Right before the start of 2020, Audrey Kintz found herself in a mental and physical health crisis. At just 21, she was 365 pounds and feeling low. “I couldn’t do what my friends could do,” she said. “I was on the sidelines of life, and I felt like I deserved more.” That’s when she reached out to the team at PPG – Weight Management & Bariatric Surgery for help.
Audrey had been on a hamster wheel of extreme diets. “I’d lose a little weight, get excited, hit a barrier, and then gain it all back, plus more. Then I’d be devastated,” she confesses. It’s a cycle many can relate to. “I never thought weight loss was possible for me.” Then she met Amanda Sytsma, RDN, PPG – Weight Management & Bariatric Surgery, and things started to click.
A multidisciplinary gamechanger
“Working with Weight Management helped me by giving me the tools I needed to have success,” Audrey said. And that meant collaborating with team members focused on different aspects of her health. “Not only would I meet with the dietitian and the doctor, who explained the different barriers to physically losing weight, but I also saw a therapist to get to the root of why I struggle with food.”
Amanda agrees, the mental health element was a differentiator for Audrey. “Therapists are truly the shining star of our program and helping patients with their relationship with food,” Amanda said. “Audrey noticed how beneficial it was for her journey and helping her reflect. She’d come in with a positive mindset. She was happy, and not beating herself up. No one’s perfect. She learned that when she messed up, she could acknowledge it and get back on track.”
A new lease on life
Now, Audrey is enjoying the gifts of her new lifestyle and body. “I’m doing a lot of things I never thought would be possible,” she shared. “I climbed a 14-thousand-foot mountain, and now I’m in the third trimester of pregnancy.”
She’s looking forward to welcoming her daughter soon and showing her a different way of living each day. “I want to be a positive role model for her. I want to show her that food is nourishing and fuels your body. I can teach her the lifestyle skills I wish I would have known.”
The journey was worth it, and Audrey is grateful for the team who helped her get to where she is today. “Now I’m thriving. I’m having a healthy pregnancy and baby, and to be able to live the life I wanted is amazing.”
Start your weight loss journey
PPG – Weight Management & Bariatric Surgery is here to meet you where you are right now. Whether you’re ready to take the step to surgical weight loss, or you’re hoping to manage your weight with non-surgical options, we have resources and a team to guide you, support you and lift you up along the way. To learn more, including our free seminars, contact our office at 260- 425-6390 or fill out this form and one of our care team members will contact you with more information.