He’s down 100 pounds, off insulin and isn’t stopping there

Weighing more than 300 pounds, Mike Simono had a slew of health problems because of obesity, including type 2 diabetes, heart and kidney issues.  

While working with his Aurora Health Care Internal Medicine Physician Dr. Alfredo Diaz, Simono got connected with Aurora Health Care Diabetes Specialty Care Manager Stacy Wolf, who partnered with him to develop an individualized weight-loss plan to get his health back on track. 

“People typically get too much information at once,” Wolf says. “You don’t have to change overnight. Make micro goals – one or two goals for the week – and focus on making them daily habits.” 

Together, Simono and Wolf made small goals he could aim to achieve around eating well and exercising. They connected each week to discuss his progress.  

To help encourage patients’ success, Wolf learns how they are best motivated. “Mike is very data driven, so we developed a plan where he learned to budget his food for the day, such as keeping track of numbers like grams of carbs or protein. For him, using numbers works well,” she says. “He looks at menus before going out to eat and makes a plan using numbers.” 

They also used numbers to develop a personalized exercise plan. Simono learned about the muscle groups and began using exercise bands and weights at home.  

“Week by week, month by month, goals were met,” Simono says. 

He was eventually able to discontinue insulin for diabetes management for the first time in nearly two decades, which was a big milestone in his health journey. He’s down 100 pounds, and he isn’t stopping there.  

“People who always knew me as Big Mike see a new person,” Simono adds. “I feel like a new person.” 

Now, he’s proudly walking to the mailbox instead of driving. Simple tasks once left him winded, and today, he’s walking daily, completing yardwork and other chores around the farm, and working out twice a week – all at 75 years old. 

Wolf says many people Simono’s age worry it’s too late for them to make lifestyle changes and lose weight, but she stresses that exercise and resistance training remain important as we get older. 

Simono is grateful to Dr. Diaz and Wolf for their guidance and advice and says the experience has been a gift. 

“There’s no way I can thank them enough for what they’ve done for me, and I want others to have my positive experience,” he says. “Your doctor is the person you can trust. Talk to them about getting started. That’s the advice I needed. I resisted it. I avoided it. And then you stop and ask yourself, ‘Who are you, and what do you want?’” 

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