Tracey D., 50 year-old female
I first saw Dr. Pinto in April of 2011 after I saw an ad for the Center of Medical Weight Loss in the newspaper. Knowing I was extremely overweight, I thought I would make an appointment for a visit to check this program out and see if it was something I thought would work for me.
My visit began with a questionnaire to fill out. I remember answering some of those questions thinking to myself, I am a heart attack waiting to happen. I was on blood pressure and thyroid medication, lipitor for my high cholesterol and nexium for acid reflux .As with any weight loss program I was a bit skeptical. When I stepped on the scale and it read 250 pounds, I was embarrassed, but the staff member was very professional.Then Dr. Pinto came in. I was quite nervous.
Dr. Pinto went over my questionnaire with me, then went over the print out from being weighed. He explained how much of my body was made up of fat. Then he showed my the one pound glob of fat he has, I was so grossed out thinking my body was mostly made up of that. But the words Dr. Pinto said next, saved my life, he told me I was morbidly obese. No one had ever told me that before, I felt like I ran into a brick wall.
Dr. Pinto explained how this weight loss program worked. I was all ears! I knew this was the only way for me to begin this big step. I decided to start the program, no looking back. I began with 4 replacement drinks and one bar a day. At the end of the first day, I couldn’t believe I did it and I wasn’t hungry. It was easy to follow. It is black and white, you couldn’t mess up. I lost 8 pounds my first weigh in and I felt great. Most of all, I was motivated to go on. After the first two weeks, I had to chaperone a Senior Trip to Disney World, I talked to Dr. Pinto about what plan of attack I should use. I took replacement drinks with me for breakfast and lunch and a bar for the end of the night. I ate salads with chicken and no dressing for dinner and drank a lot of water. I came home and weighed in and I was down 20+ pounds. I knew after that moment, I could change my life. I started walking a mile a day. Best part was now my clothes (size 20) were getting big. I was so motivated!
My big hurdle was I herniated a disc in my neck. I couldn’t walk and needed surgery. When I went for my pre-op work up my blood pressure was normal and the Cardiologist said my heart and muscles looked good and what ever I was doing to lose weight keep in up. So, even after surgery, I was able to stay on the program with a few modifications. As soon as I was given clearance to exercise, I started walking again. I started with a mile, then each week pushed myself for more. That September, I went back to work 50 pounds lighter and was walking a brisk 3 mile walk daily. Dr. Pinto and his staff kept cheering me on. I felt great!
Nine months into the program, I plateaued. I was extremely frustrated because I was doing everything right. Dr. Pinto kept encouraging me and we tried different strategies to get my weight loss moving again. The great thing was I never gain and learned a lot about eating the right food choices. With a modified program and a change in my exercise routine I got back on track. I actually started to run on a treadmill in the winter. Yes, run! I never thought I could do that.
Come late spring early summer, the weight started to drop again. I now have lost 78 pounds. I am 2 pounds away from the goal I set in April of 2011. Dr. Pinto and this weight loss program have given me a new lease on life. A lifestyle of healthy eating and being fit. For the first time in my life, I know I have the confidence and tools to continue this. I now drink a replacement drink in the morning. I have a piece of fruit mid morning and a salad for lunch. I eat a bar in the mid afternoon. For dinner, I grill veggies and have chicken. I still would like to lose another 10 to 15 pounds.
Dr. Pinto has moved his weight loss program to the Vive Center for Medical Weight Loss. His staff is friendly and professional. The new office is great!!