I was first told about Zija in 2008 and after hearing about it, I just wasn't interested. It wasn't until I started seeing my family & friends shedding pounds and getting healthier that I took notice. Finally, in November of 2009 I went to my brother-in-law who first told me about Zija. I told him I wanted to see for myself if the XM3 capsules worked. It wasn't 2 weeks later that people started asking me if I was losing weight. I really hadn't tried to lose any so I didn't think I had. Imagine my surprise when I stepped on the scale and was down 6 pounds. I was stunned! I hadn't done anything different other than take the pills. The weight continued to come off and I noticed that I wasn't trying to eat everything in sight for a change. I told my brother-in-law that I didn't feel any healthier. He told me that to get the best results I should use the whole Zija Weight Management System. Once I began using the whole system I saw an unbelievable difference in how I felt, both mind and body. The three products together helped me lose the weight even quicker, have more energy than I had in years and it allowed me to get off the anti-depressants that I had been on for over 8 years! I also noticed that the migraines I use to get about 3-5 times a week were almost completely gone. I may have one once a month, but nothing nearly as severe.

Once I began losing weight, I became a happier person with a strong desire for my family and I to live healthier. With that I was inspired to try and eat better, cook healthier meals and exercise. Zija has given me the opportunity to live the life I've wanted for so long. I came to a point in my life where I was tired of living my life around my weight. I was always tired and never wanted to do anything with my kids or husband or friends. I just felt like a big lifeless blob with no desire to do anything. When I saw that my friends and family were losing weight and getting healthier I wanted to try it too. Honestly, I didn't hold out much hope, but I was going to give myself one more opportunity to live the life I wanted.

Looking back at this life changing journey I wouldn't recommend just taking the pills. The Weight Loss System was created as a system for a reason. One works off of the other...the pill gives you energy and suppresses your appetite. You don't want to eat as much so you are not getting all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. This is why the Smart Drink is so important. It gives your body what it's missing, and then some. The Miracle Tea is exactly that! It really cleans out the junk that's in your body. I could see a big difference in my weight loss progress and overall well being once I added the Tea to the other 2 products.

This past January a friend started a Biggest Loser Contest in the school district that I work. I thought it would be fun and I figured since I was already losing weight, I wouldn't have to change anything that I did. Well, to make a long story short, I won 1st place. The 2nd place finisher was less than 1% away from beating me, he to is a Zija customer. I exercised a little more during the competition, but didn't change anything else. I lost a total of 21 pounds during the 12 week competition. It was a lot of fun and I'm planning on doing it again starting next week.

When I was asked to find a "before" picture for my story, I had to search for days through thousands of family photos! Seriously, thousands! I LOVE taking pictures, but, who likes to be photographed when they are overweight and feel like a beached whale? Not me!! It took me forever to find a picture of myself. I finally found 1 from a family member's wedding. How sad... Looking through all of those pictures made me realize just how much my weight controlled my life. On almost every major family event I was in none of the pictures. I missed out on all those wonderful "Kodak moments" because I was hiding from the camera. It really broke my heart when I realized that for the past 4 Christmas' I wasn't in any of the pictures with my kids or husband. That made me so sad that I just cried. Those are precious moments that I can't ever get back.

Before taking Zija I was the biggest skeptic there was. I just didn't believe that something could be so easy. Zija has changed my body, my way of thinking and has improved my whole life! Now, weighing more than 48 pounds less, it's LESS about the weight and more about how amazing I feel. Zija has given my kids and husband a healthier and happier mom and wife and it's given me the life that I've been waiting for...