• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Their Loss, Their Gain; Bay State Dieters Share Success Stories

Posted on: Monday, 9 January 2006, 12:00 CST

By DAWN WITLIN

Bay State's own biggest losers may be able to help you keep your New Year's diet resolution - despite what experts agree is an obesity problem that literally grows larger each year.

"There are more and more people who are overweight, and the overweight are fatter than ever," said Massachusetts General Hospital physician and Harvard professor Dr. Harvey B. Simon.

But not everyone's getting fatter. Following, the skinny from four successful Bay State dieters:

- At 208 pounds, schoolteacher Alisa Ruby-Torres, 45, of Norton considered seeking gastric bypass surgery to slim down last year.

Instead, she enrolled at Health Management Resources in Newton.

"I was a couch potato," Ruby-Torres said. "I had tried other diets and lost weight, but I never maintained it until I realized that this is truly a commitment - it's not easy and not always fun."

Ruby-Torres lost 119 pounds in nine months with the help of HMR's low-calorie meal replacements and nutrition education sessions.

Ruby-Torres now attends weekly HMR meetings, belongs to three gyms and participated in Boston's "Walk for Hunger" last year.

"I think the key to success is making sure you're not bored," she said.

- Computer programmer Rick Genter, 45, of Arlington also attends HMR sessions at Winchester Hospital's Weight Management Program.

When Genter joined the program in July 2002, he weighed 387 pounds. He has kept off more than 187 pounds without joining a gym or lifting weights and attributes his success to the 7-mile trek he makes each day to work.

"You start feeling better right away physically, and it's self- reinforcing - you see the results, you feel good, you're encouraged to keep it up," he said.

- Steve Johnson, 36, of Salem reached his goal weight of 188 pounds through the Weight Watchers program in October 2004, a year and three months after he began at 244 pounds.

"I traveled extensively for five years," said Johnson. "I ate alone in a hotel room, I ate a lot of salt, I lived at Wendy's."

His two sons encouraged him to follow a Weight Watchers plan.

"Losing weight is the greatest thing you can do for yourself. It just gives you a whole new you," he said.

- Mike Howard, 42, of Bridgewater weighed 310 pounds when he joined Weight Watchers.

Nowadays, he tips the scale at a fit 196 pounds.

"The most difficult part is admitting you have a problem and that you will need help to fix it," Howard said.

Howard completed the Boston Marathon last year, and has run three triathalons.

Simon applauds such athletic dieters.

"I am convinced that for weight loss, it is essential to provide both diet and exercise - and how you tailor that diet is up to you," he said.

You, too, can get with the program

For more information about the diet programs that worked for our biggest losers, contact the following:

Health Management Resources

59 Temple Place, Boston

617-357-9876

800-418-1367

www.hmrprogram.com

Winchester Hospital Weight Management Program

Nutritionist Nancy Maddox, 781-396-6221

Weight Watchers

800-651-6000

Hotline featuring weekly tips to get started: 888-ATIP-4YOU

Dr. Harvey B. Simon's book "The No Sweat Exercise Plan, Lose Weight, Get Healthy and Live Longer."

Source: Boston Herald

More News in this Category