Weight loss is not easy. By the time patients’ walk through the doors at any of the six Physician’s Plan locations, they have usually tried it all. From the shakes to the protein only diets, the points to the grapefruits, they come ready for guidance and lasting results. The clinical director of our Summerville office, Bobbi Jo, offers just that because she knows that helpless feeling. She too struggled with her weight for years. She states, “ Sixty pounds. I lost sixty pounds. I started at age twenty-six. I can relate to what the patients are going through. I know the struggles. I can be their weight loss coach.”
At Physician’s Plan, each patient meets with a physician and receives a customized plan tailored for them, their bodies and their nutrition. For Bobbi Jo, it was cutting out certain foods and actually eating more throughout the day that helped her weigh less. She says, “I always though that eat less meant weigh less. But it isn’t true. I would barely eat all day and once the nighttime came I was starving and would overeat the bad stuff.” Another culprit that patients often struggle with is trigger foods. Physicians Plan works with patients to determine their trigger foods and replace them with healthier options. Bobbi Jo helps patients develop a game plan when it comes to those kinds of foods. “Mine were refined carbs,” she states, “and I learned that I had to get them completely out of the house. Remove the temptation, I tell my patients,” she says.
While losing weight is hard work, Bobbi Jo admits that keeping the weight off can be even harder. She states, “It is much harder to maintain the weight loss. That is why we help our patients make lifestyle changes.” Even years after her weight loss, she still works at maintaining and she is happy to share tips that have worked for her through the years. She says, “I have a Plan A and a Plan B when it comes to meals. Plan A is the healthiest and freshest option, but there is not always time for that. Luckily, I am surrounded by good Plan B options here at Physician’s Plan like our shakes and our bars. My go to is the Oh yeah One Peanut butter bar. A whole bar can replace a meal, and a half of one can replace a snack. A Plan B like this will keep you from running to the gas station and buying that bag of chips.”
When transitioning to the maintain stage, Bobbi Jo also cautions patients to eat in moderation. This is often the culprit for weight gain. But if that happens, Physician’s Plan is there to help. She states, “If a patient fails and the weight creeps back on, we will get them back on track. At Physicians Plan we aren’t just about the pills and the program, we are a support system. Patients need a coach keeping an eye out for them because accountability will make them more successful.”