Missi Clary has a unique way of describing herself before she found the Blessing Bariatric Center’s Medically Managed Weight Loss program.

“I was the healthiest fat person I ever knew. I had normal to low blood pressure and my cholesterol was always fine.”

So what motivated Missi to focus on weight loss?  Family. An only child, she had just lost her mother – who had Type 1 diabetes – to a sudden heart attack. Missi was 5 foot 6 inches tall, weighed 215 pounds and was pre-diabetic. She did not want diabetic complications to steal the time she looked forward to spending with her only son, as she felt her mother’s death did to her. 

Plus, Missi was unhappy with herself.

“I wanted to be healthy. I’m really big in the outdoors. We do a lot of deer hunting, so I wanted to be able to climb up in a deer stand. I wanted to be able to go fishing, to walk with my dog and to be able to run. I wanted to prolong the life of my joints for as long as I could. Every pound you lose is four pounds of weight off your knees.”

Over the years, Missi tried many diets and found no success. But when she saw the results achieved by a coworker through the Blessing Bariatric Center’s Medically Managed Weight Loss program, Missi knew she had another chance to reach her goals.

Missi finds her keys to weight loss success
A registered nurse in Blessing Hospital’s Surgery Department, Missi started the Medically Managed Weight Loss program in late February 2022. She recently reached 138 pounds. That’s nearly 80 pounds lost in a year-and-a-half.

“I went from a size 16 to a size 4,” Missi stated proudly. She had not been at 138 pounds in more than 10 years.

What did Missi find with the Blessing Medically Managed Weight Loss program that she did not find with any other diet, plan or program she tried?

“I think the support. I needed someone to hold me accountable and help me on this journey.”

Missi found the help she needed in Veronica Roth Phillips, APRN, FNP, the program’s bariatric nurse practitioner.

“She’s been great. Seeing the numbers and having her be a cheerleader is huge.”

In addition, Missi says the program offers an individualized approach to weight loss.

Within that personalized approach to care is the medication that has helped Missi lose weight. 
She takes a medication that slows down the digestive process, allowing the body to fully use all the nutrients in food eaten. It makes a person feel fuller longer.

“Then eating becomes an emotional decision,” Missi said. “Am I eating because I am hungry or am I eating because I am emotional? That for me was a big thing. I listen to my body. When I am full, I am done eating.”

Sometimes Missi’s body tells her to eat a piece of cake. 

“That’s something Veronica has taught me. Don’t cheat yourself out of having that piece of cake. If you don’t eat it, you will fixate on it. Just be smart about it. Practice portion control and be aware of what you are eating.”
“Our team advises against extreme measures,” Veronica said. “Because over the long term, when a diet is too restrictive, people tend to regain weight lost.”
The Medically-Managed Weight Loss team consists of Veronica, a dietician and a counselor who together help people discover their goals. 

“We develop the approach together,” Veronica added. “When people have involvement in setting their goals, they can be a bit more compliant in trying to meet them because the goals belong to them, not us.” 

Missi’s average weight loss has been 5 pounds a month. She says it is a healthy rate of weight loss that makes it easier for her to maintain. She also credits her strong faith.
“God gets the glory in all of this.”
What success looks and sounds like
Missi wanted to be healthy and active and she is. She walks 3-4 miles every day and participates in many other outdoor activities with her family. 

People have noticed Missi’s success. Her favorite comments have been shared by her husband and son.
“They tell me I look happier,” Missi said.
While energetically recommending the Blessing Bariatric Institute Medically Managed Weight Loss program to others, Missi encourages people to look into other options if they wish, including bariatric surgery. 
“I just want people to be healthy and feel as good as I do.”

For more information on the Blessing Bariatric Institute’s Medically Managed Weight Loss and bariatric surgery programs, go to blessinghealth.org/bariatric.