Jason and Katie Hardenbergh have lost more than 300 pounds between them.
A year and a half ago, Katie weighed in at just over 300 pounds. Jason weighed 376 pounds.
"I was basically eating three or four days' worth of food in one day. That's how you gain weight," Jason said.
"My body just hurt. My legs hurt. It hurt to walk." Karie said.
Today, Katie's down 123 pounds, and Jason has lost 185 pounds. That's a total of 308 pounds.
"I think when you're heavy you don't want to be heavy," Katie said.
"I kept saying, basically, I'll lose it one day. I'll lose it one day," Jason said.
That one day began in January 2011. Katie and Jason signed up for The Miriam Hospital's weight management program.
"The majority of our patients do very well," said Dr. Vincent Pera of The Miriam Hospital.
Average weight loss is between 50 and 100 pounds. Katie and Jason started off with four meal replacements.
"And the one meal consisted of 6 ounces of lean protein, three servings of vegetables and a fruit," Jason said.
The weight started coming off.
"It came off fast. That was a huge motivator," Katie said.
"We use the liquid supplement as a means to help generate some weight loss at a rate that keeps people feeling motivated to give them that opportunity to be in treatment and over that course of treatment the behavior modification is what happens," Pera said.
At the beginning, Jason learned he had diabetes. Katie had high blood pressure. Their combined dramatic weight loss put them both in the normal categories.
"Obesity needs to be viewed as a chronic disease, and the goal of treatment is control," Pera said.
It means a shift in thinking and a permanent lifestyle change. For Jason and Katie, going back to how they were is not an option.
"We started walking, and then we bought bikes. We started bike riding," Katie said.
What sets Miriam's weight management program apart from others?
Pera said it's the comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach that includes addressing the behaviors that led to obesity and the emotions that go along with losing weight.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement