UK Health & Wellness Success Stories
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Busy schedule and world travel don't block weight loss progress
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D. Allan Butterfield, Ph.D. The Alumni Association Endowed Professor of Biological Chemistry; Director, Center of Membrane Sciences; Faculty Associate, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center; and Faculty Associate, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging |
Q: When and why did you decide to join Weight Loss Matters?
A: I joined WLM in October 2008 to determine if this program would lead to more success than others I had tried. I am pleased to state that this is indeed the case.
Q: How did the program/staff help you?
A: Dr. Karen McNees and Helen Moseley have been singularly helpful in a number of ways. (a) Their professionalism is appealing; (b) Their positive approach to encouragement is helpful; (c) Their accommodation to special circumstances has been helpful; (d) Their impressive knowledge of nutrition and their imparting of this knowledge in constructive ways have been helpful.
Q: What was your biggest challenge?
A: There have been several challenges, but perhaps the biggest is that I do a lot of traveling all over the world associated with being invited to present our research on Alzheimer's disease. How does one stay connected with the WLM program in such cases? The answer is that Dr. McNees and Helen have been so helpful to send handouts electronically to me, and, more importantly, they have permitted me to submit my WLM food and exercise diaries electronically to them, along with weekly weigh-ins from different locations.
I needed a program that I could stick with, and this appears to me to be it. WLM has an expectation of self-discipline, which appeals to me. WLM does not ask more than is reasonable to ensure weight loss, so that, at least for me, I can lose weight without feeling hungry all the time. This allows me to achieve a steady, slow weight loss, which research suggests is key to reaching and maintaining one's goal. Important to me, the WLM food diaries allow me to see what food categories I have used for a day or week, and how to modulate food intake in cases where levels of a particular category have been exceeded.
Q: What are your results to date? Have you reached your goal?
A: I am pleased to state that I have lost 25 pounds thus far. I have not reached my ultimate goal yet, but I continue to stay involved in the program and expect that I will reach my goal eventually.
Q: How does it feel to be YOU now?
A: I feel motivated to reach my goals and pleased with the results so far. I have purchased new clothes, which is fairly rewarding. I believe my personal and professional lives are pretty exciting, and I expect weight loss has something to do with this.
2009 Biggest BLUE Loser wins at weight loss
Jennifer Allen, the 2009 Biggest Blue Loser female winner, lost 19 pounds during the 10-week competition. She continues attending Weight Loss Matters classes. To date, she has lost a total of 27 pounds. She shares her success story below.
Q: Why did you join Biggest Loser/Weight Loss Matters?
A: After my husband had such great success by joining Weight
Loss Matters a year ago, I decided to give it a try in order to
lose weight and tone up after having two children in a little over
two years.
Q: How did the program and staff help you?
A: Getting a personalized eating plan was very helpful. It gave me set guidelines that I needed to start making changes in
my diet. I also began working out at the gym again, which feels so good. The staff is encouraging and never judgmental. It
was such a positive experience that I signed up for another 10 weeks.
Q: What was your biggest challenge?
A: I love starches and my biggest challenge was getting past the first two weeks when I felt hungry all the time. Now I hardly notice that I used to eat so many starches and carbs. It was also a challenge to find time with two young children to go to the gym. Once I started going during my lunch break, I realized I could make time and not have it interfere with time with my boys.
Q: What are your results to date? Have you reached your goal?
A: At the end of my first 10 week session, I lost 19 pounds. It was so motivating to see the physical differences and to feel stronger again. My goal is to lose another 10 pounds in the next 10-week session (by summer) and then I’d like to lose another 10 after that to get to my goal weight. (Editor's note: To date, Jennifer has lost 27 pounds!)
Q: How does it feel to be YOU now?
A: It really feels great – I feel healthier and have more energy. I feel in control of my body again and just physically stronger. It feels really good knowing that I can set a goal for losing weight and exceed it. It is so rewarding to know I can take control and do this – for myself and my family.
An unexpected joy brings about an extraordinary change
By John Hoover (Body Shop member and spouse of UK employee, Anna Hoover)
I joined the Body Shop on February 3, 2009 (or should say re-joined as I had been a previous member several years ago). The obvious reason I rejoined was to get back into shape, but there is a bit more to it than that. I knew I needed to change.
I was over 40 and over 300 pounds! My doctor had put me on medications for high cholesterol and high blood pressure.My doctor also told me if I didn't make changes, I faced the very real possibility of diabetes. But I ignored her advice thinking I could get back into shape anytime I wanted. I was just too busy to get serious about it then. All that was about to change forever, as was the rest of my life. That brings me to the real reason for wanting to get back into shape and stay there – the birth of my first child.
Our daughter came very unexpectedly into our lives. My wife, Anna, had been diagnosed some years ago with acute endometriosis and uterine fibroids and was told by her doctor she most likely could not have children. We had come to terms with this. Well, her condition progressed to the point that her doctor recommended a full hysterectomy. Now the reality of never having children was upon us, but we thought we were prepared as we knew this day would come. To prepare her for the upcoming surgery, her doctor performed a minor surgical procedure and prescribed hormones along with a medication to inhibit her menstrual cycle. The hope was to shrink the fibroids so she could have the hysterectomy laparoscopically instead of a full incision.
The side effects of this treatment included no menstrual cycle and nausea. You guessed it, the same signs as early pregnancy. My wife indeed had all of the symptoms, but we thought it was because of the medications. The day of the surgery arrived. We checked into the hospital and were waiting together until the time for surgery. A nurse came in and told us the surgery would have to be cancelled because the routine pregnancy test came back positive! You could have knocked us over with a feather! We absolutely could not believe it! But the real shocker came two days later at a follow-up doctor’s visit that revealed not only was she pregnant but was four and a half months along! All the symptoms she was experiencing were NOT due to the meds, but rather the pregnancy. Four months later we had a beautiful baby daughter, Evelyn Rose. She is the REAL reason for my life change.
So far, I have lost 58 pounds, four pant sizes, and eight inches off my waist. My cholesterol has dropped from 217 to 150. My blood pressure has gone from 140's/90's to under 120/80; my last reading was 119/72. As far as goals go, I have met some short-term goals, but still have a way to go long-term. I am not as concerned about my weight as my measurements. Ultimately I would like to get my waist size less than 36 inches.
Kimberlee Kabbes at the Body Shop has been invaluable in this process. I was no stranger to the gym, but it had been several years. She listened to my goals and helped me set up an exercise program that was right for me.
My biggest challenge may be yet to come. And that's keeping the weight off and continuing this healthy lifestyle of exercising and eating right. I guess that would fall under the category of staying motivated. But I'm happy to report that I've only had minor set backs so far and am still very motivated to continue my journey!
To be ME now feels great! I sleep better. I feel better. The biggest thing for me, when I was over 300 pounds, was not being able to enjoy physical activities that I once loved. But now I walk when I golf. I once again enjoy camping and hiking. My dogs love me, as I walk them more often and farther. I also plan to take up tennis again soon.And best of all I'll be able to share all these things with my daughter!
My advice: Don't put it off, make changes now – even if they are small ones. Over time, small changes add up to make a big difference. I know the changes I've made have and continue to provide wonderful benefits and add to my enjoyment of life.
Taking care of ourselves: A Weight Loss Matters success story
Sandy Slater before and after losing 30 pounds.
Sandy Slater has been on and off of various weight-loss programs for much of her adult life. Even when she lost weight, her success was only temporary as she regained the weight time after time. It’s a struggle to which many of us can relate.
Other health problems went hand-in-hand with Sandy’s weight gain – arthritis began to creep in and she was put on medication for high blood pressure. She knew medication was only a temporary fix and did not address the underlying weight problem.
“This time, I needed a life altering change,” Sandy said.
Sandy decided to join Weight Loss Matters, a 10-week program taught by registered dietitians. With guidance, she changed her nutrition and exercise habits. Her hard work paid off with a 27-pound weight loss. But Sandy’s rewards go far beyond the numbers on a scale.
“It has also changed my life,” Sandy said. “I was told by my doctor that I didn’t have to take anymore blood pressure pills. The weight loss and exercise have brought the blood pressure down and it’s staying down.”
Being healthy, Sandy said, is a daily commitment and it takes work. But her greatest challenge is having the right attitude. She realizes the “I don’t care” attitude is easy to fall back on, but it will get you nowhere. She works to keep a positive attitude, even during her time of heartbreak after losing her mother.
“Before mom died, I knew that she prayed for us before our feet hit the floor after a good night’s sleep,” Sandy said. “I keep that in my mind – how someone could care enough to do that for another. Why can’t we do that for ourselves? I think you have to focus on something that will guide you back into the right mindset to stay on the path for your well being.”
-- Melanie Jackson Sparks
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