Scott: Finally, A Program That Truly Sees ME

I’m kind of a weird case. I’m 5’7″ and weigh about 300 pounds. I have Type 2 diabetes plus hypercholesterolemia and a bunch of other chronic stuff.

And I’m an Ironman triathlete. I had to swim 1.2 miles in a lake, ride my bike 56 miles, and run a half-marathon.

Some of the people at work didn’t believe I had really done it, until they saw the finish-line photo. It was kind of funny, but it kind of wasn’t, you know?

Anyway, I have been trying and trying to get on top of what I weigh for years.

Clearly my problem is not exercise. My problem has always been the food aspect.

I can do great for weeks, but then I go through stretches where I mow through literally thousands of calories in about 15 minutes.

I’ve tried a bunch of diets and lifestyle programs but they’re always too basic and they just aren’t tailored for my situation. It’s just obvious stuff, like don’t eat fast food too much.

Plus, it really makes me mad when the program leader just assumes I’m not working out. You should ask me, and not jump to conclusions. You don’t know who I am, or what my issues are, just by looking at me.

I knew I was finally in the right place when my health coach started by asking me about myself. No preconceptions or assumptions. He didn’t act amazed that I exercise, either. He just accepted me, for me.

As we worked together, it was obvious to me that everything we did was tailored to my specific issues. For example, we’re spending a lot of time on strategies for binging and cravings, new ways of preventing it and reining it in.

It has felt so different, it’s an approach with ideas that I haven’t seen or tried before, and I feel like I’m finally on a good path.

(Stories represent typical situations based on the aggregated experiences of our providers and clients.)