Kaiser Permanente Medical Weight Management Program
Phone: (866) 454-3480

John

Location:	San Rafael
Starting Weight:	284lbs
Current Weight:	221lbs

I didn’t consider myself to be particularly heavy until I was about 50. I had always been quite active as a career law enforcement officer and avid lover of sports, but as I got older, my weight started to creep up. I knew I needed to make a change when I noticed that my weight started to affect my ability to do some of the things I loved. Suddenly, walking my dogs and going hunting was not as easy as it used to be.

My primary care physician at Kaiser gave me a wake-up call at a routine visit one day. Even at my heaviest, I was lucky enough not to need any medicine for high blood pressure, cholesterol, or any other obesity-related issues, to which my doctor said, “You won’t be able to count on that luck for the rest of your life.” It was tough to hear, but I knew he was right. At his recommendation, I attended an orientation for the Medical Weight Management Program. Coincidentally, the testimonial speaker at my orientation was a coworker of mine. His speech inspired me—I wanted to be a role model like that for someone else one day. So, I made the commitment to let this program change my life.

My weight-loss success can be attributed wholly to the support I received from my wife and Kaiser Medical Weight Management. From the very first meeting, I was overwhelmed by the kindness I felt from all the Kaiser people. I never once felt shame or judgement walking into a session—only warmth and encouragement.

After less than a year in the program, my doctor contacted me and asked me to come into his office. The invitation was a bit confusing and alarming, but when I arrived, he told me he’d been tracking my progress and just wanted to sincerely congratulate me. He was so excited to be able to remove me from his list of obese and pre-diabetic patients that he wanted to do it in person. This is just one example of the tremendous support I received from Kaiser. The whole staff really cared about me and wanted me to succeed.

Thanks to this program, I’ve lost 60 pounds and kept them off for over two and one-half years. I can’t rely on youth and luck to keep me healthy anymore—I had to roll up my sleeves and change my lifestyle, but it’s been so worth it. After completing Kaiser MWM, I have so much more energy to do the things that I love. I sleep better (as does my wife—no more sleep apnea!), and I don’t have any joint pain anymore.

Last year, my wife and I took a celebratory trip to Italy for a walking-oriented vacation. Though a vacation to a place known for its decadent cuisine would have surely caused me to gain weight before, I wasn’t worried about staying on a healthy track this time. I knew I would be able to apply the skills I learned in MWM classes to allow myself to experience Italy (and its food) fully without slipping out of control.

*Keep in mind that each patient is unique; your results may vary.