Charlie Knopp’s Weight Loss Journey with GSOS and LeanMD

Update: Charlie Knopp’s Remarkable Weight Loss Journey Continues

Charlie has reached his weight loss goal and scheduled his surgery! Continue reading for the latest details on his inspiring journey and the changes he has experienced.

Charlie Knopp’s Remarkable Weight Loss Journey: From Debilitating Pain to Scheduled Surgery

Charlie Knopp’s weight loss journey has been a long and challenging one, but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. When speaking with him recently, he was brimming with positivity and excitement, having finally achieved his weight loss goal and scheduled his much-needed knee surgery.

Charlie’s journey began with severe knee pain that had become unbearable. His knees had deteriorated to the point of bone-on-bone contact, and surgery was the only option. However, his weight posed a significant risk for any surgical procedure. His physician recommended the LeanMD program, a medically supervised weight-loss plan that would give Charlie the tools he needed to lose weight safely.

Achieving the Goal

Reflecting on how he feels now that he’s reached his target weight, Charlie described it as both exciting and challenging. Although he hit his BMI target last October, he was encouraged to lose an additional 33 pounds for optimal surgical outcomes. This last phase took him eight months, during which he navigated numerous family events and celebrations. From graduations to baby showers, these gatherings tested his resolve, but Charlie persevered.

“I had only one week of no weight loss initially, but as I learned the tools to overcome the slow periods, I managed to keep pushing through,” Charlie said. “There were weeks of zero weight loss, but then I’d have a three-pound loss week.”

Overcoming Challenges

The most challenging part of his journey was the six months of continuous family gatherings from May to New Year’s 2023. These events, filled with food and out-of-town guests, made it difficult to maintain his weight loss momentum. Yet, Charlie never gave up. He credits his success to sticking with what works, reducing food intake, and increasing exercise.

“No sugar and carbs. I love the energy now. I’m doing things I wanted to do for years. It gave me my life back,” he said.

Despite his success, Charlie is reminded of why he started this journey every time his knee pain flares up, particularly after trips involving a lot of walking.

New Daily Routine

Charlie’s daily routine has transformed dramatically. Before starting the LeanMD program, he could barely move, going from bed to chair to bathroom. Now, he’s an active participant in family outings, standing and moving around instead of sitting in a chair. His weight loss has also improved his COPD and asthma.

“Video footage at my front door used to show me huffing and puffing. Now, I’m very active, I’m not out of breath constantly and my family comments on the difference. It’s like I’m two different people,” Charlie shared.

He plans to undergo knee replacement surgery for both knees, with the hope of doing so within three months of each other if all goes well. His doctors are amazed at what he has achieved, and he feels inspired to continue.

Support and Motivation

Support from his medical team, especially Dr. Crow and Dr. Preston, has been crucial. Charlie can now stay on his feet for three to four hours at a time, buzzing around his shop. Dawn Trapp, his LeanMD support team member, has been an unwavering cheerleader, helping him through highs and lows and using his progress to inspire others anonymously.

Favorite Meals and Managing Cravings

Charlie enjoys several meals from the LeanMD program, such as broccoli cheddar soup, zucchini enchiladas, and turkey spaghetti sauce. He also finds creative ways to manage cravings, using vegetables like celery for a satisfying crunch and fruits to curb his sweet tooth.

“I was amazed at the quantity of food allowed on the diet. It seemed impossible at first to get all the nutrients and water in,” he said.

Unexpected Benefits

Charlie has experienced some surprising benefits from his weight loss. He no longer struggles with walking, and he is able to do household chores such as vacuuming with ease, and he’s become much neater since he can now pick up after himself, and does. An amusing unintended consequence of the weight loss is that his girth has decreased so vastly that he can stand closer to the sink and finds that he is now often hitting his head on the overhead cabinets; whereas his stomach kept him from being close enough before.

His wife, Laurie, expressed her gratitude for having her husband back. She had feared losing him prematurely due to his health, but now those fears have been alleviated. Charlie exercises two hours a day in an exercise pool and looks forward to a bright future post-surgery.

“Every day is exciting with the new things I can do. I’m not the same guy I was before,” Charlie concluded.

Charlie Knopp’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, support, and making healthy choices. His journey has given him his life back, and he continues to inspire those around him with his incredible transformation.

Here is Charlie’s original story:

Charlie Knopp’s weight loss journey started with debilitating knee pain.  His visit to Dr Bradley Crow of Golden State Orthopedics & Spine included x-rays that showed that his knees had worn away to bone-on-bone contact, and he needed both of them replaced.

But that wasn’t the only bad news.  Because of his weight, surgery was a risk.  “At my weight, any surgery would have been a risk,” Charlie says.  “But I’ve tried nearly everything over the years, and even when I lost weight, the moment I stopped the diet or program, the weight came right back, and more.  I’d never been successful with weight loss before, but I was motivated.  I’m 66, and I didn’t want to wind up in a nursing home unable to take care of myself.  I want to grow old in my own home taking care of myself and my wife.  Dr Crow said ‘We’re going to save you from yourself’ and then gave me the tools to do it.”

Dr Crow recommended LeanMD, a medically supervised weight-loss program run by Dr Charles Preston, also of Golden State Orthopedics & Spine.  “The diet is easy to do” Charlie says.  “Follow the rules you’ll lose weight.  They gave me the tools and support to succeed.  I didn’t take the appetite suppressant pills after the first month, but drinking 96 ounces of water every day helps.  And it keeps me busy!” he laughs.

Support is a big part of the LeanMD program.  “Dr Preston told me at the beginning that plateaus are a part of the process,” says Charlie.  “It takes time for your body to adjust to weight loss, so you’ll be losing weight and thinking you’re doing really well, and suddenly you have a week or more with no weight loss at all and it’s frustrating.  Knowing it would happen helped me.  I definitely have a pattern, where about every 12 weeks, I have a week of zero loss, and then I’m back on track losing between 1 and 3 pounds per week.”

Another person in his LeanMD support team is Dawn Trapp.  “Dawn is awesome,” he says.  “She’s very helpful and encouraging and introduces us to the new menus.  We’ve been with her the whole year and she’s stellar.”

Charlie’s wife has also been a tremendous help.  “She always cooked healthy foods, and I wasn’t sick.  No diabetes, no high cholesterol, but she’s a really good cook, and I was just eating too much.  But she kind of got the whole thing going for me and had been losing weight herself before LeanMD was recommended to me.  She generally cooks dinner for the family, using recipes from LeanMD, and the healthy ingredient choices the program recommends.”

This means that his wife and daughter have also been losing weight.  “The whole family is benefitting.  We do pizza night every Sunday, but it’s made with cauliflower crust.   Burger nights are another favorite.  Ground turkey, low fat Swiss cheese, no bun, but I never feel deprived or hungry.”

The program focuses on portion control, so Charlie weighs and measures his food, and uses an online app to keep track of his intake.  “We eat lean meats like chicken, turkey and fish, and lots of vegetables.  Cauliflower has been a game changer.  From noodles to bread/tortillas, there’s a cauliflower substitute, and they’re available at any grocery store.”

As he loses weight (135 pounds in the last 12 months), Charlie has found that his knees are feeling better.  “I still can’t just go take a walk with my daughter on the open space trails near us, but I can help my wife with the house cleaning now, and that was too difficult for me before.  I’ve walked to the end of the Santa Cruz pier twice this year.  I’m still getting cortisone injections and using ice packs and over the counter pain creams, but I’m able to do more than I was, and my knees are feeling pretty stable right now.  I have a workout pool with a treadmill that I use 3-5 times a week and that helps, too.”

Charlie says he will participate in the maintenance program once he achieves his weight loss goal.  “I don’t trust myself without some guidance and accountability.  The support from my LeanMD team is invaluable.  I definitely recommend the LeanMD program.  I even tell my other doctors about it!”

Charlie is no longer losing weight just for surgery.  “I’m happier.  It’s amazing how much better I feel.”