Patient Stories

Medical Weight Loss of NY, Dr. Wendy Scinta and her AMAZING staff are helping me save my LIFE!

The size of my body has been a point of contention my entire life. Not always my own point of contention; at times I really didn’t care. But those around me did, and no matter how much I told myself I didn’t care, deep down I truly did. The roller coaster my body has ridden – gaining, losing and gaining weight over and over again – has finally reached the end of its ride.

When I was younger and I guess when I was old enough to know about playing the lottery, my “winning dream” was to send myself to a Fat Farm where I’d be detained until I lost weight. As I matured so did this dream. It evolved into a dream spa with chefs and trainers catering to me and providing the precise nutrition and exercise my body needed to get healthy. This program is that dream come true.

In January of 2015, I was pushing the scale around 325, nearly my highest weight ever, and I was convinced I would need to have bariatric surgery to ever feel the loss of 100 pounds. When I looked further into the surgery, I found Medical Weight Loss of NY whose helped people having surgery lose the initial weight we needed to prepare for surgery and meet the insurance requirements. I met with them and poured over their program and ideology. We talked about losing the 30 lbs. but what about losing 100 lbs.? Without the surgery?

I didn’t tell anyone I had met with the weight loss center staff. Initially, no one noticed that I didn’t eat regular food anymore. I had started and dropped out of so many weight loss programs in my life, I found the fewer people I told the fewer people I disappointed. Most of my attempts at weight loss or even a controlled diet plan lasted about a week, sometimes a few months. It seemed that as soon as I confided in someone, that I was seriously going to do it this time, a switch would be flipped and almost immediately I’d go in reverse.

One of the things I always had going for me was my physical strength. I’m grateful I hadn’t begun experiencing joint pain and didn’t suffer any chronic condition besides depression. I couldn’t play softball anymore, but I loved to golf and I was thankful there was still one activity I could do at any size. But, there was so much more I wanted to do, like join my friends on a hike or get a kayak and feel comfortable enough to join the group.

The concept of replacing my entire menu with meal replacement products never seemed strange to me, even in the beginning. I took to it like a fish to water. Friends would question how I could possibly get through it – the sameness of it all. But the only way I could describe its effectiveness was that it had taken all those tough choices away. I didn’t have to plan a menu, go shopping, cook, and do dishes (for the most part.) My choices were chocolate or vanilla? I added flavored extracts to change them up a bit and filled my refrigerator with bottled water and large blocks of Styrofoam to conserve energy.

I began to grow out of my clothes faster than I could replace them. I almost forgot to pull out all those clothes I’d been holding onto for when I lost enough weight. In July I bought my first Kayak and couldn’t believe that not only did I fit into it, I could actually get in and out of it! And on one of the most beautiful afternoons my friends took me on a 2.5 mile hike in the Adirondacks. I was proud and amazed: a year before we had walked less than half as far, on a flat smooth trail and I could hardly make it.

In November I flew to Atlanta and almost, by habit, asked for a seat belt extender – not needed! These small moments of reward popped up all over the place and reminded me how far I had come.

It’s now almost June, close to a year and a half since I started my journey. I’ve hit and surpassed the magic 100 mark and share so much of my pride with everyone at the Center. When I stumbled they don’t let me fall, they always lift me right back up and get me on track with much appreciate guidance and suggestions.

One of the biggest of information I was given was my new understanding of how metabolic rate affects weight loss. No one in all my life of attempted weight loss programs, diets, professionals, books and pills has ever tested my metabolic rate and specifically catered my intake to what my body burns, all on its own. I find myself explaining this to people all the time. I still can’t understand why no one has EVER taken this approach with me before.

And the second significant component that this program offers is having my weight broken down each week into loss (and, yes, gain) of fat, water and muscle; those simple yet specific numbers can identify where and why things are going up or down. It’s a perfect tool for success.

My routine with the Center began right away, and I have been consistent in my commitment. My appointments are always the same day of the week, and during the week I can stay in touch with a calorie and activity log. Group meetings ARE ESSENTIAL! Each caring, knowledgeable professional who is there to help you every step of the way in the journey, specializes in one component of the program. You are never alone or without expert help.

I would recommend this program to everyone who has ever struggled with self-image or who is overweight and facing the feeling of defeat. The answer is out there; the answer is here.

I needed to have help getting a jump on those 100 lbs. Full meal replacement controlled my intake and medical weight loss supported and educated me. With everything in one place, medical nutrition, psychological, physiological and physical, I had consistent weekly success and found the experience that was crucial for me to ever make it to the next stage in my journey called LIFE!

Thank You Doc. Thank You Everyone.

Heidi, Martha, Talia, “The Jens”, Tracy, Lornia, Kulaa & Sam

And thank you to my friends and family for your continued support and love all these years.

Therese