I went to Steinmetz because I had high cholesterol, and wanted to lose about 25 pounds. My Body Mass Index (BMI) was also out of the healthy range, so I knew I had to do something. I had tried different diets, and I do exercise by running half-marathons, but I just couldn’t lose the weight. I recently had knee surgery, and couldn’t run as much as I used to, so I was really concerned about packing on even more pounds.
The First Line Therapy program at Steinmetz is a multi-pronged program. After the initial assessment, I met with a nutritional counselor. She helped me change my diet to a more Mediterranean-focused diet using their medical food, and their support and counseling. I went there about every other week. It was a shockingly easy transition to their dietary recommendations! I was surprised how easy it was to make the switch. I discovered I liked vegetables, hummus, nuts, and fruits, and it has been easy to maintain it both at home, and eating out.
I was really impressed with their counseling in addition to their scientific feedback. We found out that some of my bad eating habits were based on stress and emotional eating. It was so satisfying to get all that scientific data. That kind of feedback was very encouraging, and kept me going. The fact that they paired nutritional counseling, coming from a psychological point of view, with specific scientific data was one of the secrets to their success.
My BMI improved dramatically, and very quickly. It’s down in to the healthy zone, and it happened within just about two months. It gave me the courage to actually buy a scale. They said once I left the program, I had to do some self-monitoring, so the scale is important. Now I weigh myself every week, and it’s sort of a game now. I like challenging myself to see how much weight I can continue to lose.
When I go out to eat now, I look at vegetarian options first. I never used to do that. I like fruits and vegetables now, so I look at ways to fit them in to my diet. That mental shift was a big one for me. Now I prioritize and choose plenty of healthy items on my plate. I used to eat a lot of burgers and fries, but now I really don’t have any interest in eating heavy, unhealthy meals. I also take the time to read the whole menu now. Am just more discerning now. I also weigh it all out, and make sure I have enough fruits and vegetables each day. I have the First Line Therapy program to thank for that.
I am a much healthier eater now, so I think about food a lot less. This program helped me get organized around embracing a healthy lifestyle. It gave me the tools to do it, like healthy swaps. I learned that a cup of tomato soup can be just as comforting as a chocolate chip cookie. I recommend this program if you have been trying to lose weight, and you haven’t been able to do it by yourself, this program will help get you where you want to be.
Allison S., 54, IT Healthcare Consultant, Fairfax County, VA
