Debbie Bricker – Success Stories!
Billing Coordinator at Texarkana College, Certified Independent Optavia Coach, Dance Instructor at Judith McCarty School of Dance – September 2022
Debbie Bricker’s personal definition of success is attaining the outcome for which you strive. “Success can be tangible or intangible. It’s not about wealth or prosperity. It’s about what’s important to you as an individual. Like so many people, I used to think success had to do with how other people saw or thought of you. But that way of thinking put others’ definitions of success on me. You must have your definition of success that hinges on what’s important to you, not the other people around you,” Debbie says.
Debbie says that she has been blessed that the successes in her life have outweighed the failures. She considers her marriage of 31 years and her two sons as her greatest personal successes. However, her latest definition of success has centered around getting healthy and investing in herself. Debbie was introduced to the Optavia program, which radically changed her life more than the obvious way. This program not only helped her lose the weight she had lost and continually gained back again, but it also helped her gain self-confidence, a healthy relationship with food, a community of like-minded people, life-long friendships, and the ability to supplement her income. “I have struggled my entire life with my weight. I was a sugar addict, and I ate my emotions. After I taught my dance classes, I would come home tired and hurting in my hips and feet. I had tried almost every program out there to lose the weight, only to gain it back when I fell into bad habits,” Debbie says. “This is the only program I have been successful at with losing weight and keeping it off. The education side of the program and having a health coach walking beside you are the keys to its success.”
It all started three years ago when a childhood friend told Debbie about the Optavia health program. Debbie saw her friend’s success and reached out to her to see how she was losing weight. “I wanted to lose weight, but my mindset was not where it needed to be. I thought I could do it on my own by returning to one of the same strategies that worked in the past. That strategy, and others I tried, didn’t work,” Debbie says. “If I could do it alone, I would have already done it.”
In the back of her mind, Debbie kept thinking of the Optavia health program. Then, she saw a picture of her and her younger son that was taken last September. “I knew then I had to do something. As a wife and mother, my health always came last. I was knocking on 200lbs,” Debbie says. “I called this friend, and the rest is history. I started in October and lost 50 pounds in 5 ½ months.”
For Debbie, this was the first time she had made her health a priority. It was easy, convenient, and sustainable, and Debbie started losing inches immediately. Her husband and sons have been incredibly supportive. They know how important it has been for her to get healthy. “Before I started the program, I sat all of them down and asked for their support. I wanted to be healthy for me, but I also wanted to be healthy for them. They are my WHY! My husband is a Type 1 diabetic who may need health assistance in the future. I want to be able to do things with potential grandchildren in the future! I want to enjoy myself in retirement,” Debbie says. “I also know that God gave me this body. I was not treating it in a way that was pleasing to Him. My coach and my family’s support have helped keep me on track and allowed me to reach my goal. Nobody is successful by themselves. There are always people along the way that play a part in that success. Their support of me has meant the world to me.”
Debbie’s advice to others is first to have the right mindset. She says that she literally would have eaten cardboard and sold everything in her garage to lose weight. She had even considered weight loss surgery. “You have to do it for yourself, not for other people’s opinion of you. And it’s not just about losing weight. It’s about what you gain along with that. Find someone who has been in your shoes and has the tools to help you. Find your WHY!” Debbie says. “Also, trust the system. It works if you follow it. Give yourself grace when you mess up. Don’t allow others to influence your journey negatively. It is your journey, not theirs.”
From the beginning, Debbie’s coach told her that she would inspire others. People were already noticing her success and commenting on it. “The natural thing for me to do was to pay it forward and teach others how to change their lives as well. They wanted to know what I was doing, so in January, I became a health coach and was certified by my company in May. But after I shared in the success of my clients, it became more than that for me. I love the program and have seen how it can change lives. I truly believe this program can work for anyone,” Debbie says. “Seeing people’s lives change is the best feeling. Knowing you get to share that with them is amazing. Coaching is a natural extension of sharing the life-changing experience the program has had for my family and me.”
Another benefit of working with the company has been financial gain for her family. Initially, she started coaching to pay for her food, but now, her goal is to help pay for her son’s college tuition. “At some point, I will retire from my full-time job. That will give me more time to devote to my coaching, which will help supplement my retirement income and give my family financial freedom,” Debbie says. “The team I am a part of is a family. My clients are my family. I want to let everyone know how incredible this program is and how life-changing and a blessing it has been to me. If I can be successful with it, anyone can.”