Diata Health

Jan is the embodiment of the philosophy she coaches: she truly enjoys life to its fullest and brings energy and passion to her dual career. In addition to being quite fit and achieving her dream weight (and then some), she reinvented herself at the age of 60 by having the determination to stop the “yo-yo” weight loss-weight gain cycle and in addition to her legal career, became an executive and development coach.

***

Before Diata …

*

Jan: I had gained and lost 25lbs three times on my own. In 2017, I went in for my annual check-up, and my primary care physician told me I was pre-diabetic. He recommended I go on medication but I insisted I could get the extra weight off and get my blood sugar under control without it. In that moment, I made the commitment to myself to lose the weight for good. I knew I needed a different approach this time, so when I noticed a gentleman who worked out at my gym had lost a good deal of weight, I asked him which trainer he was seeing. To my surprise, he told me it was not a trainer that led to his success, but Dr. Constable, which led me to Diata Health.

*

Let’s talk food. You clearly have a lot going on, how did you fit the program into your lifestyle?

*

Jan: Pre-COVID, I was dining out 3 to 4 nights per week. I actually preferred that lifestyle at the time because I found it quite easy to order meals on my Diata plan and enjoyed not having to cook all the time.

Now that we are all working from home, I cook a great deal and have surprised myself by how much I have embraced cooking and have discovered great dishes. One of my favorites is the Diata chili recipe.

*

What is your biggest piece of advice for someone just starting the program?

*

Jan: Don’t try to outsmart Dr. Constable! Relish the journey and realize that Dr. Constable has been immersed in weight loss and maintenance for years. She knows what she is doing and has helped many, many patients to get to their goal weight.

Tactically, my advice is simple: follow the program as described, don’t try to substitute or have “tastes” here and there, just follow your program as it was designed for you. And when you have a question, write it down so you remember to bring it up in your sessions. You will lose the weight. Dr. Constable has a 97% success rate for a reason.

*

What surprised you about the program?

*

Jan: At my initial appointment, Dr. Constable and I decided on a target weight, and at that time, it felt unrealistically low. I honestly thought ‘I’ve tried this before, I’ll just never get there.’ Once I did get to that weight, it was like an internal shift happened. I remember thinking to myself ‘this program is really not that hard.’  After this success, I had the confidence to keep the weight off which is key. Through this program, my mental and physical states have both changed. What you come to realize is that this program is a whole, new lifestyle. 

*

Surprising perks …

*

Jan: I find that I really enjoy buying new clothing, especially jeans! I’ve never enjoyed buying jeans before—too tight. Many friends reach out to me complimenting my new look. It is so freeing to no longer have to spend mental energy worrying over what will fit and what won’t. It gives you so much more space for the other things you enjoy in life. 

Another surprising benefit of the program is that my husband lost 20lbs and looks great.  He was not explicitly following the program, but given that I was eating more healthily and preparing balanced meals, he naturally lost weight as well.

*

What are you some tricks that worked well for you?

*

Know your problem times: I’m a morning bird and have breakfast around 6am — 7am each day before starting work. Because I eat breakfast early, I am starving by 10:45am. After discussing this with Dr. Constable, we worked together to find a morning snack that would keep me on plan and hold me over to lunch: a warm bowl of garlicky miracle noodles for example. I know it’s not your typical mid-morning snack, but it is delicious and satisfies my craving for something ‘carb-y’ and savory.

Set yourself up for success: When going out to eat with friends, I would often offer to choose the spot. This way, I could look over the menu ahead of time and make sure there were meal options that would work for me on plan. When dining out, I always ask for sauce on the side and tell waiters that I can’t eat dairy, as butter and cream are used more frequently than you might realize in many restaurant dishes. Remember, restaurants get requests like these all the time, so you absolutely should not be embarrassed to ask. Your health is most important and you’ve made a big commitment to your new lifestyle. I’ve found that restaurants are always happy to make these changes for you.

Prime your mind for success: The program does work and you are going to lose weight. Dr. Constable asked me not to weigh myself everyday (only every other week) and to focus exclusively on what I was eating. This really worked for me as I decided that if I was going to do the program, I was going to give it my all and give it a fair shot. I am so happy I did as I really do feel wonderful. I wake up each morning and still cannot believe that I actually am at my goal weight. When I first started, Dr. Constable said to me ‘after you lose the weight this time, you will never have to go through this again.’ August will be my three year anniversary at my new goal weight.

*

Jan is an absolute inspiration and has achieved success in so many ways. In addition to improving her health and dropping the extra weight, her can-do mindset makes her a total joy to be around.

Here at Diata, our mission is help our patients get to their healthy, and happy weight for good. Should you be interested in learning more about our program here at Diata Health, reach out to learn more.