In total I lost 146 pounds!
Lois's Favorite Activities
I can sit on a bike and pedal, or walk on the treadmill or elliptical.
I took dancing lessons and now do line dancing.
I take my dog on long walks.
I have more stamina.
I'm a singer.
I love to dress up!
Lois's Health Tips
- Start the day with green tea with lemon. I sip while getting dressed and before breakfast.
- For breakfast, try a boiled egg (but only eat the whites), 1 to 2 strips of bacon cooked on paper towel in the microwave
- Pack up lunch every day.
My favorites:
- Lean Cuisine, side salad, water, peanuts in shells and granola bar and/or protein bar.
Keep almonds handy.
- Cut up a protein bars in pieces and use to curb cravings when stuck in traffic or running to meetings.
- Keep fruits and vegetables in Ziploc bags for handy snacking.
Lois's weight loss story
My name is Lois and I lost 146 pounds with weight loss surgery at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center.
It wasn't until I was about 44 or 45 when I really started to get big. Of course, with that came all kinds of problems-sleep apnea, high blood pressure, asthma and spine issues. My pulmonary doctor told me that if I didn't get the weight off, I was not going to live. I didn't believe them at first. I even went to the cemetery to talk to my parents about this decision.
I'm a teacher and I need to keep moving around. But I was up to 326 pounds.
My doctor recommended St. Vincent. I came to a seminar and was in classes for nine months before I scheduled surgery. As a lifelong student, I wanted to be educated on the surgery. I made up my mind after meeting with the patient advocate and the surgeon.
Other programs will cut you loose after your surgery. But I'm still seeing Peter Valencic and Dr. Salomone. What I didn't realize was that all that time I spent in classes and support groups ahead of time was training me for my life post-surgery. So when I asked about what I would eat, Peter said to me, "You know that diet you were on before surgery? THAT'S what you eat now."
I realized then, that I have this program for life.