08:41 AM CST on Thursday, November 6, 2003

MEG FARRIS / WWL-TV Medical Reporter

It may be the most dramatic weight loss without surgery you've ever seen. When faced with a life or death situation, one New Orleans woman stayed focused and determined and lost 300 pounds. Medical reporter Meg Farris looks at Anna Christiana’s incredible transformation in this Weight Loss Wednesdays.

For half of a century she felt worthless. Overweight her entire life, Anna Christiana's self esteem hit rock bottom.

“You always grab for second best,” said Christiana. “You figure because you're fat you're stupid you're dumb and you can't do nothing.”

She weighed in at 476 pounds on the industrial scale of her family's old seafood business on Oak Street. Then one day her weight nearly took her life.

WWL-TV Anna had many health problems before she began her program

Only in her early 50's, she made a promise from her hospital bed in the form of a poem. .

Doctors say you may never walk without a cane and your heart will this always be the same. I am tired of not breathing well; will I ever see the light? Please lord let me live again tonight.

So 20 months ago she began a new lifestyle: no more than 1000 calories a day and exercise.

“You either live or you die,” said Christiana. “Seriously it was as simple as that.”

Once she made up her mind the weight melted off. She lost nearly 300 pounds in less than 2 years. She ate fruits, vegetables, lean baked and grilled poultry, sugar-free wheat bread, and only three meals a day. She also cut out all fried foods and sweets.

“My first 4 months was hell,” said Christiana. “I went into shakes. My body was saying what are you doing.”

It took eight months on her strict calorie diet before she could get her steps to see the outside world. Then she began walking. At first it was only a block or so. Now she’s up to five miles a day.

All the while she was “cleaning house,” getting rid of the emotional garbage and the reason behind the addiction to food.

“My lifestyle is totally different and so much fun,” she said. “It's like to have control on something you've never had in your life is just incredible.”

WWl-TV Anna now walks five miles a day

She wrote novels, hundreds of poems and meditation quotes that she wants to publish.

Her daily five-mile walk is so precious she can't stand when people complain about the gift of physical activity.

“It took me time to accept a compliment and believe it's okay,” said Christiana. “Now I can look in the mirror and say, ‘you're pretty cool, I like you!’”

Experts say the long-term odds are against people like Anna, but with a strong support system she can do it.

“There are exceptions to every rule and this women is one of them,” said Dr. Merritt Ayad, an LSUHSC psychologist. “People usually don't lose this magnitude of weight and keep it off.”

Anna said she still wants to lose more weight, and has hopes that one day she'll get the surgery she can't afford to remove all the excess skin.

“God finishes everything he starts in his time so there is somebody out there that will help me along,” said Anna.