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Signature: Catherine Morgan Childers

Cathy Childers’ energy fills an otherwise-quiet coffee shop. Sorority girls would envy her shape and radiance—at 48 she has the energy of a swimmer, plus a swimsuit model’s body to match.

She announces why she prefers the more nutritious version of Mochasippi.

“Such is the life of being on a diet,” she says. “And it’s only 90 calories.”

Two years ago, Childers was just another 40-something who’d gradually gained a couple of pounds a year for more than a decade. Then, driving to work one day, she spotted a marquee sign at Pennington Biomedical Research Center promoting a healthy living and longevity study.

“I had put on 10 to 15 pounds over the last 15 years or so. After 15 years it adds up. I wasn’t overweight, but in my mind, the real me is what I weighed in my 20s.”

Age: 48

Occupation: DWI policy specialist

Hometown: Baton Rouge

At first she was skeptical: would the research mean no pasta and chicken scallopini for two years? Just before she aged out of the research, she signed up.

It was the first step toward her healthy life today, not to mention becoming an amateur nutritionist along the way.

The two-year program’s purpose identifies your metabolic rate along with the number of calories required to maintain it. Then, researchers help you craft a daily diet of 25% fewer calories. “This nets you a 15% weight loss.”

The first year brings steady weight loss, while the second is geared to maintain it.

The always-energetic Childers noticed a significant difference in how she feels.

“It’s not that I felt like I was overweight or ashamed,” she says. “I didn’t think 25 pounds later I would feel different. But, I’ve never been more upbeat.”

Even after her two years is up, Childers plans to keep logging her calories, but she won’t be as strict as when she started.

“I’m so different now. When I first started, I wouldn’t take one sip of this Mochasippi without logging it,” she said. “After the two years are up … I will probably gain five or so pounds back. I think I looked better five pounds ago.”

Learn more about Pennington Biomedical’s caloric restriction study at calerie.pbrc.edu.

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