Page 145 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2017

Contreras had her surgery in April 2011 at Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula and immediately lost weight. “For six months, I wasn’t hungry,” she said. “I ate small amounts from little cups and exercised.” In those first six months, she lost 80 pounds.
“I would walk seven miles in the morning and seven miles at night, totaling 14 miles in the park. I wanted to lose weight and look good,” she said.
Today, Contreras, now 47 years of age, lives in the Jackson area and works for Nissan North America. She tracks
her steps at work each day, logging 32,000 steps per day, while on the job eight hours daily at the large plant. She also incorporates walking and swimming into her exercise routine. She walks seven miles three times per week, always logging 21 miles per week.
Her diet is exceptionally healthy and she watches not
only the amount of food she eats, but also checks calorie and carbohydrate content. For breakfast, she often eats two hard-boiled eggs and black coffee. For lunch, she takes a pack of tuna fish with her to Nissan and eats it with five crackers. She enjoys a salad of greens with a healthy protein for dinner.
“I drink water all day and have no soda or sugar,” adds Contreras. “I also do not eat fried food or gravy.”
Contreras incorporates vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower into her diet as well and does occasionally eat cheese. “I have maybe one hard tortilla every now and then,” she adds, eating it with fish. “I hardly eat any carbs, and limit myself to one beer every two weeks and very little wine.”
Since her successful surgery, Contreras has dropped almost half of her body weight, and now weighs a healthy 150 pounds. “My life has changed so much,” she says. “I dance, run, jump, and I feel so beautiful.”
CONTRERAS before having life saving vertical gastric sleeve surgery.
She credits her children and sister with giving her the encouragement she needed to undergo this life-saving surgery. “They supported me, and they were the ones who told me I needed to go and do it.”
Contreras has also encouraged her friends who are struggling with weight loss to see Dr. Avara and learn more about surgical weight loss. “I love Dr. Avara for helping me to become more healthy and happy.”
South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center has helped thousands of people in the region obtain a healthier lifestyle. Dr. Avara has practiced general surgery since 1987 and has performed more than 3,000 bariatric procedures. His team includes dietitians and nurses who also counsel patients on healthy eating habits and work to achieve long term weight loss success.
DR. WILLIAM AVARA, III DR. JASON PAYNE THE STAFF at South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center
South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center
1124 Oakleigh Road, Ocean Springs 228.872.7277 • www.smsurgicalweightloss.com
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