<p>Nu Image's CTO transformation with WAYT-less™</p>

Back Story (no pun intended):

Ive been working at Nu Image Medical since August 2016. At this time my weight hovered between 150-155 LBS. I always did my best to stay in good shape due to severe back issues Ive had since around 2012. I had a HUGE lower back disk herniation that has never quite healed. Exercise and decent eating habits always kept me in shape, so I never really needed a program or diet to stay at my ideal weight of under 155 LBS (doctor's words, not mine). 

Fast forward a couple of years and I started to gain a couple of pounds here and there and I was now roughly 158-162 LBS. In my mind I knew that it wouldnt get out of control, I just had to stop the tacos and alcohol and get back to the gym. Its that easy, right? Not really. There was one part of the equation I wasnt taking into account; I was getting older. 

While I get no sympathy from anyone older than me, I have always joked that I age in dog years. I certainly feel older than my age, likely due to my back and other sports-related injuries. In 2018 I turned 28 years old and it seems like everything about my body changed. I couldnt party as long, couldnt stay up as late, and the scale continued to go up even with me trying to diet or exercise more. I kept saying that I hit my 30s at 28. 

Two years later we arrived at the year 2020, which affected everyone differently but the same in many ways. While Floridas quarantine lasted a whole four weeks, a lot of businesses remained closed for longer (gyms as an example), and my soccer leagues were also canceled for the summer and fall seasons. This meant that my only two exercise outlets were now out of the question for the immediate future. So many aspects of life were different, but my eating habits stayed the same. What this meant was that my calorie intake didnt change, but I was no longer doing anything to burn said calories. By the end of 2020, we had arrived at the 165-170 LBS mark. 

Enter July 2021

The summer of 2021 was probably one of the worst ones in terms of health for me. While soccer was back in some capacity I was now playing with almost 15-20 LBS more weight on me, and trying to play as if I was still 28 years old. By the time the summer hit, I suffered a really bad back injury relapse that left me almost unable to move. The pain was so bad that it took three people to get me in and out of bed and I had to attend physical therapy for spinal decompression 3 times a week for the next 12-15 weeks (at $260 per visit). This also meant no exercise again. You would think by now that I would have done the smart thing and at least tried to eat cleaner, or go on a weight loss program to help my back. Instead, I doubled down on the bad eating and drinking more than usual. I wouldnt say I was depressed, but I certainly wasnt happy about not being able to do anything. Like I said, it one of the worst summers to date. 

When I knew I had to change

I turned 31 in August of 2021 and stepping on the scale on your birthday when you know youve not taken care of yourself isnt a good way to start your birthday. The scale read 174 LBS and I thought it wasnt as bad as I expected. Still, this was almost 20 LBS higher than I was in 2016. After 1 month of therapy I could walk, but not much else. I was still very limited in activity. Therapy was definitely helping. I could feel the improvement each visit, but it didnt eliminate the problem. It was soothing my pain and allowing me to continue living. 

In October, my wife and I went to Cancun for a destination wedding. It was great, and let me tell you that I ate and drank like I was 21 again. After all, thats what vacation is for, right? Well, the first time the internal alarms went off and the panic button was almost pressed was when I barely fit into my outfit for one of the events. 

As you can see in the above picture, my shirt is about to come apart and my neck, chin, and face ae almost round. 

The second but crucial alarm was when I stepped on the scale before leaving Cancun. We were weighing the bags to make sure they were not over 50 LBS, and when I put the bag down the scale read 183.8 LBS. I was in shock and denial. I told my wife that the scale must be defective and my scale at home would read AT LEAST 10 LBS lower. 

That evening when we got home I stepped on the scale and it read 182.4 LBS. Needless to say, the scale in Cancun was not wrong. It was time to make a change. 

The very next day I filled out my patient intake for WAYT-less™ and I spoke with our nutritionist and one of our doctors. I was in panic mode; it was time to get back to a healthy weight to help my body heal. 

7 pounds in the first week? 

I started the WAYT-less™ program that Monday. I knew that it wasnt going to be an overnight thing. I have read the countless amazing reviews we get on WAYT-less™ at Nu Image Medical, but since everyone is different I wasnt 100% sure what to expect.  Im telling my story, not because I work at Nu Image Medical, but because like many others, WAYT-less™ changed my life. 

After the first week, on the Sunday after I started the program, I was down to 175. I will admit that adjusting to the diet wasnt easy, but not because of the food or cravings. It was because at my house we were used to eating a certain way, and now it all had to change because of me. My wife was very understanding though, and she adapted to follow the diet and help me on my journey. The Naltrexone helped with my sugar and other cravings. I stopped alcohol for the most part as well. That need for a drink after work or a glass of wine with dinner was now gone. 

We also did something that some might find wrong or controversial, but we cleansed the house of anything that could break my diet. Im not happy with the concept of throwing away food, but most of it was open boxes of sugary cereals and candy. I have a very strong will but getting rid of the temptations is key for a successful diet. 

3 weeks in, no more back pain

Between July and October of 2021, I went to my chiropractor 35 times, paying around $250 per visit, with a total of $8,750 which was not covered by my insurance directly. Im still trying to get some money back from insurance for this but so far, no luck. Why am I telling you this? Well, 3 weeks into my WAYT-less™ journey I was back at 165-ish LBS and something magical happened: my back pain was practically gone! Sure, from time to time I felt discomfort, but I could dress and tie my shoes with hardly any pain, a feat that not long ago was impossible. A program that costs $299 did more for my back than the $8,750 I had spent on chiropractor visits. This is not in any way an attack on my chiropractor; I love them and their practice did a tremendous job to help me get back to everyday life. However, WAYT-less™ helped me get to the root of the problem and almost eliminate it. I still had to strengthen my core more and get back into shape, but not carrying that extra weight was key to me getting back to almost no pain. 

Walking and exercise

About 4 weeks in I started walking in the mornings. At first, I would do a lap around my neighborhood, which is roughly 1/4 mile. I didnt want to overdo it, but now being in the 150s LBS was in sight. A month after starting the program I was 160 LBS, 24 LBS lighter than when I started. During the next couple of weeks, the weight continued to drop off and I continued to increase my activity level. By week 6 I was walking 2 miles a day and a return to the gym and soccer was near. 

Mental health and more

Until now, I havent shown any pictures of the scale, mainly because I think pictures of my body and face tell a better story than just plain numbers on a scale. The picture below will show me how much lighter, and just by looking at my face, you can tell that Im healthier and happier (not my best picture, but you get the idea). 

My scale isnt great for pictures. The LCD screen is hard to capture, but I will present you with the first big milestone with a picture of my scale. I was now officially in the 150s LBS and this motivated me even more.  

The feeling you get when someone comments on your progress are hard to describe. For me, it was almost like getting a present, or a big tax refund. I was over the moon every time someone said I looked great. It was hard not to gloat and sound like I was a celebrity endorsing a product. I couldnt keep my mouth shut about WAYT-less™. 

Exercise continued

By the second week of December, roughly two months into the program, I had completely stopped physical therapy and I was in the gym 3 days a week. I could run on the treadmill for longer stints and I could also do weight training, something that had not happened in over eight months. I was now 155 LBS but gaining some muscle which was amazing for me. Before leaving for Cancun, I had gathered all of my clothes that didnt fit and put them in a donation pile. This hurt because most of the clothes were expensive, but they didnt fit so what was the point of keeping them? Then on Friday, December 17th I was getting ready to meet my boss for breakfast and I couldnt decide on what to wear. I happened to walk by the donation pile and saw a shirt that I really liked. I grabbed it, ironed it, and put it on. Not only did it fit, but I felt like I looked great in it. I havent shed many tears in my life, but I did that morning. Was that the only thing that now fit? I grabbed the pair of jeans that I usually wore with that shirt, which was also in the pile, and put them on. Like a glove! I left the house on cloud nine. The picture below was taken at breakfast.

The results

As I finish writing this I will leave you with a few things. As of this morning, I was 153.5 LBS. THIRTY POUNDS LIGHTER than when I started. THREE-ZERO. My goal was to be 155 LBS by December 31st. I exceeded that goal. I would probably be in the 140s if I didnt start working out and put on some muscle mass. 

For those who like numbers, the results were as follows:

My BMI went from 29.7 unhealthy to 24.8 healthy.

My body fat percentage went from 25% to 15.5%. Yes, I lost 10% of my body fat. 

Lost over 30 LBS. Started at 183.8 LBS and I am now 153.5

Here is the obligatory scale picture of the final number.

I understand that this is a lot to read, so if you made it this far, I thank you for reading the story behind my journey. There are still goals Id like to reach and I will share those as well. There is a lot more to this story but I couldnt tell it all, mainly because I want people to finish reading my testimony. If after reading this you want to ask me any questions about my journey, Id be happy to answer them. You can email me at mgomez@nuimagemedical.com and I will be happy to talk. I wont give you any medical advice (we have experts for that) but I can tell you about my journey and how I handled situations that you might be experiencing in your journey. 

Thank you for reading.

Mario Gomez,

CTO

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your physician about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Nu Image Medical may not offer the medications or services mentioned in this article.