CRANSTON, R.I. -- Jerry Zarrella considers himself a big loser.
When he went to the Medi-Weight Loss Clinic in Cranston he weighed 318 pounds.
He's now 215 pounds with a goal to be 210.
Dr. Fred Brosco, who is the medical director at the Cranston clinic, said the philosophy of the program is steps.
"The first step in the phase of the treatment includes assessment of the patient's weight, bone, body mass index, total body fat. We assess their liver test, thyroid function test to make sure there's not a medical reason for their problem," he said.
The first few months of the program are considered the acute phase. Patients are limited to 500 calories a day and are required to take vitamin supplements and some are put on fat burners.
Zarrella went from an eating addiction to learning how to eat more nutritionally balanced meals and smaller portions.
He did it and so did Betsy Wehrheim. She weighed 249 points.
"Physically, I felt horrible. I was not healthy. I was pre-diabetic. (I had) high-blood pressure," she said.
Wehrheim signed up with the clinic last year.
"I had a weight loss every week and I started to exercise, which I hadn't. I don't believe I've ever done," she said.
Wehrheim lost 100 pounds and is now a graduate of the program.
Weight loss patient Deborah Gannon said she went from being invisible to people noticing her.
"You know how people treat you when you're fat. They don't ever see you. Well, now they smile at me. They open the door for me," she said.
More importantly Gannon said she feels awesome.
"I feel very strong and I've got flexibility I've never had before," she said.
Brosco said the combination of exercise, behavior modification, nutritional education and diet supplementation is the key to the clinic's comprehensive program.
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