H.L.

I have struggled with my weight my entire life. I was a husky child, a chubby teenager, and an obese adult. Over the years, I’ve lost and gained hundreds and hundreds of pounds.

As identical twins, my brother and I know firsthand about the impact of genetics and weight management. We inherited obesity from our mother? side of the family. Our weights have been up and down, sometimes at the same time and sometimes at opposite times, but neither of us has been able to successfully maintain the losses achieved through a variety of diets and programs.

After avoiding annual physicals for years because I was afraid of what it would reveal, I finally made and kept an appointment in June 2007. The results included elevated blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.

The doctor, who always calls me “big guy,” told me I had two choices: either lose weight or start taking medication. He said that weight loss would correct my health problems. I decided that it was time to do something but I didn’t know what to do. As luck would have it, a friend told me that he had just started on a great weight management program and that I should check it out. It took a while until I built up the courage to make the first appointment … but the rest is history.

At my first visit to the George Washington University Weight Management Program, I was impressed by the friendly and caring staff and the individual attention I received. The doctor reviewed my medical records and the different food plans available and I chose Program A, a full meal replacement program, a decision that I believe made all the difference for me. I like to tell people that I completely divorced myself from food for the first few months. I didn’t have to make any choices or worry about portion sizes, calories, fat grams, etc. While this might not work for everyone, it allowed me to get quick results that motivated me to be successful.

After the first four months I had lost almost 80 pounds.

Over the next three months, I lost another 45 pounds as I migrated to more food choices. After a total loss of 125 pounds, I decided to move into a maintenance mode. I have been maintaining that loss in an acceptable range since March 2008.

Several things have been key to my success:
- Weekly weight monitoring and doctor/dietician supervision,
- Developing and integrating an exercise program in conjunction with the clinic staff, and
- Attending educational classes that taught me the tools needed to maintain my weight loss.

For the first time in memory, I am no longer obese. People ask me if I feel great. Of course I do! But the important thing is that the results from my blood work are great. All of the health problems noted above have been resolved. I continue to be motivated, empowered, and educated to make the choices necessary to stay on track. I have recommended the George Washington University Weight Management Program to several friends and am encouraged by the successes that they too have had. — H.L.