“I first learned I had diabetes about 10 months ago,” says Charlie Puckett, a patient at the Diabetes Resource Center. “I had a sinus infection and it was the first time I’d been to the doctor in about four years. They did some blood work and the results said I had diabetes. “My doctor immediately recommended that I get active with the Diabetes Resource Center,” he says.

“At orientation, I learned how to use a meter to check my blood sugar and got an overview of nutrition. That led to the full day class where I got extensive education about diabetes itself. That’s where I first met a nutritionist who gave us really good advice on counting our carbohydrates and gave me a customized diet in terms of how many carbs and other nutrition I need to have throughout the day.”

When Puckett was first diagnosed, he weighed more than 300 pounds. He lost 20 pounds in the first two months by counting carbohydrates. After beginning the Center’s “Every Friday” class, he began counting calories and increased his activity level.

He continued to lose about 10 pounds each month. So far, he has lost 80 pounds. Puckett’s goal is to lose 135 pounds total and he continues to work toward that goal each day with the help of the Diabetes Resource Center. “I’m not done yet,” he says. “I’m still fired up.”

Food and fitness journals yield results

“In the Diabetes Resource Center classes, we learned to keep a food log and write down everything we eat, which is really tedious and takes a lot of time. The first week is really hard because you’re looking up everything you’re eating,” he says. “You don’t realize what you’re eating until you start writing it all down.” He says by the second and third week, journaling became much easier. Puckett’s class also met with an exercise physiologist who taught them new exercises each week.

“Not only did we get a good workout that morning, we also got an idea of what we could do on our own during the week,” he says. He kept a journal of his physical activities, including how many minutes he walked each day, and has seen significant results. “Losing weight has been tremendous for me,” Puckett says. “It has given me more energy and stamina. I’m able to be more active; when we travel, I can walk more. We just went up to the Smoky Mountains and I hiked up the side of the hill, thinking, ‘A year ago, I wouldn’t have been able to do this.’ I’m really feeling good.”

Patients find success at the Diabetes Resource Center because they can create personalized treatment plans to meet their individual needs. The Center's interdisciplinary team includes the patient's personal physician, the Center's medical director, certified diabetes educators, exercise specialists, physical therapists and a health psychologist.

For more information about the Diabetes Resource Center at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, call 404-605-3823.

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