VIVA Wellness client experiences success with a customized weight loss plan including a Keto diet, topiramate and vitamin supplements.
Lori Stoeckel didn’t need to lose a lot of weight, but she did want to be healthy as she transitions into her retirement years. She and her husband are downhill skiers and want to continue to travel and stay active.
Lori was referred to VIVA Wellness and Jennifer Hruz FNP-BC, APNP, by her physician after voicing her frustrations and challenges with weight loss. Now in her 60s, Lori had never had any major health issues, but her weight and cholesterol were starting to creep upward. She wanted to remain healthy and active. “My doctor gave me Jennifer’s business card, but I didn’t call her right away,” she admitted.
Having been generally overweight for much of her life, Lori says she had some limited success over the years losing weight on her own. She would lose weight, but then gain it back two-fold. She was looking for someone to help her achieve long-term success.
Interest in Keto Diet for Weight Loss
Lori’s husband had done some research into losing weight and wanted to try a ketogenic diet. “Keto” diet as it is often referred to—essentially a low-carb, high fat, and moderate protein diet. While on the diet, you get most of your calories from fat, a moderate amount from protein, and less carbohydrates. After a few days of carbohydrate restriction, the body will use all existing carbohydrate stores, and switches from running off glucose (carbohydrates) to fat. The body begins to break down existing body for energy. This metabolic process is called ketosis and can help you lose weight more quickly than some other diets.
Not entirely convinced a keto diet was right for her, Lori reached out to Jennifer Hruz, nurse practitioner and founder of VIVA Wellness, for a consultation. “Jennifer had lost a lot of weight herself, so I knew she would understand. I really wanted to ask her about keto and thought we could start there.” (Read Jennifer’s personal weight loss story here.)
Following the initial consultation, Lori decided immediately she wanted to lose weight with VIVA Wellness. Jennifer created a customized weight loss plan for Lori. Based on Lori’s goals, Jennifer prescribed a ketogenic diet along with a drug called topiramate and vitamin supplements. Jennifer explained how to measure the carbs in her meals, how to track body weight, fat, and macros.
Customized Medical Weight Loss Program with VIVA Wellness
Beginning her new weight loss journey with a positive attitude and an eye on her goals, Lori found success fairly quickly. She joined a Facebook group that shared keto recipes. She was happy to learn there were lots of foods that she loved and could still eat, with a slight modification to the recipe. After about two weeks she found she didn’t have the carb and sugar cravings she expected. Initially she did experience slight nausea with her change in diet, but learned if she stayed hydrated the symptoms would be significantly less. After a short time the symptoms went away completely.
There were two other “side-effects” Lori experienced: The topiramate she was prescribed helped alleviate some of the migraine headaches she was having, and her husband also lost weight!
It’s Not Only About the Scale
Throughout her program, Lori chose not to weigh herself at home. She says she never really was one for stepping on the scale often. The average person’s weight can fluctuate dramatically depending on time of day, recent meals, the body’s hydration levels and more. Lori didn’t want to get discouraged or feel like she had a setback if she appeared to have gained a pound or two. As it turned out she had nothing to worry about. At her appointment with Jennifer after her first month she had lost 9 pounds. After that each time she was weighed at VIVA Wellness she lost a little more.
When Lori began her weight loss program with VIVA Wellness, she hoped to lose 25 pounds. Today she is 45 pounds lighter and well within the normal range for a person of her height and age. She says Jennifer was very supportive throughout, “I felt more like a friend than a client. Jennifer was always happy to take my calls and answer my questions. I never felt rushed when meeting with her and she absolutely motivated me to achieve my success.”
Lori’s Customized Weight Loss Plan
All clients at VIVA Wellness will receive a customized plan to fit their personal weight loss goals. Each case is evaluated independently.
- Customized Ketogenic Diet
- Topiramate
- Magnesium
- Chromium
- Potassium
- Vitamin D3
- Omega 3
- Multivitamin
- Probiotic
Maintenance After Successful Weight Loss
Lori no longer needs to lose weight. She wants to maintain her current weight and health. At her latest doctor’s appointment she found her cholesterol had dropped 60 points! Now she plans to exercise a little more and tone her muscles. Overall she says she doesn’t feel like her program is a “diet” in the sense that she needs to deprive herself of the things she loves. She did make some changes to her general diet and now reads food packaging and labels much more closely than she did before. “A lot of foods on the market that say ‘keto’ are really not,” she cautions. “I’ve learned to look for the bad sugars even in those foods marketed as ketogenic.”
“I do cheat sometimes,” Lori admits. She recently took a trip to meet her daughter in Hawaii and didn’t adhere strictly to her diet while on vacation. “But now I know how to get back on track and make the best choices.” She still doesn’t weigh herself often at home, but she does step on the scale occasionally just to make sure she doesn’t gain her weight back.
Weight Loss Goals Achieved in Less than 8 Months
It took Lori approximately 8 months to lose the weight she wanted to lose. Lori continues to see Jennifer Hruz at VIVA Wellness to control her migraines. Occasionally she’ll experience a particularly bad migraine and might need an Occipital Nerve Block injection, CBD, or magnesium to help manage the pain.
Lori is very happy with the treatment she received at VIVA Wellness. “Jennifer is a wonderful nurse practitioner and tremendous support. She has lost an incredible amount of weight herself and truly understands how her clients feel,” says Lori, “I would recommend VIVA Wellness to anyone for weight loss or help with migraines.”
“Jennifer is a wonderful nurse practitioner and tremendous support. She has lost an incredible amount of weight herself and truly understands how her clients feel. I would recommend VIVA Wellness to anyone for weight loss or help with migraines.”
Lori Stoeckel
Milwaukee, WI