Edward Johnston, a college student, spent three and a half
months at the Rice House and has continued on to lose 143
lbs. He has opened his heart after such a life altering
experience and answered some questions.
1. What made you decide to attend the Rice House?
My great-grandfather went there in the 1940's to loose weight
after a heart attack, so I always knew about the place.
Then a couple of months before I actually went to the Rice
House, my Aunt told about a college friend of hers who was
large and took a semester off of school and spent time in
the Rice House and came back a new person. Those were the
results that I wanted as well. For me, it just got to the
point where I was embarrassed to go out with friends because
I was always the largest one there and felt uncomfortable.
I knew that if I did not do something about it then, that
it would only get worse and I would not end up living the
long, healthy life that everyone is entitled to. Also, I
was graduating college in one year and knew that companies
are not eager to hire people who are drastically overweight,
sad to say, but that is how the business world is. Appearances
mean a lot, and mine was surely lacking.
2. Was it what you expected?
I did not quite know what to expect. I came down to Durham
with my Mother and girlfriend at the time two months before
I checked into the Rice House, just to check out the place.
We also went and looked at Duke Diet & Fitness. The
minute I walked into the Rice House and saw all the long
tables I knew that this was a place where you interacted
with others in your same situation and I needed that just
as much as I needed a healthy routine. Support is such a
big issue and I was hoping that by sitting with a lot of
people during meal times you would get that and I was sure
right about that!
3. How long before you feel great?
The first week or two I felt like absolute crap! I was going
through detox. From fast food and junk to rice and a healthy
diet, it was difficult. After I made it through the first
few weeks I started feeling super, every morning when I
stepped on the scale it made my day. The feeling you get
when you are accomplishing something that you never thought
you could is incomprehensible to those who haven't done
it. You are in a state of disbelief of sorts, but you are
so high on yourself that nothing could ever bring you down,
(that is, unless the scale started going up again)
4. How long did you stay initially?
I arrived in Durham to stay on May 9, 2000 and I stayed
3.5 months, Until Aug. 18 because I had to go back to College
at High Point University in High
Point, North Carolina. I tried to go back to the Rice House
as many times during the year that I could to keep my weight
loss going, to rejuvenate my momentum.
5. And how much did you lose?
In the 3.5 months that I was at the Rice House last summer
I lost 75 pounds. That was such a major feat for the boy
who had never lost one single pound on any of the numerous
diets that he had tried through the years. After I went
back to college I lost 25 pounds in between the time I left
the Rice House, Aug.18,2000, and Thanksgiving, making my
total 100 pounds. Then from Thanksgiving to College Graduation,
May 5,2001, I lost 30 pounds, making my grand total 130
pounds lost. Then I went back to the Rice house for two
weeks a couple of weeks ago, and lost another 10 pounds.
So now my grand total that I have lost is 143 pounds ( I
lost 3 more somewhere in there).
6. What do you do when you are at home to stay successful?
How do you remain focused? It was very difficult to remain
focused while completing my senior year of college. Your
friends are still wanting you to go out to parties and you
want to do as much as you can while you have no real responsibilities.
Although I did go out and party like any normal college
kid would I always knew
what my number one focus was, my weight. I always kept the
image in the back of my mind of myself going home and having
gained every pound back, and how embarrassing that would
be. I never wanted that to happen, so I tried and tried
to make the pounds shed off and through the support of my
family and the excellent friends that I met at the Rice
House I succeeded. Another thing I did was every time I
would loose 10 or so pounds I would go out and buy a few
new articles of clothing, this way I felt like I had really
done something. You also could really tell if you had gained
a pound or two because I always bought clothes that would
fit as long as I stayed that weight or less but if I gained
they would look like sucti on cups. Clothes were my new
friend where as in the past they were an embarrassing enemy.
7. Any general comments, thoughts?
The Rice House is such a special place for me. The people
who work there and the patients who go there every year
are what kept me going and striving to get a little bit
more off. Some of my best friends that I have, I met while
I was at the Rice House, it helps to keep in contact with
your fellow ricers. I try to do this as much as possible.
If I had to pick a few people or groups of people who have
meant the most to me thus far in my journey of life, my
parents would be number one, my siblings number two, and
the Rice House staff and my close, close friends that I
met there would be number
three. The Rice Diet gave me back what every twenty-two
year old should have, the self-confidence to go forth into
the world and " KICK BUTT". I owe my confidence,
self-image and my size 36 waist to the rice Diet, I could
never say enough good things about it!
**When I arrived at the Rice House on May 9, 2000, I was
21 years old, had a size 56 waist, wore a size 6X shirt
and weighed 359 pounds.
**Now, Aug.1, 2001, I am 22 years old, I have a size 36
waist, wear a size Large or XL shirt, and weigh an incredible
215 pounds.
I cannot say enough good things about the Rice Diet. People
and places come into your life for a reason, this place
came into my life for reasons that I will continue to discover
throughout the long life it has given me back.
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