If you’ve convinced yourself that you can’t reach your weight loss goals — that you’re too old, or it’s too hard, or that no method or diet will work for you — think again.
Last summer, I had all but concluded that I wasn’t able to get back into healthy physical condition. I weighed 240 pounds, and at age 48, there were times when it seemed as if I were 30 years older. I was worried about how I physically felt — always tired and stressed — and was embarrassed by how unhealthy I looked. It appeared I had reached a point in life where there were more physical activities in which I could no longer participate than ones that I could realistically enjoy. And that’s a sad realization when you have a young son who’s always eager to spend quality time with his dad.
My brother-in-law introduced me to Dr. Jenny Liu and the Unimed Center’s weight loss program in August 2013. My first impulse with new things is to be skeptical — I had done weight-loss programs such as Nutrisystem, Slim Fast and Weight Watchers in the past with limited, unsustained success — but seeing the remarkable results he had gotten through Unimed and the Optifast program in a relatively short time made it obvious that this was worth trying.
I remember how I felt the day I walked into Unimed for the first time. At first, I was intimidated, but that didn’t last for long. Dr. Liu and her personable staff were very positive, and fully convinced that I was going to get the results I was seeking. I left the office also feeling confident, and determined.
The first step was getting detailed blood work and an examination at Unimed that provided a comprehensive baseline for the program. There was plenty of room for improvement on my part. One measurement said my “fitness age” was 70!
Adapting to a specific diet such as Optifast was challenging at first. It requires will power, but there were elements of the plan that were agreeable as well, especially for someone like myself who works long hours and odd shifts. In fact, introducing the surprisingly satisfying Optifast protein shakes, bars and soups into my busy lifestyle couldn’t have been more convenient. Instead of spending hours planning and preparing meals each day, I spent 2 minutes or less on each, which actually left more time for daily exercise and other activities. The regular visits to Dr. Liu’s office to monitor my progress were helpful, insightful and encouraging.
In four months’ time, I lost 45 pounds on the diet, mainly in body fat. I dropped 4 pants sizes. I was no longer in the “obese” range in the standard medical indexes. My blood work is healthy and normal as is my blood pressure, and my “fitness age” now matches my actual age. I have the energy to go to the gym every day now, and I’m looking forward to an active summer with my family.
The convenience of this diet plan, the support of Dr. Liu and her staff, and the consistent results I got over a short time made this the ideal weight-loss program for me, and I would recommend it to anyone seeking to improve their health and lifestyle.
