A professor of Choral Music Education at Florida State University, Judy Bowers, Ph.D. has more than a passion for music, she’s made it her life’s work. At FSU, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in choral music and music education while also working with a variety of musical groups and ensembles in our community. Judy is also a well known presenter and attendee at international conferences, sharing her love and knowledge of music across the globe.
But Judy’s exceedingly busy lifestyle – jam-packed with travel and teaching – was in jeopardy. Suffering from sleep apnea, she couldn’t leave home without her Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. Dragging it through the airport became a constant irritation for her. Sleep apnea, or pauses in breathing while sleeping, is a very serious condition that can be caused by obesity.
“I was actually starting to think that I might have to retire. The physical and mental stress of traveling and managing my sleep apnea were dramatically affecting my life.”
Throughout her life, Judy had worked to lose weight, and although she would lose pounds, she would always gain them back. In an effort to stay active in a career that she loved, Judy decided to try a new weight loss strategy – OPTIFAST.
“I didn’t want to have surgery or use drugs,” she said. “Dr. Lang and the Tallahassee Memorial Bariatric Center offered me the ability to use OPTIFAST and tailor it to my life.”
The Tallahassee Memorial Bariatric Center is one of the only clinics in town offering OPTIFAST, a medically supervised program that combines meal replacements, lifestyle education and the services of a multi-disciplinary team to help patients achieve successful weight management. Dr. Kelley Lang, the area’s most experienced certified obesity physician, leads the program.
Judy worked with the Tallahassee Memorial Bariatric Center team to incorporate OPTIFAST and lifestyle modifications into her hectic schedule. The team helped her map out an individualized meal plan, taking into account her frequent travel schedule, and made it more manageable for Judy.
“My weight loss plan was so carefully organized that I never felt hungry. I always felt in control and like I could really do it, like I could really lose the weight. It gave me the tools to take my life into my hands and keep doing what I love.”
Through this collaborative approach, Judy has been able to keep traveling. She has lost over 39% of her body weight* on a prolonged OPTIFAST program along with close medical care and customized treatment. As a bonus, her weight loss has completely resolved her sleep apnea!
“This is a gift and I hope my story helps others seek this kind of help. The Tallahassee Memorial Bariatric Center staff is wonderful; they work so well together to help patients. Weight gain is gradual, so people can forget how good it feels to be healthy – it’s life changing.”
