51 years old
Starting Weight: 372.6 lbs.
Ending Weight: 239 lbs.
Within the first two minutes of meeting Victor, I learned he had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 5 years ago. Diet, exercise and Metformin were doing nothing to control his blood sugar, which would sometimes hit the 380s with A1C at 14. He routinely had total cholesterol levels above 400. His resting blood pressure was never lower than 120. There was fear in his eyes. He told me he did not think he would live to see his next birthday. He also told me he was ready to change his life.
Having been in practice 16 years, I have gotten pretty good at knowing when someone is willing to do what it takes to change their life. He was one of them.
As a farmer, it was an effort to go up and down into the tractor. Breathing was difficult, as any exertion would make him rest. Hiking and hunting are his favorite activities, and he had done neither for several months. Snoring had gotten so bad he had not slept in the same bed with his wife for 7 years. Something had to change, and he decided he would. He listened carefully to the instructions that first day and told me he would do it and would say goodbye to 100 lbs. before he was done. I believed him.
It was no surprise then that his next visit for the SHAPE Program, he had freed himself of the first 26 lbs. By the third visit, his fasting blood sugar was between 95-110. He told me, with a big smile, “Had you told me this would happen three weeks ago, I would have thought you were a quack.” Each week more and more weight came off and his joints felt better. Victor had more energy than he had in several years. He was now able to walk the woods and deer hunt again. His snoring had stopped.
At the end, he freed himself of 133+ lbs. His blood pressure was within normal range. His A1C was 6.1 and total cholesterol was 131.
WOW is all I could think while writing this. This man was going to die, but now is going to live and live well. Victor is a testament to motivation. Was it fear or just being sick and tired of being sick and tired?! What will it take for you to motivate yourself or someone you love?
