A NEW RESOLUTION How a Sanford’s Adult Weight Loss Program Helped Change One Woman’s Life

Audrey Richardson’s New Year’s resolution was the same year after year.

E very January 1, the Fargo nurse would have one thing on her mind – losing a few pounds. But then, two or three days of dieting would go nowhere and her weight continued to creep slowly up.

“ The last two or three years I decided I wouldn’t even make a resolution, because it wasn’t going to happen anyway,” says Richardson. “It took something more for me. I needed change.”

Her motivation

T he 61-year-old woman had struggled with weight for over 30 years. When her primary care physician told her that her blood glucose levels were dangerously high, she knew what the long-term effect could be if she stayed on her current course.

H er doctor gently suggested that she consider weight loss surgery, but Richardson refused, asking for a nonsurgical option instead. Her doctor referred her for a consultation to see if Sanford’s Health’s medically managed weight loss management program would be a good option for her.

The tools she needed

S he filled out her questionnaire earnestly, giving serious thought to the reasons why she was tired of being overweight. In addition to improving her health, she wanted to be able to sit easily in a chair or take a bite of something without having to worry that people were looking at her and judging her.

M any people like Richardson have difficulty maintaining weight loss because they fail to address the underlying reasons for their overeating, says psychologist Dr. Kim LaHaise. Without the knowledge of new coping mechanisms and the commitment to make long-term behavioral changes, it’s hard to succeed.

“The new year is a good time for people to take a look at their habits and what they like and they don’t,” says the psychologist, who works with patients in Sanford’s managed weight loss program. “People need to have a lot of dedication and commitment to make changes that they stick to day in and day out.”

R ichardson’s new life began that day. She worked with a multidisciplinary team that included care from a doctor who specializes in weight loss, psychological evaluation and support and a practical, individualized advice on nutrition and exercise.

H er new diet began with a system of protein shakes designed to kick off her weight loss and reset her metabolism. She gradually moved into eating healthy regular meals, changing the way she eats and looks at food.

“ It’s me that is making the difference, because it’s me that’s accountable,” says Richardson. “It’s not one cookie that is going to hurt me, it’s the choice of taking home a dozen and eating them.”

R ichardson, who earlier had surgery to repair two damaged knees, now can be as active as she wants, walking and biking regularly. Her diet now includes lean protein and vegetables and she watches her carbohydrate intake. Even her husband has lost weight with the new way the family eats.

A new lifestyle

S o far, she’s lost over 60 pounds. Her blood pressure medicine has decreased by almost 50 percent and her blood sugar levels are back to normal. And Richardson loves the way she looks and feels.

“ I have sessions of crazy energy,” she says. “I never thought that I’d be going up and down the stairs without a handrail and now I’m doing steps and keeping up with the grandkids.”

R ichardson said she didn’t tell her co-workers at first what she was doing, but as her clothes got so loose that she needed a new wardrobe, it was time to explain. She continues to lose weight slowly, setting attainable goals that she knows she can reach.

“ It’s incredible what you discover about yourself in this process,” says Richardson. “I knew that if I was going to live a normal life 20 years from now, I’d have to learn new eating habits. Now I know that I won’t have to miss out on life.”

For m ore i nformation a bout S anford’s m edically m anages w eight l oss p rogram, c all ( 701) 2 34-4111 o r ( 800) 4 37-4010 e xt 4 111.