Weeks 42-43

I have good news and bad news. The best news is that Briana was selected as one of the models in the Be Beautiful Be Yourself fashion show. This is the goal she has been working towards for the past nine months. She was thrilled, proud, and excited when she called me to share the news. The other good news is that Briana seems to be settling into her host home nicely. She is able to visit her mom on weekends, and she happily celebrated her mom's birthday with her. She talks to her mom on the phone almost daily and is getting emotional support and encouragement from her. Briana is also getting support from her aunt and uncle. Although they are unable to provide her with permanent home with them, they have taken over guardianship and are making sure that Briana has the best place to live to meet her needs. Based on my interactions with her host family, they seem to be patient and nurturing. I can sincerely say that Briana's mood has been calmer since she has been placed with the family. She is clean and cared for and happy. The bad news is that we are experiencing a brand new learning curve with Briana's diet. The host family has two small children, ages two and six. Although they shop for good foods, they also have many things in the house that Briana cannot eat. Having these foods in the house proved to be a big temptation for Briana. I feel her pain. It is difficult to say no when the people around you are able to say yes. I can also sympathize with the host family. It is difficult to change your eating habits to match someone else's. Needless to say, there were several bumps and slip-ups in Briana's diet over the last two weeks. These slip ups equaled a one pound weight gain on the scale. One pound may not sound bad, but it was devastating to Briana. This was the first time in nine months that she had gained weight. She had one weigh-in where she didn't gain or lose anything. For every other weigh-in, Briana lost one to five pounds. So, as devastating as it was for her, it was also a prime opportunity to empower her. "Briana, you know which foods are healthy and which foods are not. I want you to teach your host family how you eat and find a way to say no. If I would say no, then I want you to say no," I told her as she did her treadmill warm up. "You know what, I'm going to do it," she replied. "I'm going to eat healthy, and I'm going to teach them, and I'm going to lose eight or ten more pounds before the fashion show. I won't make bad choices again. I won't," she promised. This made me happy. Briana's promise is good as gold. When she puts her mind to something, she is committed and strong. Perhaps the one pound weight gain will serve as an inspiration to her and remind her to stand firm in her commitment. At the end of the day, it is always going to be in her hands. My focus from this point forward is to keep talking to Briana, keep educating her, and find a way for her to stand strong with her healthy habits even when there are other choices available to her. This is what will help her most in the long run.