How do we measure success at Duke Diet & Fitness Center?

It's not about the inches or weight you lose. It's not even about your appearance.

Success at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center is not measured on scales or in mirrors -- it’s measured by the way our clients feel and how they improve their lifestyles.

People who come to the Duke Diet & Fitness Center for weight loss often leave with even bigger benefits, such as:

• A reversal of diabetes or high blood pressure
• Lower cholesterol and improved heart health
• Lower risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke

That's why losing the weight makes a difference. In addition to improving the quality of your life, it can literally add years to your life. That's how we measure success.

These clients have shared their experience and personal success stories with us:

Bill B.

I had always been a heavy kid. From my earliest memories, my weight was a topic of conversation. Whether I was eating too much, was referred to as "big boned," or had to wear "husky" clothing, being heavy was as much a part of my growing up as anything else.

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Fred G.

My weight-loss story begins at age 26, when I weighed 453 pounds. By the time I was 29, I had lost a substantial amount of that weight -- 270 pounds -- but I had trouble keeping it all off. Over the years, I'd gain back 75 or 100 pounds and then have to lose it all over again. It was my wife who first went to the Duke Diet & Fitness Center (DFC), and her success inspired me to give it a shot.

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Laura P.

I first went to the Duke Diet & Fitness Center (DFC) in 2001. My sister was the first to go, and she kept telling me how great it was and urging me to try it -- so I did. In the six years that I've been following the DFC program, I've lost a total of 90 pounds. I've gone from a size 20 to a 10!

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Liz L.

I’ve been heavy since the fifth grade. My dad and stepmother were concerned about my weight, and they heard about the Duke Diet & Fitness Center and thought it would be perfect for me. When they offered to send me, I felt like I’d won the lottery!

Marilyn G.

I first went to the Duke Diet & Fitness Center (DFC) in 1992. I was very ill, and my ailments were the result of my overweight condition. I had Pickwickian syndrome, I couldn't sleep lying down. I awoke every night at 2 a.m. with splitting headaches -- I practically lived on headache pain medication. I could not climb stairs or walk anywhere without heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and pain.

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Scott R.

It was November 2004, at my aunt's funeral. I stood up to share my memories of her life and to say my goodbye. Surrounded by my family, I could barely stand: even 30 seconds on my feet made me gasp for breath and sweat profusely. I heard a little voice in my head say, "You're 41 years old, obese, and you're gonna die. Next week, next month -- who knows? -- but soon."

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Susan R.

I was obese when I went to the Duke Diet & Fitness Center (DFC) for the first time, in September 2003. I had just left my marriage, and I weighed more than I ever had before. I'm five feet four and I weighed 220 pounds. I knew I needed to do something, and a friend recommended the DFC.

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