Real People. Real Results.

Maria’s Personal Journey

My patient’s experience with GladHealth is, in part, based on my own personal health journey. The image far left is myself in 1986. The image to it’s side is me today. My experience makes me passionate about helping people learn what they can do to maximize their health and well-being and reduce health risks. My motto (in brief): “Learn more; gain access and support; do what works!”

Please enjoy some of the wonderful stories and journeys my patients have experienced! You can also read more about my personal journey and experience here:

I am thrilled to let you know that I crossed the threshold and moved out of plus sizes!!!! Here is a visual before and after,  it blows my mind. This from December to August 2021.

In a word - wow. I'm so grateful for all the coaching and support through my journey so far.

It's weird, I'm still in a phase where I honestly don't know what I look like... I went for a facial the other day and the doctor gave me a mirror to look into, I honestly didn't recognize the face. I was like, wow - she's pretty. It's such a bizarre feeling.

- Cat

I have been overweight all my life, gaining and losing weight… and each time gaining a little more that I lost.  A year and a half ago I found out I was going to be a grandmother for the first time. Just before that I was really feeling very frustrated with my weight and with this exciting news I knew I needed to make changes to improve my health to be able to have fun and play with my new grand baby.

I was searching on the internet one day and came across the GladHealth website. As I looked through I saw a familiar face, a person who had lost weight working with Maria. We did not know each other well but I did know she looked great and often spoke about how great she felt. I called Maria that day, and began my journey a little over a year ago. So far I have lost 39.4 pounds, am down to one blood pressure med ,am down 2 pant sizes, and am enjoying my very active 9 month old granddaughter. I really appreciate Maria’s support, guidance and patience. I feel better than I have in years… thanks Maria!! 

- Cathy

For as long as I can remember I have struggled with my weight. Being overweight not only affected my body but it changed my whole outlook on life.  Everything from my positive attitude to my high energy levels slowly vanished as the pounds increased. Ultimately, not only did I gain weight but I also gained a negative personality, a lethargic lifestyle, and a physique that was completely unrecognizable to me.  I finally realized it was time to do something about my weight gain and unhealthy lifestyle when even getting off the couch left me out of breath.

All I can say is Maria does wonders. She not only helps you achieve your physical goals but also educates you while you achieve them. For example, I had gained a couple of pounds and was feeling a little discouraged. Then when she and I discussed my body composition numbers (bmi, muscle mass, body fat percentage) Maria explained that yes, I did in fact gain a couple of pounds, but my muscle mass also increased. She then went into details, explaining that muscle is more dense than fat so even if your scale goes up in weight your overall body fat may be disappearing as the muscle is gained, yay!

Maria has made this process a whole lot easier for me with my schedule too. When I feel like I’m falling off the bandwagon she will schedule me for weekly telehealth appointments so that I’m holding myself accountable for my actions (mind over matter!) and she always works with my availability.  She will direct you to resources on her website that provide you with the best tools to help you with your weight loss, such as digital scales with apps, energy supplements, meal replacements, etc.. 

Losing and maintaining weight is not an easy task for anyone.  It requires a lot of hard work, lots of discipline, and often support. Maria will guide you and provide you with all the tools and support you need to take on this amazing journey!

- Santiba

I started a roller coaster of losing and gaining weight several years ago and basically gave up. I then found this program through Maria Glad.... She is genuinely concerned for my health and helps in every way possible to make any hurdles just stepping stones to get to where I want to be at a healthy and steady weight.

Even on the bad weeks - - she is able to creatively turn the bad into a small hurdle and coach you into a positive way to think and to jump the hurdle. I can say she is truly in our corner however we want to start and continue in healthy weight and eating habits.

Thank you Maria -- - -all your hard work is helping me to achieve my goals.

- Sheila

My weight has been my cross to bear my entire life. Some of my earliest memories are me  pretending not to hear the whispered comments to my mom, “oh don’t worry, as soon as she hits her growth spurt, she’ll thin out.” Or the back-handed compliments of my teen years, “You have such a pretty face, if only you could drop those few extra pounds.” In my mid-twenties, out came the revolutionary Lap-band procedure, which I decided to try. That just resulted in another failed attempt to lose the weight and ultimately left me severely malnourished and with another form of an eating disorder. When I came to the realization that I had to have the lap-band removed or I’d probably suffer serious medical complications, I then decided to go through the process to have vertical sleeve bariatric surgery. I knew I needed help to get my excess weight off, and I was losing hope that I would ever live in a body that was not morbidly obese.

Although part of the program through the weight & wellness center included nutrition and therapeutic counseling, I just felt like I was going through the motions and giving them the answers they wanted to hear in order to be approved for surgery. A mantra of the center is, “surgery is just a tool” and I understood that, but I didn’t really feel like I knew what to do with this “tool.”

Another part of the approval process is to lose a certain percentage of the excess weight on your own. I was desperately struggling to do that so at some point in that journey, I was given Maria’s card and somehow I found the courage to call her to schedule my first appointment.

I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for making that call to Maria, it is likely that I would have never lost the initial weight i needed to in order to be approved for my VSG surgery and there’s no way that at 2 years after surgery I would be as successful as I have been keeping the weight off.

Working with Maria, I have learned it’s not just about what I should and shouldn’t eat. She has taught me how food works in my body and how I need to fuel my body, not just eat for the sake of eating.  The best part about working with Maria is that she doesn’t shame you or make you feel bad about “eating the wrong things.” She truly wants to understand you and works with you to make a realistic plan that you can make work for your body.

Although the VSG surgery did work to help me get rid of a lot of my excess weight, Maria has given me the knowledge and tools that I so desperately needed to keep my weight under control. I know for a fact that I would not be in the healthy and happy body that I am in today  if it were not for working with Maria throughout this journey. When I tell people my story, I ALWAYS mention working with Maria because she literally has been a life-changing influence in life! I can not thank her enough for being there with me through each part of my journey.

- Sarah Anthony

I decided back in January, 2020 that I needed help with my health. I had high blood pressure, my A1c was borderline prediabetes, and I had gained 75 lbs and was at my highest weight ever. I found Glad Health during a google search and was immediately intrigued by what I read. I reached out and found out the earliest I could get an appointment was April....so I booked it...then the pandemic hit! I was scared to death that I was not going to be able to take on this huge task while living through a pandemic, but Maria was so helpful and supportive! She helped me to figure it all out and coached me every step of the way. She guided me on how to start small; not too think about how to lose 75 lbs, but how to start moving more, eating less carbs and more proteins and becoming more conscious of what was triggering my bad choices of food and complacency.

Within the first 8 months, my high blood pressure was gone, my A1c was normal and I had dropped over 50 lbs. I’m still on this journey, but I would not be where I am today without Maria’s encouragement, knowledge and dedication to helping me be the best me I can be! Thank you!

- Patty A

As an older couple in our 70s Carl and I always struggled to come up with meaningful gifts to give each other for those special gift giving occasions. We just had less needs, and when we did come up with something we wanted there was not the waiting and the anticipation, the looking for it, saving up for it, or finding it......we just bought it for ourselves. Add to that the struggle which the 2020 Covid season created! There was no getting out into the Christmas shopping rush, and I, for one, had no brain storm of ideas to draw from.

That summer as I caught up virtually with family I learned that my younger cousin who had always struggled with autoimmune issues and the weight struggles which often accompany them only to find she had shed 40 pounds! I was blown away and more than curious as to what she had done. On top of that her husband had lost almost 60 pounds and was feeling terrific.

She glowingly told me about the weight loss/nutritional transformation train they had been riding for the previous nine months, and the lady who was helping them to get healthy.There were a few things however which almost detrailed my enthusiasm before it got started. Number 1 was that this was all taking place in Southern Maine and we lived in Central Maine....and Covid was making in person sessions problematic.

Number 2 was that Carl had received a diagnosis of diabetes that year. He had also struggled with limited mobility from 2 knee surgeries that killed any desire to walk or exercise, a genetically heavy body makeup, slow metabolism and advanced age which all added to his belief that he would never be able to lose weight again.

I, Jackie, on the other hand, had always been a thin high energy person until I hit midlife, and quit smoking. But with not a great diet and no interest in regular exercise I had also given up on changing my lifestyle. With few ideas and nothing to lose once I found out we could just talk to this magical person on line, I signed us up and gave Carl what has turned out to be THE BEST GIFT EVER in our journey with Maria Glad!!

Carl has been able to go off insulin ( and with his PCP's approval) and has dropped 30 pounds even without exercising. He is feeling better, and feeling good about himself and his choices. I have also lost 30 pounds, dropped my triglycerides from 268 to 130 in the first 6 weeks and gone from a 1X to between a M-L in clothing. I am walking now and I am without the morning stiffness which was causing me to sit for a good 10 minutes on the side of the bed before I could get up! I have been doing a lot more kayaking this summer and was thrilled when putting the life jacket on for the first time to realize how much I had to take up the straps!

As I have repeatedly told Maria..."You have been the best Christmas gift I ever got...and the best one I have given Carl" Well....not counting his dog Cinnamon!! That has to be the best....but there is no substitute for how wonderful we both feel.

Thank you, Maria!! You continue to be a wonderful highlight to our lives.

-Carlton and Jackie Murch

JACQUELYN MARA:

So far so good, with the help of GLADHEALTH in Portland. Life style change. Not a diet. Size 22 to a size 12 in 6 months. I’m not saying it’s easy however Maria will help guide you every step of the way, she’s non judgmental and will meet you where you are, with your decision in choosing a better well-being for yourself. It’s worth all the hard work.

I’m not done yet. Not to mention this isn’t a gimmick, it’s defiantly a life style change and/or a mind set change. It will work for you too.

PAM G.:

At my last physical, I complained to my pcp that my weight had been going up by about 5 pounds every year. He commented saying that since I am a 51 year-old woman, it does happen and gets more difficult at this age to lose weight once it’s put on. We spoke about my seriousness about losing weight, and he then gave me Maria Glad’s phone number.

I saw her first on December 2, 2019 and now, June 9, 2020 I am 30 pounds lighter than I was when I first went to see her. She made suggestions about my diet and made me a plan to follow. She had me download the “Lose It” app, and monitored my fitness routine. In 6 months I became a new me. I feel energetic and self-confident now. She made the challenge of losing weight less of a task, and more of a life-style.

I always looked forward to my appointments with her as she encouraged me to reach (and pass!) my goals.

STEVE & MEGAN OGDEN:

Maria has changed our lives!

She is a wonderful champion who cares so much about her clients' well-being. I am so grateful for Maria's support on this journey. At 53 years old, I am down to my lowest weight since high school, I'm reversing diabetes, and I feel great! I’ve lost 45 pounds (and counting, 17 inches off my waist, and am thrilled to be wearing size 36 jeans and shorts.

I am honestly living my best life thanks to Maria!

- Steve

MARY ANNE:

I was referred to Maria by a friend. I’d seen my friend progress in her own goals and trusted the referral. Even so, as a life-long anti-dieter, I was skeptical. I thought I was already a fairly healthy eater and did not want to do any extreme dieting. However, my sugar levels and cholesterol levels continued to rise and I was solidly in the diabetic range. I met with Maria because I needed to change something.

 Maria reviewed with me all of my health concerns, my lifestyle, my goals. Because I wanted to understand, she explained the science behind diabetes and the options for progress. And she listened to what I wanted. Maria guided me through adjusting to a keto diet, modified for my tastes and nutritional needs. She encouraged me while holding me accountable and she helped me make adjustments along the way to maximize my results. I immediately saw results in my blood sugar numbers, was no longer diabetic within 6 weeks, and reached optimal blood sugar within a few months.

To date, I’ve lost nearly 40 lbs, close to 6 inches in my waist, and two dress sizes. My blood sugar and cholesterol are normal and I feel great. Without Maria’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to change my whole lifestyle to be both healthy and sustainable. I highly recommend working with Maria!

PAULA:

I had many goals when I first went to see Maria, the most important one being to lower my A1C.  Within a very short time she had me off of insulin and maintaining a decent A1C. 

The second goal I had was to do a 5K before I turned 70, which didn't leave me much time since I was 68 at the time in Feb. of 2019.  I successfully completed my 1st 5K in June of 2019 shortly after I turned 69 and did 2 more that season.

Many thanks Maria for all of your help!

MAUREEN HASSETT:

When I first Maria, I thought I knew everything as I had worked with weight loss doctors before, I had done the carb reducing diets, the weigh ins, etc. But I hit a bottom when my routine lab work with my pcp showed my glucose borderline and I felt scared, hopeless, and realized my approach to my healthcare was not working. I was going to the gym, skiing, and lifting weights but I was eating a lot of calories, sweets every night, lots of nuts, and more carbohydrates than my body could process. I felt heavy, bloated, and most of my clothes were tight and uncomfortable.

The difference with Maria is that in the first meeting we did not set a weight number goal; we talked about reducing the sugar, and about health care for epilepsy which can benefit from a keto diet. As time went on, we discussed the emotional stressors in my life, some of which I would use sugar to feel better. Maria always met me with encouragement, a positive attitude, praise for showing up, suggestions for ways to care for myself. I make choices today about sweets, no longer have cravings, exercise in some way every day because it feels awesome. 

It has been an amazing journey and I am still making progress. Maria and Me Make It Work.

TINA S.:

I have 60 years of food addiction and emotional overeating history. I have tried everything available over my lifetime including fad diets, pills, therapy, fasting and two bariatric surgeries. Despite my best efforts I have consistently regained weight loss. I had convinced myself that I would have to live with my excess weight and related health issues.

A friend referred me to Maria Glad. I was somewhat skeptical that my experience would be another dead end. I couldn’t have been more mistaken. Maria has vast experience in nutritional and weight loss counseling. She is a great “symptom detective” She identified that I had dairy intolerance that had caused years of unhealthy gut health. Since eliminating dairy from my diet I am symptom free!

Maria has supported my Ketogenic Lifestyle and provides great coaching as I continue to make progress towards my long term goals. The most significant goal so far is that I no longer have type 2 diabetes and am off all anti-diabetic medications. I’m confident that I will be successful in achieving my goals for the first time in years. Maria also referred me to physical therapy which has made a significant improvement in fitness and mobility. I highly recommend Glad Health for anyone looking for nutritional and or weight loss counseling.

ANN E.:

After a lifelong struggle with obesity, and a desire to be vegan and be healthy, a friend who accomplished her weight loss goal, recommended Maria at Glad Health. 

With her support, I have decreased my weight by 40 pounds and I feel healthy. She created a viable food strategy respecting my choice to eat a vegan diet. She taught me how to find high protein foods, not processed foods filled with carbs.

Adding the Lose-it app also made it easy to track and encourage a daily exercise plan for overall health. I am looking forward to hitting my goal and working with Maria for a long term maintenance plan. I highly recommend Maria to anyone needing to lose weight or who has an interest in a healthy vegan lifestyle change.

DARRYL:

The program was an excellent balance of diet and exercise paired with the analysis tools of body composition. There is no ‘right’ diet, but we got a lot of useful information. 

Many diets and food choices are discussed and how these can fit into our weight loss goals if we want to follow them.

[Darryl was also featured in the Orchard Revolution Official Movie Trailer]

NADINE:

Working with Maria has been a great experience. The body composition analysis really helped me to understand my fat and muscle composition. So that even when I didn’t see the scale move, I could see my fat % decrease and my muscle mass increase. Maria has also helped me to focus on eating healthy by providing information on how food choices affect your health and well being – not just focusing on weight loss”. [6/26]

I’ve been thinking about all your advice recently. We went out to dinner (again) for Thai food.  I ordered the fresh spring rolls and the Tom Yum soup with tofu. Both great!  And I skipped dessert :)” [8/29]

20 WEEK RESULTS

Weight Loss: 20 lbs

Body Fat Decrease: 7.6%

Inches Lost: 18.25”

BMI Decrease: 3.5 (27.9 -> 24.4)

RITA:

This program jump started my weight loss adventure. I am pleased with the progress I have made and will continue until I reach my goal. After that maintaining will be key. Thank you for offering this life changing class!

8 WEEK RESULTS

Weight Loss: 18.8 lbs

Body Fat Decrease: 2.3%

Inches Lost: 17”

BMI Decrease: 18%