Steve Glennon was considered obese less than one year ago. He dined at fast food restaurants and was a chronic exercise avoider, which resulted in a man who had been lean and fit in high school carrying an extra 50 pounds around his middle.

Fast-forward to today and the 153-pound Glennon has lost 67 pounds and counting. Though his goal weight was only 165, the pounds have just kept coming off for the Omaha resident who works in Council Bluffs after he made the decision to shed his weight last October.

Lisa Parmley had struggled with her weight since she was a teenager. She'd tried it all, including weight loss groups and diet pills, but nothing seemed to work. Looking at her now, one would never know that last August, she weighed 139 pounds more than she does now. The Council Bluffs native still has 12 pounds to go to attain her goal weight, but she is well on her way to achieving that magic number using the same program Glennon used.

Glennon and Parmley are just two of the success stories that have emerged from the Alegent Health Weight Management Center in Council Bluffs that opened in April of 2005. The 13-week intense weight-loss program was started to help combat the growing problem of obesity in America.

According to Dr. Farid Sadr, the medical director of the WMC, overweight/obese Americans make up 67 percent of the population, causing increased health risks, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.

ot wanting to be on cholesterol medication, Glennon joined the program in October. After graduating from the WMC in February, he is no longer on that medication.

"My daughter, son and wife are grateful I'm healthy," he said with a smile, "and I'm happy I'm not giving the pharmacy all my money anymore."

Though Parmley entered the program so she wouldn't have to undergo bypass surgery, she had similar results and decreased blood pressure. Both Parmley and Glennon credit their health management accomplishments to the highly structured, individualized WMC program. Before enrolling in the program almost one year ago, Parmley was ready to give up on her weight loss goal.

"I was a total couch potato before," she recalled. "I had tried so many others (weight loss programs), but with this I got fast results."

Attendance is required at the Lifestyle Education classes where the patients are empowered by Sadr and other nurses to take control of their bodies, weight and health. The accountability of the program, in which patient progress is medically monitored, is what helped Glennon to make the lifestyle changes he was learning about.

"You don't want to come in weighing more than the week before," he noted.

However, the WMC is not just about weight loss; good health is emphasized, along with exercise and nutrition, according to Sadr.

"Believe me, my attitude was exercise is not for everybody," Glennon said, citing his sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits. "I was a recipe for poor health."

"Was" being the key word. Now, Glennon hits the gym daily and has eliminated fried foods and regular pop from his diet. The pre-packaged meal replacements he enjoyed while in the WMC program have taught him a lot about calories and portion control. Though the food in the meal replacements was OK, according to Glennon, he

"I had to reevaluate what I was buying at the store," he said. "By the time (the program) was over, I had learned a lot about that. I just apply it now."

Parmley has also become better educated on nutrition since joining the program. She is currently enrolled in the ongoing plan, and is slightly apprehensive about not having a structured environment when she leaves the program soon.

"The maintenance will be the hardest part," she said. "This just feels like such a miracle; I like the group support."

According to Sadr, maintaining weight loss is the hardest part about the program.

"It is the most important part," he stressed. "During the course of 13 weeks, the goal is to educate the patient on how to maintain the weight loss. Most of our patients have learned and are practicing lifestyle changes."

Parmley has already made several lifestyle changes including preparing much lower calorie meals and exercising five times a week. She's thrilled about her change in appearance, but says the confidence she's gained since losing her weight has been much more rewarding.

"It's great to get attention, but the feeling is so much better," said Parmley, who now enjoys hiking and traveling. "I used to be reclusive, but now I feel more social. I get out and do things, involve myself in activities and spend a lot less time watching TV."

Parmley can hardly remember looking like her "before" pictures. Steve Glennon can't either. He recalls balking when his doctor told him he was obese.

"I said 'You're crazy, I'm overweight,'" he remembers responding to his physician. "I didn't really see myself that way until my "before" pictures. Now I'll never get like that again."

Both Glennon and Parmley recommended the program for its intervention techniques and constant review process of patients' lifestyle habits.

"Give it a chance and stick to it," Parmley advises.

"Basically I feel 20 years younger," Glennon adds. "Before, my kids thought I was going to have a heart attack."

The Alegent Health Weight Management Center accepts anyone 17 or older. For more information on the WMC, call (712) 388-2778 or visit www.Alegent.com.