Fountain Valley Couple Lose 250 Pounds Together

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -Michael Bare will never forget looking up that dreaded stairway in his Fountain Valley home. The 64-year-old dreaded that trip. With a severe weight problem, he could barely climb the treads, often using the handrails to drag his bulk upwards. Bare's wife, Lorna Wimberley, would often carry things up and down the stairs for him.

"Even the simplest daily activities were difficult and sometimes impossible," he said.
Though he needed to lose weight and dreaded a surgical procedure, Bare learned about the UCI Health Weight Management Program.

“I liked what I saw when I read their motto on the internet,” says Michael. “Successfully losing and keeping weight off isn’t a simple matter of willpower; it requires ‘skill-power.’ That seemed to resonate with me.”

Michael started on the low-calorie decision-free diet offered at UCI Health, his wife supporting him every step of the way. She joined the Healthy Solutions plan, a less extreme weight loss measure.

Following the course guidelines, Bare lost his first hundred pounds in just six months, and by one year, he shed over 200 pounds.

"Each milestone step was an emotional and physical experience," he said of the program. The UCI Health’s weight management staff constantly monitored his progress.

Over time, Michael reduced the number of medications prescribed, including insulin.

He has maintained his weight loss and today is still more than 200 pounds lighter than his heaviest days. Mobility is no longer an issue, Michael and Lorna bike to the program’s weekly weight loss meetings in Irvine from their Fountain Valley home. The pair fills their weekends with outdoor activities like kayaking and horseback riding.

“One of the most fulfilling aspects of my weight loss journey was the support I received from my wife,” Michael recalls. “Lorna decided to lose weight too, and she’s lost 45 pounds and kept it off now for more than three years.”

The medically supervised decision-free diet program at UCI Health is designed for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or who need to lose more than 30 pounds. The weight loss diet is made completely of healthy meal replacement shakes, entrees and meal replacement products.

The average weight loss is 50 to 60 pounds, though patients who follow this program may lose 100 pounds or more. Like Mike, Participants receive a high level of support while they learn and practice new behaviors.

“A very emotional Michael walked into my office last, and I asked him what was wrong,” recalls Katie Rankell, director of the UCI Health Weight Management Program. “He said, ‘thank you for giving me my life back’ and grabbed me in a hug. I held it together and praised him for doing all the hard work but after he left… I sobbed. Such an amazing testimony to perseverance and just not giving up!”

The UCI Health Weight Management Program has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off by helping them practice the skills they need to succeed for life. The team of physicians, nurse practitioners, registered dietitians, and behavioral health educators helped Michael achieve his goals.

“The stairs aren’t an issue anymore,” says Michael.

For more information, visit: www.ucihealth.org

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