When a Nurse Puts Her Own Health First – Dianna’s True You ESG Journey

ESG + Following The Plan = Easier Weight Loss

With optimism for the future, Dianna arrived for her ESG procedure on a Thursday morning. On that day, the tables had turned. Dianna was now a patient within the health system where she typically cared for others. Despite the role reversal, she felt great about her decision. Dianna met Dr. McGowan in person for the first time since their initial meeting. She was very impressed with the treatment she received, including all the safety protocols used by the team, and their kind, caring bedside manner. Everything went well, and Dianna arrived back home that day before lunchtime. By Monday, Dianna was back to work and resuming her normal daily activities.

“I am a very nervous patient, so after my procedure, I closely followed all the rules and restrictions,” Dianna says. “I never cheated on the diet and even omitted sugars for about 16 to 17 months after my ESG.”

For Dianna, the post-procedure diet progression from liquids to solids was even easier than she expected. She had no trouble with cravings, nor did she find it difficult to eat out at restaurants. The weight loss itself was also easier than Dianna expected.

“For the first time in my adult life, I didn’t have to constantly think about how I was going to lose weight or what I’d try next. Following the True You Weight Loss plan somehow freed up space in my brain to focus on other things – and helped eliminate ‘food noise, or disruptive thoughts about food,’” Dianna explains. Within two years of her procedure, Dianna had gone from 219 pounds to 160 pounds.

Gratitude for True You & Family Support

To date, Dianna could not be happier with her progress, health and how she feels. She has lost a total of 60 pounds, going from a size 18 to a size 8-12.  Amazingly, all of her obesity-related health issues have been resolved, even her plantar fasciitis, and she has discontinued the use of her CPAP machine as well as many of her prescribed medications.  She is also experiencing much less arthritis pain.  Dianna credits Dr. McGowan and the entire True You team with helping her reach her goals. She says their understanding, non-judgmental attitude, seemingly unlimited availability, and consistent responsiveness accounted for much of her success.

“They were my biggest cheerleaders,” says Dianna.  “They create a relationship where you feel like they are your close friends.  For me, this felt true even though we had only a few in-person meetings.  I will forever be grateful to True You.”

Dianna especially relied on support and advice from her dietitian, Laura, during her weight loss plateaus. As part of the process, Dianna kept a very accurate food log, and she shared access to it with Laura.  If Dianna stalled, Laura could then review the log, tweak Dianna’s diet, and give her specific advice on how to proceed.

“Honesty with your nutritionist is very important,” Dianna explains.  “I was always ready to receive Laura’s feedback and heed her advice – that was really important, too. As a result, my mindset about food has completely changed.  My whole sense of satiety is different, for example, I can now take one or two bites of something and feel satisfied.”