BY GINNY PRIVITAR
WEST MILFORD — There’s a new weight loss support group in town. Fighting Chance Weight Loss Support LLC is run by Donna Jean Neill, better known to many as D.J. As a normal human being who has struggled with her own weight problems, she said she wanted to start a group that would “help people with real solutions to weight loss issues.”
It’s a straight forward support group, Neill said. There are group meetings and a different topic is discussed at each one. Members are encouraged to keep a journal to write down what they’ve eaten and anything else that comes to mind. Neill said she is big on journaling.
“A lot of times we don’t know what we eat until we see it in black and white,” she said. Awareness is the first step toward change.
Neill said meetings can be flexible and if the group is dealing with an issue other than the scheduled topic, then that will be the topic. Neill knows firsthand about weight challenges.
“I’ve been dealing with weight loss for a long time now. I’m not at goal but consider myself a motivational speaker," she said. "I still struggle with my own weight loss issues and that’s why I feel I can connect to the people sitting in the room.”
Neill is assistant director at the Fair Lawn Senior Center and a group fitness instructor, certified through the American Council on Exercise.
Fighting Chance meets at The Chelsea Assisted Living building, 197 Cahill Cross Road, but that will change in December. Meetings are on Monday nights from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Neill is just getting started with Fighting Chance Weight Loss Support group and is working on a web page. Contact her either on Facebook or at the phone number listed below for the new location and any information.
Earlier in her career, Neill was a leader for Weight Watchers. She is also a certified “Pound fit” instructor of a 45-minute group exercise/fitness class. They use Ripstix, lightly weighted exercise drumsticks and beat out a rhythm with the sticks while doing fitness exercises. Proponents say they can burn as many as 900 calories in a session. Not content with just teaching fitness, Neill has also competed in Spartan races, finishing three Spartan races in one year.
In her program, Neill said, members will eat real food, have weekly weigh-ins and group discussions.
“Together we will support each other and deal with real weight loss issues and find solutions so that you can be active and achieve your goals,” Neill said.
Neill likes to focus on the positive. She knows you may not have had a great week, but instead of seeing just a negative, she wants you “to see what you did good during the week. It’s not all about the number on the scale,” she said. “It’s a head game.”
Her advice: Focus on the positive with like-minded people and change will come.