Making Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Diabetes: The Ron Rich Story

At their second meeting, Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator Julie Walters thought she had failed her patient, Ron Rich.

Weighing 300 pounds, Rich (now 63), had struggled for years with pre-diabetes. He was taking medication to prevent type 2 diabetes, but his A1C had been fluctuating wildly. At one point, it was 12. The normal A1C range for a person without diabetes or pre-diabetes is 4–5.6 percent.

Rich’s inability to lose weight finally led him to ask his primary care physician (PCP) for a referral to a dietitian. His provider referred him to Mercy Health Physician Partners Diabetes and Endocrine Center, and that is when Walters became his certified diabetes educator.

“I never knew about nutrition,” said Rich. “I came from a large family; we were required to eat what was on our plate, and there were a lot of heavy foods, like mashed potatoes and gravy, and pasta dishes.”

Walters’ first appointment with Ron was in May 2018. “My goal was to explain the basics about insulin resistance and diabetes, as well as food sources of carbohydrates,” said Walters. “Because he frequently ate out, we also discussed strategies for portion control in restaurants.”

However, at follow-up appointment in July 2018, Rich was clearly frustrated.

“In two months, I didn’t lose a pound. I finally told Julie that if I had to eat a Styrofoam cup to lose weight, I would do it. She knew I was motivated,” Rich shared.

Recognizing his eagerness to be persistent, despite setbacks, Walters encouraged Rich to track his portions carefully using the app MyFitnessPal, one of the apps on MapMyFitness.com. At first, hunger pains made it difficult for him to stick to the prescribed number of daily calories. However, Rich began to lose weight and kept up his regimen.

Ready to add to his initial success, Rich slowly began to exercise by walking in a nearby park.

“At first I was sore, but I continued. Except for when I had shin splints, I rarely missed a day walking this past year. I go to Florida in the winter, and even if it is raining, I still go for my walk as soon as it stops. I got a Fitbit for Christmas and was up to a million steps in 90 days,” he said.

The results? Rich has lost 78 pounds! “My original goal was 65 pounds, and I figured there was no way I was going to do it. I still don’t know at what weight I want to end up, but at some point, I will go into ‘maintenance mode.’ For now, I walk four miles a day.”

Rich wants others to know that they can lose weight without surgery or medication. “For me, it was about making lifestyle changes. You need to make time to exercise. Instead of sitting in a recliner and watching TV, I’m walking.”

He also relies on the MapMyFitness apps to track his daily progress in terms of calories and miles walked. “The app helped me to understand what’s in the food I eat. You can put any food item in the app, and it will tell you how many calories it is. You need to burn more calories than you eat to lose weight. Now I eat vegetables in place of the high-calorie items. Broccoli is my favorite.” Rich has even figured out how to eat a low-calorie meal at a popular fried chicken franchise.

Rich attributes his success to “wanting to help myself” and to his nutrition and diabetes education at Mercy Health. He and his PCP continue to monitor Rich’s blood sugar levels.

“I think if people were educated, they could have more success. Without the education,” he said, “I would have been doing the same things without success. Now, if I keep doing what I’m doing, I won’t need my medication to control my A1C. I highly recommend consulting a dietitian like Julie to help you meet your goals.”