Tammy Huskisson has tried countless diets but had never seen anything quite like the HMR diet.
The 52-year-old Vancouver woman found success on Weight Watchers in the past, losing 86 pounds in 13 months. The problem with that program, however, she said, was that Huskisson — a self-proclaimed “food-aholic” — could use her allotted points to eat the french fries, burgers and potato chips that led to her weight gain.
“It wasn’t really teaching me to eat healthier foods,” Huskisson said.
So when Huskisson heard about the highly structured HMR program, which requires meal replacements and a minimum amount of food, rather than a maximum, she was intrigued. When she learned the program participants were medically supervised and worked closely with dietitians, she was confident the program was just what she and her husband, Eric, needed to successfully take weight off.
“They’re helping you with all aspects,” Tammy Huskisson said. “It was a different diet program. It’s teaching us new habits, but it’s monitoring health issues, too.”
“I was thinking weight-loss surgery,” she added. “This was a better way.”
And, so far, Tammy and Eric have been incredibly successful. In six months, Tammy has lost 89 pounds, setting herself on her way to her goal-weight of 150 pounds. Eric has lost 115 pounds, leaving him with only 5 pounds to lose before reaching his goal of 225 pounds.
The average weight loss for people following the diet track Tammy and Eric follow is 43 to 61 pounds in six months.
“It’s a very structured program,” said Ali Jack, a registered dietitian at PeaceHealth Southwest’s Weight Loss for Life clinic. “But because it’s so structured, that’s why we’re so successful. That’s why the results are so good.”
Two-phase diet
The PeaceHealth Southwest weight-loss clinic has used the HMR (Health Management Resources) program since 2006 and currently has about 125 patients enrolled. HMR was recently named the best diet for fast weight loss (tied with Weight Watchers) by the U.S. News & World Report.
The program is broken up into two phases. First is the weight-loss phase, which requires participants to use meal replacements, shakes and bars purchased through the program to drop weight. The second part is the maintenance phase, during which dietitians work with participants to transition from meal replacements to preparing and eating healthful meals.
Physical activity is also part of both phases, as are weekly classes and phone calls with educators.
“This is a lifestyle change,” Jack said. “As uncomfortable as it may be, that’s how you get the results.”
During the weight-loss phase, participants can choose two options. One relies only on meal replacements; the other uses meal replacements and a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables. Both options emphasize a minimum amount of food to be consumed, rather than restricting.
“The trick is to always stay full,” Eric said. “It keeps you away from all of the other food that leads to weight-loss sabotage.”
For Eric and Tammy — who both opted for the diet track that uses only meal replacements — that means three to five shakes and three to four entrees every day. The meal replacements cost the couple about $265 per week but, they say, they save money by not eating out at restaurants three to four times a week like they used too. There’s also a cost for the weekly classes and monthly doctor visits.
Because he’s nearly reached his weight-loss goal, Eric is preparing to move into the program’s second phase. The last couple of weeks he’s incorporated additional fruits and vegetables into his diet and will soon transition to healthy, homemade meals. Tammy will remain in the first phase awhile longer.
Even though the program is known for its effectiveness at fast weight loss, the PeaceHealth clinic has seen many patients continue and maintain their weight loss, Jack said.
“The most important part of our program is phase two — that’s the maintenance phase,” Jack said. “We’ve had many people be very successful in phase two, maintaining big weight loss for many years.”
Health benefits
The Huskissons turned to the HMR program because their physical health was limiting their lifestyles.
“I had maxed my body out,” Tammy said. She couldn’t walk more than five minutes without her body aching and being out of breath.
“Sometimes, if I went to Fred Meyer, I had to rest in the furniture department before finishing shopping,” she said.
Eric had been on medication for high blood pressure and also found himself worn out after short bouts of physical activity.
“We have grandkids now, and I couldn’t keep up with them,” he said.
Since starting the program in July, Tammy has been able to improve her stamina considerably. She can walk 45 minutes to an hour at a time now, and she recently started adding brief exercise routines — such as sit ups, jumping jacks and pushups — to her regimen. Eric walks daily at lunch and has cut his blood pressure medication dosage in half. He suspects he’ll be able to go off of the medication in the next few months. He can also keep up with his six grandchildren.
“It is a commitment,” Tammy said. “If you’re not ready to make that commitment, this program isn’t for you. But if you are, and if you do what they ask, it works fabulous.”
