Mayo Clinic Health System

“I knew my weight was killing me,” she said. “I had these beautiful grandchildren, and I wanted to be around so I could do things with them.”

Jackie Dutton the day she started Luther Midelfort's Weight Management Services program January 2008.

So on Jan. 16, 2008 — exactly a year from her mother’s death — Dutton enrolled in Luther Midelfort’s Weight Management Services program.

Within five months, she went from 198 pounds to 130. Now, two years later, Dutton is an avid walker and devoted grandmother of four who maintains a comfortable weight in the 120s.

“I hate the word ‘diet,’” Dutton said. “In the program, we talk about ‘lifestyle changes,’ and that’s exactly what it is.”

The start of a new year often ushers in a slew of health-related resolutions, said Diane Dressel, a registered dietitian and coordinator for Luther Midelfort’s Weight Management Services.

“Losing weight, eating healthier, exercising more and quitting smoking are probably the most popular (New Year’s resolutions),” she said. “Losing weight usually leads the group, but it’s also probably the most difficult to accomplish.”

Dutton five months after starting her weight-loss program in June 2008.

Each year around this time, Weight Management Services sees a bump in new enrollees, Dressel said. But unlike other resolutions that can see dropout rates as high as 33 percent within a month and 50 percent within three months, Dressel said Luther Midelfort’s program has an attrition rate of only 5 percent a month.

A Mayo Clinic study published last year confirmed the success of Luther Midelfort’s program.

Dr. James Rohrer, a family physician at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., tracked the weight changes of 103 clinically obese individuals who were participating in a weight-loss program from 2005 to 2006. About half of the study participants were from the Rochester area and were using commercial weight-loss programs, while the other half were enrolled in Luther Midelfort’s program, termed an “intensive structured program.”

After a year of starting their respective programs, the Luther Midelfort group lost, on average, about 42 pounds, whereas the Rochester group, on average, actually gained 2 pounds. The study was published in the December 2008 issue of Disease Management & Health Outcomes.

Diane Dressel, registered dietitian

Dressel attributes the program’s success to the clinically structured nature of the program which works in conjunction with the patient’s healthcare provider, while also using weekly support groups to help encourage participants and keep them accountable. Dressel also uses the following tactics to help keep her participants on track:

• Have a specific goal: You may say “I would like to lose some weight this year,” but it would better if you said, “I want to lose 50 pounds this year.”
• Set a realistic goal: With the right program, 50 pounds can be realistic. Ask the program you’re considering what their average weight loss among participants is at one year out. Depending on the program and its weight loss approach, you might need to set a smaller, more doable goal.
• Have a specific plan: Take the time to plan and research. You need to have a specific plan in place to start.
• Set a specific target date: It doesn’t have to be the magical “January 1.” It is better to pick a date that has a plan in place to support you.
• Think positively: Behavior only changes from the positive. Remember there are programs to help you accomplish your goal.
• Confront your temptations: You will need to change your environment to help with your weight goals. Get rid of food that won’t help you realize your goal — this should be part of your planning.
• Tell your friends: Changing your habits for good may affect your inner circle of friends. Let them know what you’re trying to do, and enlist their support in helping you achieve your goal. Dutton said the support she received from family and friends helped with her success.
• Remember the reward: Make a list of the “real” reasons you want to lose weight (your health, your family). When you lack reasons to change, it is easy to fall back into old habits.
• If you backslide: Give yourself another chance. Most people slip up at some point. The people who are successful are the ones who get back on track. Look at how many days you still have left in the calendar year and see what you can accomplish before the year is up. Don’t give up.
• Commit yourself: You can’t take weight loss lightly. Make your weight loss a priority — just like a job or a family. Get yourself off the back burner.

Dutton hadn’t been at her current weight since the birth of her twins 34 years ago. But now that she’s there, she said it’s been worth every bit of sacrifice and effort.

“It’s been worth every cent,” she said. “I’ve gotten my confidence back, my health back, and it’s got me feeling good about myself.”

For more information about Luther Midelfort’s Weight Management Services, call 715-838-6731, or visit www.luthermidelfort.org.

Dressel’s advice for qualities of an “ideal” program:

1. Rapid and effective weight loss
2. Support and accountability
3. Structure
4. Filling (not feeling hungry)
5. Delicious food
6. Easy to prepare — convenient
7. Simple — few choices
8. Motivating weight loss
9. Strong maintenance program — keeping the weight off
10. Medical supervision for people who need it
11. Has data on their program’s results

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 In partnership with Mayo Clinic, Luther Midelfort offers a full range of quality medical services, including cardiac and orthopedic surgery, cancer and trauma care programs. Through a network of community-based healthcare providers in west-central Wisconsin, Luther Midelfort provides access to experts close to home.