Cattails

Winning at the losing game:
Program offers privacy in weight loss

More than a year after joining Marshfield Clinic’s HMR at Home weight loss program, Suzie Arnold cannot believe the success she has had.

“I’m down 70 pounds and I still eat like a pig - or I feel like I do,” she said.

She has that feeling while participating in HMR (Health Management Resources), a national program designed to help individuals improve their health through weight loss. The program includes meal replacement products.

Suzie Arnold, participant in HMR at home weight loss program.

Marshfield Clinic has offered its patients different forms of the HMR program for almost 20 years. A year and a half ago, it started HMR at Home, a phone-based weight-loss program for individuals with busy lifestyles who can participate from anywhere — home, the office or even when out of town.

Arnold chose HMR at Home for its privacy. “I just like the fact that I am all by myself in my home,” she said. “I didn’t have to go in. I didn’t have to have tests done.” Cindy Stenavich, a Marshfield Clinic registered dietitian, said participants find success with HMR at Home, as they do when attending HMR sessions at Marshfield Clinic locations.

“We have found the average weight loss after six weeks with this method is 17 pounds,” Stenavich said.

The program features a structured daily diet consisting of at least three Healthy Solutions shakes, two meal replacement entrees and at least five servings of fruits and vegetables. Any fresh, canned (without sugar) or frozen fruit and vegetables are acceptable. Altogether, the plan consists of about 1,200 calories a day.

“We call this the ‘three plus two plus five diet,’ what we consider the minimum prescriptive diet,” Stenavich said. “If participants are having a hungry day, they can have an extra shake, meal or fruit and vegetable, but we ask that they don’t deviate from those foods.”

Arnold said the meals are delicious. “I always feel full,” she said, adding: “I really believe in this program. I take these meal replacements into work with me and everybody asks me what smells so good when I put them in the microwave.”

Arnold found so much success after six weeks; she decided to go on for four more weeks and then more after that. She remembers the day her health educator told her she had met her goal to lose 25 pounds. At that point, Arnold told the educator she had already again changed her goal in her mind a long time ago.

“I felt so good that I thought I’d go down another 30,” she said. “I thought I should weigh what my driver’s license said I do!”

A few months later, Arnold reached that second goal. “I realize that, but now I think I should match my chart on the back of the pantyhose package!” she told the program’s health educator.

At the heart of the HMR program are structured weekly telephone calls, with specific topics and lessons about weight loss planned for each session. Prior to the telephone meeting, participants are contacted so weight loss coaches know how they are doing. Then participants are connected in a conference call with no more than 15 people participating, but usually fewer.

“My job is to make sure everybody is engaged and has a chance to speak and contribute,” Stenavich said. “The big surprise is how people get connected to each other over the phone. They are very interested in how the others are doing and are very supportive. They are able to give each other great ideas from what’s working for them and how they can avoid different pitfalls.”

Before participating, individuals attend a free scheduled HMR at Home telephone orientation session. “We explain everything about the program so interested people can make an informed decision about whether they feel this program will be right for them,” Stenavich said. “We ask them to commit to participate for six weeks if it is right for them.”

While there are fees for the telephonic meetings and meal replacements, Stenavich said costs are offset by not purchasing as much food at the grocery store.

An HMR-certified health educator leads the weekly phone-based classes. The 45- minute call provides dieting support for the upcoming week and opportunities for individualized coaching during the group sessions. Participants keep records on daily meal replacement use and the number of fruits and vegetables they eat.

During telephone calls, topics include increasing physical activity, environmental cues that lead to over-eating and food they may want to get out of the house in order to be successful.

The program is open to anyone wanting to lose weight, regardless of his or her goal. However, if individuals have serious health-related problems as a result of their weight, a program with direct medical monitoring may be recommended.

Since medical centers across the country offer HMR at Home, if times set by Marshfield Clinic for program sessions are not convenient to a participant, he or she can be connected to one of many sites across the country.

“We could have participants from anywhere in the country,” Stenavich said, “and Wisconsin participants could be linked to groups anywhere else if it fits their needs.”

For more information about HMR at Home or attending a telephone orientation, call Marshfield Clinic’s Nutrition Services Department at 715-387-5480 or toll-free at 1-800-782-8581, ext. 7-5480.

Top