Dropped more than 130 pounds with the strict diet and daily exercise.
It was suppose to be a fun day at Ohio's Cedar Point Amusement Park. Rural Fruitport resident Kris Rieger braved a long wait with her brother to ride the Raptor roller coaster and they settled into the seat.
Then it came. Rieger's life-changing wake-up call. She couldn't buckle the seatbelt and had to exit the ride.
A month later, the Monday after Thanksgiving 2005, Rieger committed to 's Very Low Calorie Diet program. She has since dropped more than 130 pounds with the strict diet and daily exercise.
If the tri-county area held its own "Biggest Loser" contest, Rieger and fellow Very Low Calorie Diet faithful Jim Oros would surely be in the running for the top prize.
"Those two were extraordinary in the fact they followed the program100 percent," said Becki Krueger, a health educator. "They made physical activity a priority and problem-solved attendance, activities and events. They were two very coachable people."
offers the national Health Management Resources program locally and sells shakes, entrees and BeneFit bars. The program offers a variety of options for people battling the bulge.
Personalized plans (that range from medically supervised to home do-it-yourself diet kits) can help a person lose 10 to 200 pounds, said Carrie Kelly, 's program coordinator.
Whereas many weight-loss plans require participants to count calories and points or pick and choose food, the Very Low Calorie Diet, also called Decision Free, makes it easy.
"They don't have to think about their choices," Kelly said. "There's no guesswork involved. The accountability also helps. When people don't attend their classes, you can tell. The weight comes back."
The program does have rules, including a strict attendance policy, exercise requirements and a restrictive diet monitored by blood tests. However, both Rieger and Oros found them helpful.
"For me, it's key having that accountability," Rieger said. "And it's not like you can't ever have it (regular food) again."
Ultimately, sustained weight-loss success comes down to commitment and attitude, Krueger said.
"They have to be ready. Kris is a perfect example. The mind has to be in sync with the body," she said.
Kris Rieger
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Results not typical.
makes no claims that these results are representative of all patients in the program.
