By Allison Z, on Virta 1.5 years
One of the most fulfilling aspects of being a benefits leader for Anywhere Real Estate is finding and implementing benefits that I know can help my colleagues live their healthiest lives. A little over two years ago we identified a need for a type 2 diabetes solution. Admittedly, this search became a bit personal for me. Like many of my colleagues, I too struggled with my weight and knew in my heart that if I went to a doctor—which I was terrified to do—I would be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. All the symptoms were there, but I was too scared to confirm it.
We chose to implement Virta because unlike many diabetes management programs, Virta didn’t seek out to only treat the symptoms of diabetes, Virta provides patients the tools and support to reverse it. The Virta benefit went live in January of 2021 and I was first in line to try it.
Because I never received a formal diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, I had to have my blood checked to confirm I was even eligible. For those who don’t know, a normal fasting A1c (3 month average blood sugar) is 5.6% or less. Prediabetes, or at risk for diabetes is between 5.7% and 6.4%. Anything over 6.5% is considered type 2 diabetes. My bloodwork came back at 14%.
Within only a few hours of receiving my bloodwork, A Virta physician contacted me. He told me to go to my primary care physician right away. He then took the time to explain the risks of my condition and answered any of my questions. I can’t remember the last time a doctor reached out to me and not the other way around. I knew then and there that Virta was different.
Shortly after my being prescribed metformin to reduce my blood sugar, I started the Virta treatment—which is to say I started making the nutritional changes my Virta health coach and I discussed. One thing that surprised me was how easy it was. My health coach helped me find foods that I already enjoyed that would fit the Virta lifestyle—which was way more than I expected.
This is the first program that I have found that I could stick with.
Because there is no calorie counting on Virta, I’m not hungry. And because I’m not hungry, I’m not craving unhealthy foods. I’ve never gone longer than 6 months on the diets I’ve tried. But It’s been a little over a year since I started Virta and I feel incredible. My metformin has been cut in half, my A1c is now at 5.6%, and I have lost over 50 pounds.
I am so grateful to have been able to improve my health and spend more time with my two children—one close to marriage and one who is 18. And what I’ve learned is that life on Virta is a whole lot easier than struggling with the weight, high blood sugar, and general discomfort of life before Virta.
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