A Success Story from my Practice

Here's a story from my practice, which focuses on body acceptance and Health
At Every Size.

I had a 70 year old woman who had been active and healthy until 1 year
before contacting me. She was of "normal" weight, athletic and very
comfortable in her body. She married a man 10 years her junior, and was
very proud that she kept up their active lifestyle.

Over several months, she began to have joint pain and fatigue and many other
symptoms. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and it was advancing
quickly. The meds she was given included steroids and others that caused
weight gain, which she found extremely upsetting. Over this time, she had
changed her diet, which was quite healthy, and did not contain too many
calories.

She came to me to lose weight. We discussed her diet at length, and I
conducted a computerized nutrient analysis of her detailed food records.
Her diet was very appropriate, and if she were to decrease her calorie
intake, she would not be receiving adequate nutrients. As we talked, I told
her that steroids have the side effect of weight gain, and that for some
people the weight gained is not lost, at least not at first. She was no
longer on steroids, but was sure she would need these meds again for acute
flares of pain.

We discussed her goals in terms of her illness, which is now chronic. As we
worked together, discussing her goals and values at this point in her life,
she realized that she could learn to live with the new, higher weight. She
realized she would do her best to remain as active as possible and to
continue her very healthy diet. She left working with me with many thanks,
and said that I had given her more peace and allowed her to progress in
accepting her illness and the changes in her body.

A very satisfied and satisfying patient experience for us both!