NL_051619

18 | May 16, 2019 | the new lenox patriot news
newlenoxpatriot.com
Woman maintains 105-pound weight loss a decade later
Submitted by Silver Cross
Hospital
In 2008, Tammy Robinette
made the lifechanging
decision to have
gastric band weight-loss
surgery at Silver Cross
Hospital. Ten years later,
she is feeling great and
living her “best life.”
In the years since her
weight loss surgery, she’s
done fitness boot camps,
can jog five to 10 miles,
eats a healthier diet and
has maintained a remarkable
105-pound weight
loss. Her journey began at
221 pounds on her 5-foottall
frame. Today, she
weighs 116 pounds.
At the time of her surgery,
Robinette’s major
health risk was a high
BMI (body mass index) of
42. But her family history
of diabetes also topped her
list of concerns. “I wanted
the surgery because both
sides of my family had a
history of morbid obesity
and diabetes. I saw my future
and wanted to change
it. I wanted to be healthier
and not another statistic
in my family,” she explained.
Robinette could lose the
weight…the problem was
keeping it off. “I had tried
everything to lose weight:
low-carb, pre-prepared
meal plans, point systems
and exercise centers. I
could follow the regimens
and lose weight, but I did
not have enough knowledge
of nutrition and
how to prepare foods in
a healthy way that could
help me maintain my
weight loss. Also, if I fell
out of my exercise routine
– the weight would come
back on quickly.”
Making the Decision
When her weight and
inactive lifestyle led to
bouts of depression, Robinette
set up an appointment
with BMI Surgery
at Silver Cross Hospital
and officially began her
incredible weight-loss
journey. Every Wednesday,
the BMI team hosts
an informational group
meeting called Obesity &
Your Health for individuals
considering weightloss
surgery.
Robinette had a consultation
with Brian Lahmann
M.D., bariatric surgeon
with BMI Surgery at Silver
Cross, who recommended
gastric band surgery. After
getting the okay from her
health insurance company,
she set a surgery date. “I
will admit, I was nervous
about having the surgery,
but the staff at Silver Cross
Hospital and Dr. Lahmann
were wonderful,” she said.
New Lease on Life – Ten
Years Later
Ten years later, 49-yearold
Robinette has maintained
her 105-pound
weight-loss. A lot has
changed since then. The
former Joliet resident
moved to Alabama and
enjoys an active lifestyle.
She also eats a plant-based
diet and rarely dines out at
restaurants, preferring her
own home cooking. The
secret to her long-term
success: she’s learned a
lot about nutrition over
the years, stays away from
processed foods and sugar,
and exercises!
“Before surgery, climbing
stairs was difficult,
now I feel younger and
more energetic than I did
in my teen years! I try new
activities and feel more
confident. I just want to
thank Dr. Lahmann and
everyone involved in
my care for giving me
this wonderful gift,” she
added.
Old Plank Road Trail included in Great American
Rail-Trail Route includes New Lenox leg of path
Submitted by Forest
Preserve District
The Old Plank Road
Trail in Will and Cook
counties has been included
in a 3,700-mile Great
American Rail-Trail
route announced recently
by the Rails-to-Trails
Conservancy organization.
The local path is one of
more than 125 trails designated
along the “Great
American” route, which
stretches from Washington,
D.C., to Washington
State. The OPRT is
a 22-mile trail that travels
from Joliet through
New Lenox, Frankfort,
Matteson, Richton Park,
Park Forest and Chicago
Heights and is owned and
managed by multiple jurisdictions,
including the
Forest Preserve District
of Will County.
The remainder of the
Great American route
A bike rider rides down the Old Plank Road Trail path. The local path includes New
Lenox. photo submitted
in Illinois uses the I&M
Canal State Trail in Will,
Grundy and LaSalle
counties and the Hennepin
Canal Parkway in
Bureau and Henry counties.
The trail’s preferred
route was released May
8. An interactive map and
additional trail details are
available on RTC’s Great
American website. The
Great American travels
through 12 states and the
District of Columbia. In
addition to highlighting
the 1,900 miles of existing
route, the report also
identifies trail gaps in
need of development.
The OPRT has been a
popular path ever since
the first 12-mile section
opened in July 1997.
Plans for creating the
path date back to the
1970s when the Forest
Preserve worked with 14
municipalities to try to
gain ownership of the defunct
Penn Central railroad
line.
foster camp
From Page 6
performance by the Elmwood
Garden Strummers
group and were encouraged
to buy raffle tickets
and partake in a silent
auction.
Over 106 baskets and
twenty gift cards had
been donated and as raffle
prizes from community
members and Chicagoland
businesses, along
with six silent auction
items including a three
night stay at Caesar’s
Palace in Las Vegas and
a Chicago Cubs memorabilia
basket featuring a
signed photograph of Jon
Lester.
“We collect things
for the gift baskets all
year,” Oresky said. “Then
Jacob and some of his
friends put together the
baskets right before the
event.”
In addition to the raffles
guests could guarantee
winning a random
prize with the “pop a
balloon” game. For $10,
sixty participants would
get a small balloon to
pop. Inside each balloon
was a ticket with a number
on it. Each number
referenced a specific prize
basket, which was theirs
to keep.
“It really meant a lot to
me, because it helped me
get to act more like a kid,”
Cope said of camp. “I was
already in a good home
when I went, but there are
other kids where it’s not
like that. This helps them
just have fun and be a kid
for a week, and it’s great
to see that.”
Fleming and the volunteers
of Royal Family
KIDS’ Camp of Greater
Joliet established Majestic
Kids, a non-profit foundation
to help fund the
camp, a mentoring program,
teen retreats, educational
support, and family
care for foster kids in the
Joliet area last year. Anyone
interested in donating
to the cause can donate
online at majestickids.org
for Camp #188 or send a
check directly to Jacob
Cope. Checks should be
made payable to Royal
Family Kids Camp and
can be sent to 13214 Florence
Road, Mokena, IL
60447.