Letter to Fountain House

Hello Everyone,

My name is Hamid and I am writing this story with the hope of inspiring and encouraging you to lose weight and be healthier.

Now, I am letting you enter my world. The most I ever weighed was 320 + pounds. I was unhealthy, obese and inactive. I was working and making a reasonable amount of money. I had no knowledge of what made healthy living and a lifestyle.

First, I was eating a lot and in my mind I was eating well. I was eating deluxe egg sandwiches for breakfast. Lunch consisted of deluxe hamburgers, hero sandwiches, Chinese food, and other assorted fried food, not to mention of course, junk food including soft drinks.

Now the bad part – my cholesterol was high, so was my blood pressure, and I had type II Diabetes. Often that is what happens when you are not exercising and have a bad diet. Basic knowledge was missing in my life.

Now, how I started losing weight – I was hospitalized and I was more or less an unhealthy wreck. During my hospitalization I heard about Fountain House, I applied and became a member. After a few years I was discharged from the hospital. I attended Fountain House every day and moved into their supportive housing program, a very important part in my life. After moving out of the hospital I had a chance to cook for myself in a stable living situation. Still, I was not eating correctly. I was cooking but in very large amounts and the food was not healthy. At home I began cooking spaghetti, rice, steak, and chicken; better than the other stuff I was eating before, but still not right for my health.

Now the story begins – While I was coming to Fountain Hose I met someone who became a good friend and changed my whole life. We were in the same unit at Fountain House, Horticulture. At that time I was going through a rough time and so was my friend. At that moment we had each other’s friendship and that meant so much to both of us, we had hope. We started seeing each other almost every day. We had a beautiful relationship. She used to come to my apartment and I went to hers. Of course I used to cook but I also went to McDonald’s and occasionally for Chinese food. She comes into my life; she looks in my kitchen cabinet and says I have to get oregano and parsley. She loves to eat steak but she wants salad and fruit. She wants green tea and San Pellegrino water to drink. Well that is where it all began, trips to the super market. Of course I wanted to impress her with the different things I could think to buy. We also started going out to places like Starbucks and Borders Books. We started taking picnics to Central Park. Our walks were not always very long but very fast, I mean very fast. I could not keep up. She used to walk so fast that she would disappear. I had to call her on the cell phone and ask where she was. One day, I remember we were in line at Starbuck’s and she looked at me and said, your face is looking better, you are losing weight. That moment completely inspired me to lose more weight!

Now the walking begins – at that time I was living in supportive housing at 92^nd Street and taking the 1 train to Fountain House on 47^th Street. I began walking to Fountain House instead of taking the train; sometimes I walked both there and back home. Attending Fountain House every day and having a beautiful and very complex relationship with my friend I found myself losing more weight. People began looking at me in a new way, telling me I am losing weight and I am looking better. Those comments were motivating me more and I was helping out at Horticulture and eating the meals in Fountain House’s dining room. Oddly, the financial problems I was experiencing at that time, as I was no longer working at the hospital, made it necessary to eat the inexpensive lunches at Fountain House. I also started bringing very inexpensive, portion-controlled, nutritional meals home from the Cook ‘N Carry program at Fountain House. I walked home from Fountain House, walked with my friend, and ate a little healthier every day.

One day I was in Horticulture and Joe Schafer from the First Floor unit approached me and asked if I want to do the 20 mile Suicide Prevention Walk with him. I said yes! The reason Joe asked me is because he knew about my long walks. I am able to walk, but one thing I cannot figure out is, even though I weighed 280 + pounds, he still asked me to walk. Well, I just did the 20 mile walk last year and I had lots of fun and it was for a great cause. The 20 mile walk motivated me even more so I kept on walking more and more, faster and faster. It also inspired me to purchase a Diamond Back bicycle. I started going to the park and riding the bike and have kept walking.

Now the biggest story – the Wellness unit and Ruth Parson. Yes, I was in the Horticulture unit with Ruth Parson and she was a great help to me on the unit as were Sheldon, Ronnie, Jessica, Janet, and Liana. Now Ruth became the leader of the new Wellness unit and I went with her. The Wellness unit began serving really healthy breakfast and lunches and I started eating healthier and started reading books on health and I started occasionally using the gym upstairs in the unit. Yes, more and more weight started coming off.

One trip to the hospital I remember was like a miracle. The doctor told me that the blood work results were looking better and better every time I went for my visits. First, the high cholesterol disappeared, then the diabetes, then the high blood pressure. The doctor took me off the medications and at my yearly physical he stated that my body was healthy and my illnesses were under control. It was due to eating a healthy diet and exercise.

My dream came true! I was able to be healthy because of diet and exercise and Fountain House and my friends. Well, by now you are asking who was Hamid’s friend. Well, her name will remain confidential. But Ruth Parson and Joe Schafer had a great impact on my life, as well as everyone in Fountain House.

On June 7^th another Suicide Prevention Walk took place and I joined Joe again fund raising and walking. I met old friends from last year’s walk and walked with Ali and Nelson from Fountain House new to the walk. This year I am a new man. In years past I was 320 + pounds and unhealthy; last year I was 280 + pounds and somewhat healthy; now I am 227 pounds. I still have more to go but now I am healthy and looking good and feeling good. I am having a healthier diet and I am exercising and learning more about nutrition.

Knowledge is the key to healthy living and a healthy lifestyle. As for my friend, she is doing well; she is working, has a boyfriend, and looks great. She is not a regular part of my life now but her impact in my life was great. A couple of months ago I met her after eight or nine months not seeing each other. I let her know that she was a great influence on my life and I love her because of that. She said that I look beautiful and that meant the world to me. Now we have different lives and have gone different directions but I will never forget her friendship. I also had a great impact in her life but that is another story. I just want to thank everyone at Fountain House for enabling me to be myself and be healthy and happy.

Love, Hamid