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WHY GROUP HEALTH? MEMBERS SAY IT BEST Diane Scheel This story taken from Northwest Health, Summer 2007. Diane Scheel was very overweight when she had partial knee replacements on both knees. Her Group Health orthopedic surgeon told her that she'd destroy her new knees if she didn't get the weight off. "He definitely got my attention. So I lost 120 pounds in about a year and I've kept it off." Prior to her success with sustained weight loss, Scheel had struggled with dieting over the years and knew she would need to focus on permanent lifestyle changes to achieve her health goals. A lover of pizza, tortilla chips, and ice cream, Scheel "went cold turkey one day and became a vegan." Now she mainly eats raw vegetables, including a lot of broccoli, plus raw nuts and seeds. Her personal physician monitored her health throughout her weight loss to make sure she was getting enough nutrients. "He was very supportive, and his nurse spent a lot of time with me on the phone." Scheel fits in exercise by watching TV or talking on the phone while she works out on equipment in her home — a stationary recumbent bicycle, a Pilates Performer, a Health Rider, and a mini trampoline. "It makes the time fly by," she said. She also loves to kayak. "After losing all that weight, I can fit in a kayak now." Scheel underwent two emergency surgeries in late 2006 and credits her weight loss for her quick recovery. "I don't think I would have recovered half as fast if I hadn't lost the weight beforehand. I have energy to spare — and I get lots of compliments from my coworkers and customers." POSTED: 3/26/2008 MOST RECENT STORIES
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