Skip to Content

Testimonial

Randy Lewis

Randy Lewis

Husband, Father, Investment Advisor, Golfer and WOW! Program Participant

Alma, Michigan

"My health was a big concern, but after losing weight I feel a lot better, and I'm off medications for cholesterol and high blood pressure."

Weight Management Investment Paid Healthy Dividends

Work. Eat. Sleep. It seemed that was all Randy Lewis did for a while after he changed careers to become a financial advisor in 1999.

Along with the stress and extra hours came extra pounds for the 52-year-old Alma man. Then, after the stock market collapse in 2008, he found himself working seven days a week until 10 or 11 p.m.

“My health was a big concern,” he said. “I knew I had to do something. I would sit on my bed at night and think, ‘How am I going to lose this weight?’”

Randy’s solution was the WOW! (Working Off Weight) program at MidMichigan Medical Center - Gratiot. When his wife, Melanie, saw an ad in the paper about the four-month, medically supervised program, she quickly made the call that made the difference for her husband.

Randy gives a lot of credit to Melanie and his family medicine physician, Gregg Stefanek, D.O., of Alma, who urged him to invest some effort to lose weight and earn the dividends of better health and a more active, enjoyable life.

A Complete Program

Randy started WOW! with a consultation and evaluation that included basic blood tests to screen for medical conditions. After that, he had periodic meetings with a dietitian, a behavioral psychologist and an exercise specialist for 16 weeks as he followed the program.

“The one-on-one counseling is what separates the WOW! program from others,” he said.

Over 16 weeks, Randy lost 51 pounds, but he was particularly encouraged by the early weight loss of about 23 pounds in six weeks. He felt it gave him a jumpstart to build momentum toward his goal.

While the program’s combination of support, personal attention and constant monitoring kept Randy focused and on track, his family provided vital help and support for success.

“My wife was phenomenal,” he said. “When it was time to eat, she always had things ready so that I would not be really hungry and struggling.”

Once he completed the program, comprehensive maintenance tools helped Randy keep his weight under control. He decided to focus on maintenance for about six months and then return to the WOW! program to achieve his goal weight.

Feeling Better, Off Meds

“One of the biggest benefits of weighing less is that I just feel a lot better. I’m also off medications I used to take for cholesterol and high blood pressure,” Randy said. “I also have more energy and more endurance.”

Randy also enjoys golf with his friend and dentist Dr. Dale Nester of Ithaca. After they challenged each other to do something about their shared problem of weight gain, Dr. Nester joined Randy in the WOW! program. Both men saw weight loss benefit their lives, including their golf game.

“It took a while for me to synch my golf swing to my new body because I rotate faster now,” Randy said. “Once I adjusted, I had my best season in 10 years, and one of the best ever.”

 

 

WOW! is a four-month, medically supervised program designed for individuals seeking to lose weight, who want to feel better and live healthier. For more information about WOW!, call (989) 466-3315.