At the time, Smith recalled the moment Slaton told him about being able to buckle her seatbelt in the car. He admitted that he wants Tammy to continue celebrating those non-scale victories rather than the number on the scale.
“I remember the first time I got a picture that she sent me of her riding the front seat in a car with a seatbelt, things that we may take for granted,” Smith told us . “That was a huge accomplishment for her when she used to be coming to my office in the back of a minivan with the seats removed because that was the only way that they could transport her.”
“For Tammy, I told her don’t get so caught up in a number. Enjoy the ride getting there. I want her to enjoy what we call those non-scale victories, the ability to be more mobile by herself,” he said at the time. “I’m proud of her for those weight or number goals, but what I’m most proud about is the goals that she’s achieving of actually living a healthier and happier life.”
