this issue and put myself on a tehillim list. One day, my internet wasn’t functioning, and I needed to work. This annoyance was a saving grace. I went to the library to work and met someone who told me about a support group. Some of the people in the group had lost 125 pounds or more. It was remote, but I started connecting with people who had fought my battle and won.

I found someone who explained what she did and asked me to try it for two weeks. I have never looked back. Fast forward almost two years later: I have lost over 60 pounds and kept it off. I look great and feel even better. I have energy to achieve tasks that would have been impossible before. The remote support group has been replaced by an in-person support group for Jewish women in Baltimore. I have made good friends and have learned so much about life and myself from these ladies.