Weight Loss Lessons

Bob, a patient at OPC, was crowned the OPC Biggest Loser last week. His journey has not been easy, but through his hard work and determination he lost an astounding 20% body weight. Inspired by his success, we asked him to share some of the lessons he learned during his weight loss journey.

Bob is a left below knee amputee. He is an avid racquetball player and was beginning to experience pain with his right knee. His doctor advised him to lose weight to reduce the stress on his knee.

"Making the decision to really do something about my weight was tough. I don’t like starting something that I don’t intend to finish. But after the decision was made, the first 3-4 days were the hardest. I was on a very restrictive caloric intake of 1000 calories or less a day."

Bob fought against food obstacles presented through the course of his day in order to be successful. Devising a plan, and having a supportive family helped him achieve his goal.

"The biggest obstacles for me were wanting to eat my normal meals with my family at night and work colleagues during the day. For the time I was really dieting I would either avoid these meals or make sure there was a salad available. In addition, my wife was very supportive and would prepare meals that were very tasty and yet very low in calories. "

As any experienced dieter will attest, maintaining motivation during a diet or weight loss endeavor is the true battle.

"I bought a good digital scale that measured to .2 lbs. and weighed myself first thing every morning. I found that I was losing weight virtually every day. This is a big motivator."

When asked about the key to weight loss success, Bob was succinct.

"Just stick to your plan and don’t cheat. You’ll meet your goal that much faster. Don’t wait and don’t let injuries stop you. Diet is the key. Exercise is a bonus."

Join us in congratulating Bob on his weight loss success! Our second chance competition is in full swing and we look forward to profiling more patient successes in the future!