If Dr. Joy Allen puts her mind to something, there is little doubt she will achieve it. A native of Raleigh, N.C., Joy attended and graduated from both The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and New Covenant International Bible College, with aspirations to become a clinical researcher and a pastor. While she says her life is “busy, blessed, and good,” her struggle with weight has been a challenging journey over the years.
Different Life Phases Bring New Weight Loss Challenges
Today, Joy is married and has two grown children. She has worked as a clinical researcher for almost 30 years and owns a side business teaching about personal defense. She has also been active in public ministry since 1994, serving as a church pastor and running a ministry out of her home. While juggling all of her commitments and responsibilities, Joy admits it took her a while to figure out her best strategy for weight loss.
Joy’s weight gain started with her first pregnancy. Before that, she was a dancer, managing the pressure to stay thin and fit. During those years, she grappled with disordered eating.
“As a dancer, I was extremely weight conscious,” says Joy. “But when I became pregnant with my son, I gained a lot. I was a single mother and had some post-partum issues, so I was never able to lose that weight, and then I gained some more. A year later, I had reached 235 pounds.”
When Diets & Other Weight Loss Methods Fail
From that point on, Joy’s weight shifted up and down. She had no trouble losing weight, but keeping it off was the hard part – until her 40s, when losing weight also became a challenge. Later, Joy was diagnosed with pre-diabetes and then diabetes due to her weight. Over the years, she tried many different dieting methods in an effort to improve her health.
“I had always thought that eating only 1,200 calories per day and avoiding carbs were the keys to losing weight,” explains Joy. “I also tried the keto diet and the Atkins™ Diet, and I went years without eating rice or bread. Over time, I was eating less real food and replacing more meals with protein shakes and bars. It was not a sustainable way to live.”
Because of her past issues with eating disorders, Joy wanted to work with a physician to lose weight in a way that would keep her accountable but also healthy. She joined a physician-assisted weight loss group for a year and was successful at losing weight, but she became frustrated that she was forced to purchase their special foods and supplements. She knew it wasn’t sustainable and that the highly processed foods weren’t particularly healthy.
Joy Discovers True You Weight Loss
In doing some online research about other weight loss clinics, Joy discovered True You Weight Loss, and she was impressed by the multitude of options they offered.
“There were several methods to choose from, and everything was well-thought-out and based on reliable research,” says Joy. “Additionally, there was nothing that said I had to purchase food from them – this was very attractive to me.”
Most importantly, Joy was impressed with the experience and credentials of the True You team. She even received a glowing recommendation about Dr. McGowan and his team from her own doctor. Eager to see how True You could help her, Joy decided to try their least invasive methods first, including working with a nutritionist and joining the True You Rx medication program. Both methods were helpful in getting her started on the path to better health – but she knew she needed something more to achieve her goals.
“I got stuck at around 185 pounds even after working with a nutritionist and incorporating intense exercise for several months,” reflects Joy. “Then, Mounjaro®, the weight loss medication, helped me drop to 170 pounds, but only a limited supply was available. After just two months, I couldn’t get it anymore, and I started gaining again.”
