Womens Weight Loss Retreat and the Unstoppable Lady Pilot

After a 25 year career as a military pilot, then commercial captain, she seeks a weight loss camp for women.

So, there is nothing that intimidates Dorothy. Yet, she was down at an all-time low.

From flying Black Hawk helicopters to jumbo jets, she was a high achiever in an arena with zero excuse tolerance. Her second career culminated as captain of a major commercial airline and she had built an impressive track record with a “can do” attitude.

Consequently, a stay at womens weight loss camp, seems uncharacteristic of the lady Black Hawk pilot.

A Pilot’s Worst Nightmare

Overweight Pilot Grounded with Sleep Apnea and High Blood Pressure

How does it all happen so unexpectedly? A series of health deteriorating events brings about the worst imaginable consequence for the lifetime career pilot.

She loses her flight medical clearance.

First, a bad bout of lung issues from contaminated air and subsequent medical treatments cause steroid-induced weight gain, shortness of breath, sleep apnea, and a host of other ailments.  Then, an air turbulence event causes a back condition resulting in artificial disc surgery and extremely painful bouts associated with activity. So, she becomes sedentary which brings on even more excess weight worsening her situation.

After a 25-year career as a military pilot flying Black Hawk helicopters to a second career as captain of a major commercial airline flying jumbo jets…

she had built an impressive track record with a “can do” attitude.

Under the circumstances, hazardous health habits are practically inevitable with nocturnal shifts in the cockpit on international flights. Stress from sleep deficit raises cortisol levels with worsening weight gain. Top it off with a bad bout of lung issues from air contamination and subsequent medical treatments causing:

• steroid-induced weight gain
• shortness of breath
• sleep apnea
• high blood pressure

What’s more, an air turbulence event causes a back condition resulting in artificial disc surgery and extremely painful bouts associated with activity. At age 55, being a high achiever takes its toll on Dorothy’s health.

Every pilot’s greatest fear became a reality. She is an overweight pilot grounded by occupational medical conditions.

Black Hawk Down

So, depression sets in and a sedentary lifestyle replaces a previously high functioning career. Now, her retirement dreams began to look like a sad case of disability. Soon, the situation seemed out of control with no recourse. If only she could find a way to work around her limitations and seek another solution.

She tries so many calorie cutting weight loss methods only to regain the weight back and then some. Was there something out there that she hasn’t found? Could she somehow find a way to turn her health around and reclaim her career?

Womens weight loss camp

By this time, Dorothy is on disability for 4 years, having tried everything she could to turn things around. However, she continues to diminish physically and her spirits plummet so low that dressing and leaving the house is an insurmountable challenge. She knows this is not who she really is.

Worse yet …

To top it off, the recession wipes out her investments and life savings. At age 55, she knows only one way to survive and that is to get back to work. All she needs to do is lose weight, get healthy and get back to flying jumbo jets again. Flying was the easy part.

Losing 100 Pounds

Losing 100 pounds was going to be a challenge and she didn’t even know where to begin even if she can find the energy to try. Living in Anchorage, Alaska makes a person a hearty survivor– not to mention a successful military career and high ranking commercial pilot. Dorothy knows she has what it takes she just doesn’t know where to find herself amidst all that had taken a toll on her.

28 Day Recovery

The amazing fortitude of a strong-willed spirit propels Dorothy through 4 weeks at the womens weight loss retreat. Sure, there were things she could not attempt to do. There were exercises she her condition isn’t ready for her to even try.

At womens weight loss camp a proper progression …

starting out with reasonable movements allows her to work around what gave her trouble. She learns to focus on embracing those activities that she can do.

Soon, Dorothy emerges with renewed spirits, pounds down and new habits to go home and finish shedding the rest of her weight. Returning to the career she dearly loved seems like a viable possibility after all.

In 4 weeks at the womens weight loss retreat residence, Dorothy emerges with renewed spirits, pounds down and new habits to go home and finish shedding the rest of her weight. Now she finds what it takes again and her eyes are steadfast on the goal.

Clearly, she now sees herself back in the cockpit! What happens between the ears can make dreams come true. See her video story of her stay with Debra Stefan at the womens weight loss retreat and hear her own account.

“You helped me start my health journey and because of you, I’m a new person for it now!”
Dorothy 5 years later