Participant Testimonial

Leigh Wintz

I started on the Weight Management program at Jefferson on the Monday after Thanksgiving in 2005.  With my weight at an all-time high, my lifestyle was beginning to be impacted by how much I weighed.  I suffered from sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and was at risk for developing Diabetes.

For my job, I travel more than 100,000 miles annually.  Most of these miles are accumulated in the air with long hauls for short trips to Asia, South America, Europe and even Africa.  In the last 20 years, I have traveled to 54 countries. As you can imagine, many of my meals over the years were quick fast-food grabs in airports, or – a perk of the job – high fat specialties and huge quantities eaten in some of the world’s best restaurants. Except for walking conference halls and the corridors between flights, there was little time for exercise.

And my body took the toll. Not surprisingly, my cholesterol was high with a flipped good-to-bad ratio.  My triglycerides were more than 600 before we added yet another medication to my already overloaded regime, itself the result of a serious heart condition I’ve had since a child. I was such a good patient.  I religiously kept doctors appointments, took meds on time, monitored my clotting time, and did everything my doctor told me to do – except lose weight.

I was always going to eat better and begin exercising “after the next trip.” And then I got the final wake-up call – a fasting blood sugar over 100.  Both parents had developed adult-onset diabetes and I knew what was next.  What in the world was I waiting for?

As a registered nurse with a master’s degree in nursing administration, I know how obesity can adversely affect a person’s health. And, that fall in 2005, I could no longer ignore the affects it was having on mine. Knowing what I was doing to myself and even what I needed to do to get myself looking and feeling better was apparently not sufficient motivation to change my unhealthy ways.  I needed help.

My search for help took me to the Internet in a search for weight management centers in Philadelphia, where I discovered the Jefferson program.  It looked entirely different than any other program I’ve tried. I’d lost weight on these programs, but once I reached my “goal weight” and the program ended, I went right back to eating the way I had before losing.  Today, after participating in the Jefferson program, it is so apparent why those diets failed, but I spent thousands of dollars and wasted a lot of time and energy feeling guilty about not being able to keep the weight off after all that hard work.

I like that the Jefferson program is about  weight management and understands my issues with weight.  I like the fact that it is a medical model and that the emphasis is on successfully maintaining weight loss – not hitting a number or a dress size – but tackling the weight problem from all angles – nutrition, exercise, and behavior. 

In the program, I learned that being overweight was not just my fault, or even entirely under my control. I understood what was happening to me physiologically because of a genetic pre-disposition.  The program taught me to watch quantities, read labels, and learn about emotional and external cues that made me want to eat.  And it taught me to give up my old ideas about “good” and “bad” foods. The program invites you to take a journey that will help you discover what works for you and your lifestyle.  It gives you the knowledge and equipment that you need to take with you on that journey, from the Optifast drink to the personal and emotional support that helps you keep the weight off.

The program works well with my busy travel schedule and makes it easier to eat when traveling – I’m not constantly thinking about food and what or where my next meal will be. I have changed what I eat, when I eat and how often I eat.  After losing about 30 pounds, I incorporated exercise into my life. If anybody told me that I would be working out five to seven days per week, even when I travel, I would have laughed in their face.

Today, not only am I living a healthier lifestyle and managing stress better, my body is much healthier. I no longer have sleep apnea, I avoided needing diabetic medications, and my blood work and blood pressure is textbook wonderful! My heart medication has been cut in half. 

Do I weigh what I thought I wanted to weigh?  No, but it’s not about the numbers anymore.  I consider myself successful because I have kept off the weight I lost. I feel great about my accomplishment and grateful for the complete program provided by Jefferson. Cheryl Marco, RD, our program coordinator, is knowledgeable, understanding, and provides a nice “voice in my head” as I face the inevitable challenges that each of us with weight management issues has every day.

The Jefferson program has not only had an impact on my health, it has made an impact on my personal and professional life as well.  I was a pretty confident person before the weight loss, but knowing that I look good when giving all those presentations has really boosted my morale. 

Thank you, Jefferson, for giving me the tools to manage my weight and the support to live a healthier, happier life.