How has the change in your diet impacted you? What is your favorite healthy meal to make?

I resigned from the kitchen since I tend to cook meals with high amounts of carbs and calories. I try to be a gourmet chef, and I’m not very conscious of my health in the process. Thankfully, my wife is now the chef of the house and can cook us healthy and balanced meals. She started the Keto diet in February and has been cooking regularly since.

She is the one that initiated my weight loss. I was having a tough time with my weight, especially after my recent knee surgery. Back in January, I weighed more than ever before. I realized that I had to do something! I knew I had to make a change in the way I ate because I wasn’t able to exercise with my knee problems. Hopping on the Keto diet with her has been really helpful. But it isn’t necessarily the keto factor that’s doing the trick, because I technically am not in ketosis. It’s more so the cutting out of unhelpful carbohydrates, sugar, fried food, and other unhealthy foods I was consuming regularly.

We are still experimenting with the diet. The other day, she made a lasagna dish that was unique, to say the least. You can’t have pasta on the diet, so we used cabbage as a substitute. It was tasty but strange. I enjoyed it, though!

How did you find out about Pack Health and what made you want to sign up?

I was very skeptical about calling at first. I didn’t think I needed help. I had lost weight on my own before and thought I could do it again. After I realized I needed some help, I called a bariatric surgeon and had an appointment set up to have gastric bypass surgery. I decided it was time to take weight loss seriously, and I needed to reach out to every resource available.

Originally, I received a letter in the mail about Pack Health through Blue Cross Blue Shield. I actually threw the first one away. Soon after I hit a high point in my weight, I received another letter in the mail and realized it was offered at no cost, so I had nothing to lose, no excuses! After my fourth week with Pack Health, I called the surgeon and canceled the surgery because I realized I didn’t need it anymore. I could actually do this on my own.

You said you haven’t been able to exercise because of your knee surgery. How has that impacted your fitness routine?

It’s just about taking it slow. I go to the gym about 3 times a week still, I just haven’t been able to do any running or jumping. I walk on the machines for at least 30 minutes, and I walk our dogs around the neighborhood. Last week, I started getting through complete rotations on the bike, which was a huge accomplishment. I am getting close to having a full range of motion in my legs again, too. It’s a process, but it has been going well lately! I have lost weight, and it is noticeable!

How has your experience with Katie been?

Katie does a great job of holding me accountable, and it’s just what I needed. Having her has made me feel responsible for my progress. I feel a responsibility to tell her I’ve lost 2 more pounds every Thursday, which is the goal that we’ve set. Katie gives me great advice, and I know I can go to her with any problem that I’m having along the way.

What has been the biggest obstacle in this process, and what have you done to overcome it?

The biggest obstacle for me has definitely been the physical aspect. I’m recovering from both a total knee replacement and a complete ACL replacement. At the time, I didn’t realize I was going to have a tough recovery. It is a long recovery process, and the doctors told me it was going to take about a year to get back to normal, but it didn’t click with me until after the surgery. I wasn’t used to being dormant, and have had to learn to be patient with it and allow my body the time it needs to recover and rest.

Katie told us about your decision to quit mountain dew and drink more water, how has that been?

It hasn’t been too difficult. I was drinking a lot of Mountain Dew, even though I knew how unhealthy it was. I would go through a case of them every couple of weeks. I had a cooler in my truck that I kept stocked. But since then, I have dropped caffeine, sugar, all of it! I don’t have too much of problem kicking habits, though. Having a base diet helps. Starting the diet in the first place was the hardest part, to be honest. Ever since it has been easier to make healthy decisions. I’m excited about the progress I’m making, and the goals I’ve set for the rest of the year, and the rest of my life!

Below: Jamie smiles proudly after changing his lifestyle to reflect a healthier life.