Medical Success Stories
Mary Richardson and Allan Karchner
Mary and Allan are a husband and wife team that decided to lose weight together. For Christmas 2004, they gave one another the gift of health. They worked together to achieve their weight loss goals by modifying their lifestyle and transforming their home into a "healthy home." Their success was phenomenal!
They lost a combined 100 pounds and over 44 inches. However, what you cannot see is that Allan was able to stop his diabetes and high blood pressure medications, which will add additional healthy years to his life. St. John Weight Loss Center guided them on their journey to making lifestyle changes that helped them accomplish their health goals.
- Mary lost 33.5 pounds and 21.5 inches in 13 weeks
- Allan lost 57.4 pounds and was able to discontinue his diabetic and blood pressure medication
Mary Bonomo
"I have tried every imaginable diet and weight loss program and this was the FIRST one I could stick to. I was actually motivated to attend every week. The program helped me with much more than just taking off the weight. It taught me how to plan meals and snacks before my day began. I not only learned how to read a food label but I also learned how to understand one. The program helped me to prioritize exercise and understand the real importance of physical activity."
- Mary lost 41.2 pounds and 15.75 inches in 13 weeks.
Sue Henry
Sue lost 41 pounds in 17 weeks. She lost a total of 24.5 inches and decreased her BMI by 7 points.
Judy Detloff
“I started the program on March 7, after I saw a flyer on the wall at my doctor’s office. I had tried everything else to lose weight and had not been successful. Since this was a medical weight loss program, I figured that it couldn't hurt to try it.”
After coming in for a consultation, Judy decided this was what she was looking for. “I needed a lifestyle change. And, I needed professionals to tell me what to do, to show me what to do, to help me do what I needed to do.”
“I was able to get into an exercise routine with Maria
Lijoi’s (personal trainer) help. She visited my home and showed me how to do simple daily exercises at my home. She developed an exercise program using the weights and treadmill I already had.”
Through exercise and learning how to properly eat, Judy has lost almost 70 pounds and 30 inches. She had been a borderline diabetic and had blood pressure issues but now her blood levels are fantastic.
“You really need to step back and think what is important to you health-wise. When you start moving in the right direction, everything will fall into place. The other participants in the medical weight loss program at St. John really inspire each other and I enjoyed our meetings.”
Justine Schram
“Since February 2007, I have lost over 70 pounds. St. John Weight Loss Center gave me the tools to achieve my weight loss success.”
Justine had struggled with weight most of her life and had become a borderline diabetic. She attended an informational seminar in October 2006, but wasn’t ready to start the program until after the holidays. One of the key factors she really liked was that there was a doctor involved and that her health would be monitored throughout the transformation. One of the first things Dr. Machesky discovered was that the migraine medicine Justine was currently taking had a fat inhibitor – which made weight loss difficult.
Patients also have a personal trainer during the program who creates an exercise program for each individual and helps participants read food labels and make sensible food choices. “People are successful when they learn they can do it on their own,” said Maria Lijoi, Exercise Specialist and Registered Dietitian. “I work with what each patient can do at the time and help them realize that they can exercise anywhere.”
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Justine started her exercise program with walking. She was unable to walk for more than 12 minutes without losing her breath. With her son Nick joining the high school cross country team, she was motivated to start conditioning with him. Now she is able to run for an hour on her treadmill and is training for a 5K run.
“They should really change the name to 'Lifestyle Center,' instead of 'Weight Loss Center,' because they teach us to eat, shop and think differently. Now I think about where I am going and I make wise choices. We used to go out to eat at least four times a week, now I really enjoy cooking and preparing meals.”
“I am really disgusted about the past. I have learned to take responsibility for myself and my weight – it's no one else’s fault I was overweight. I have also learned how to eat and I am not on any medication anymore. Everything I needed to succeed was here at St. John. The tools are there if you want to use them.”
Kim Bauer
“I had tried numerous weight loss programs but had no lasting success. I had found the flyer for this program in my doctor’s office and decided to check it out. My doctor really encouraged me and I was excited to attend an informational meeting.”.jpg)
During the meeting, something really “clicked." Kim knew that this is what she needed--a program that actually shows you how and helps you lose weight.
“I had been overweight most of my life. Now I have lost over 75 pounds and feel physically healthy. I learned that I was an emotional eater – mindlessly eating more than I needed. Attending classes that dealt with emotional eating has helped me change that. I no longer just grab something to eat as I walk by.”
“A lot of the participants don’t want guesswork (when it comes to food),” said medical director, Dr. Kelly Machesky. “They like having a set plan and balanced meals. Our most important goal is to get patients off medicines related to weight issues, such as hypertension and diabetes. Ironically, joint pain lessens with weight loss. Losing 10 percent of your body weight can make you feel 50 percent better!”
Kim said that St. John Weight Loss Center has not only improved her lifestyle, but it has also helped improve her whole family’s lifestyle. Since February 13, 2007 she has finally found her weight loss success.
The Warrens
Larry and Pat Warren started their program in November 2006 and have continued to keep off more than 110 combined pounds! Jennifer Bourbonnais, director of the institute, explains, “In order to lose weight and keep it off for a lifetime, you cannot just go through the motions of diet and exercise. You have to adopt a healthy philosophy within yourself. Larry and Pat Warren found this to be true as they allowed the professionals at St. John Weight Loss Center help change their lives.".jpg)
“Physically, I began to breathe better and my sleep apnea was cured,” said Larry. “Now I can actually get a good night's sleep. This, in turn, has given me a significant boost in energy throughout the day. I no longer experience mid-day drowsiness and I can concentrate better! Emotionally, I feel better about myself since I've lost weight and gained the ability to exercise.”
Larry's wife, Pat, also reports more energy and better sleep as a result of her weight loss. “The weekly meetings are fun, supportive and interesting,” she said. “I received excellent care and compassion during each step of the program. It is well organized and run by knowledgeable and friendly professionals who care about each of us in a personal way.”
“The folks at St. John Weight Loss Center are a wonderfully supportive group”, said Larry. “At our weekly gatherings we not only monitored progress and learned about strategies to make this important lifestyle changes, but we also shared our individual experiences. It’s an excellent support system.”
By incorporating exercise training, balanced nutrition, lifestyle education, and medical supervision, the ability to achieve long-term success is obtainable.