Woman loses 150 pounds; gains health, self-esteem
She did it without strict menu plan
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| Submitted photo/Elaine Rogowicz of Affton models her new size 14 figure while holding an old pair of size 32 pants. In the past two years she has lost 150 pounds with a program designed by dietitians at St. Anthony's Medical Center. |
Today, Rogowicz, 55, walks two to three miles a day, has blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the normal range and proudly wears a size 14 that she can buy in any clothing store, right off the rack.
"It's the little things like that that make all the difference in my life - now I blend in, instead of obviously sticking out," said Rogowicz, who lives in Affton. "I was always the fattest kid in school. In fact, most of the people in my family are overweight. I come from an ethnic Polish background, where part of every celebration is food - your eating habits really get tied up with your emotional life."So far, Rogowicz has lost 150 pounds, with plans to shed another 50 to 70 pounds. It's not the first time she has lost - then regained - 100 pounds. But it's definitely the last time, she said.
"Throughout my life I've been on dozens of diets, from the Atkins to liquid diets to the latest fad diets," she said. "I've been through all the programs, from Overeaters Anonymous (OA) to Taking Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) to Weight Watchers. But now I'm not on a diet; I've discovered a way to 'eat for life'."
Rogowicz's resolve was solidified by a trip to the emergency department of St. Anthony's Medical Center in July 2006. After three days of increasing difficulty breathing and finally gasping for breath after walking only five feet, Rogowicz decided she might have a bigger problem than her excess weight. She was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism - numerous blood clots in her lungs and elevated blood pressure. Obesity is one of the risk factors for both conditions.
"Everyone who took care of me at the hospital was so wonderful to me," Rogowicz said. "They told me about a class St. Anthony's offers, A New tritious You, that was developed by the hospital's dietitians. It offers an in-depth nutrition and weight management program focusing on lifelong healthy eating behaviors - not just a quick fix to produce a temporary weight loss. With diabetes and arthritis prevalent in my family background, I knew I was being offered an opportunity to change my life, so I signed up."
Rogowicz faithfully attended the six-week series of classes, where she learned how fats, carbohydrates and proteins are used as fuel for her body. She learned about portion size, exercise and fitness guidelines and how to read food labels. The class emphasized learning to make healthy choices, as opposed to handing out a diet to follow. After completing the six-week series, she signed up for the one-on-one follow-up plan, where she meets monthly with a dietitian to assess her progress, review her goals and discuss any challenges that come up.
"It's very individualized," Rogowicz said. "I don't have a strict menu plan, where I have to eat only this or that. I always have choices and I can make good or bad choices. Lisa's class gave me all the components I needed to make this work in my life."
Lisa Galati and Cathy Feldmeier are the registered, licensed dietitians at St. Anthony's who created and present the New tritious You program. Galati taught Rogowicz' class, while Feldmeier meets with her for the monthly follow-up visits.
"Losing 150 pounds is pretty amazing - that takes a very determined person," Feldmeier said. "Elaine knows that if she doesn't make these changes, her health is going down the drain. She is highly motivated and has overcome a lot of issues to maintain her weight loss and continue to lose. You don't achieve and maintain a healthy weight by going on diets, but by deciding to make lifelong changes in your behaviors. It's all about choices."
Now Rogowicz eats fruits and vegetables, multigrain cereals and breads, brown rice, legumes and fish. She eats little meat, no white flour or white rice and nothing containing high fructose corn syrup. If it comes in a bottle, box or can, it's probably not in her pantry.
"I've pretty much gone back to the basics - natural unprocessed foods and good oils," Rogowicz said. "Since eliminating high-fructose corn syrup from my diet, my craving for sweets is gone. Do I still enjoy chocolate? Sure, but I don't go crazy over it anymore."
Rogowicz walks two to three miles a day, works as an aquatics instructor two evenings a week at the YMCA and takes Strength Training for Women at St. Anthony's Women's Specialty Center.
"I have more energy, more stamina now and I like the way I feel a lot better," she said. "I love going to clothing stores now, where I can actually find clothes in my size. I'm just really, really pleased with my overall results so far."
She offers encouragement to others who have been fighting a weight problem for years and are ready to make the choice to improve their health and lives once and for all.
"If I can make these changes, trust me, anyone can," Rogowicz said. "I don't think there is 'the' one diet - what works for me specifically may not work for someone else. I think it's very individualized. You simply get as much information as you can, experiment with how your body reacts and make your 'fuel' work for you."
Source: St. Anthony's Medical Center
