Kirsten's decision to live a healthier lifestyle improved her well-being

Kirsten Melby Corrigan joined the Mayo Clinic Diet in mid-February of 2022. She struggled to lose weight and had been on other popular diet plans without much success. Kirsten had many hard-hitting personal challenges that led to an increase in anxiety and depression. She knew that she had to improve her overall health to cope and persevere with her life.

Kirsten was no stranger to the Mayo Clinic. She was one of the first patients at Mayo Clinic to have her colon removed and a j-pouch constructed due to ulcerative colitis at 22. Despite the successful surgery, she was not able to improve her eating habits due to residual fears of high fiber foods resulting from years of illness. Her doctors encouraged a whole food lifestyle, but her track record with vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains was anything but positive.

During the pandemic, Kirsten faced life threatening health challenges with her special needs son. Her anxiety and depression were debilitating.

She heard about the Mayo Clinic Diet and decided she had nothing to lose and everything to gain in trying the lifestyle scientifically proven and clearly defined for success by a trusted organization.

During the two-week Lose It! phase, Kirsten had a revelation. She had no idea how transformative those first two weeks would be. She realized that it wasn’t high fiber foods that were causing her ongoing digestive challenges but instead sugar and processed foods prohibiting the absorption of nutrients from healthy foods. "I feel alive in a way I have not felt since I was a child. It unlocked the mystery I have been trying to solve my entire life but was too fearful to experiment with. Now that I know what is needed for my body to adapt to a nutritious diet, there is simply no going back. I do not miss the foods that were standing in the way of a healthier me," says Kirsten.

Since February of 2022, Kirsten has lost over 38 pounds! She finds that sticking to a plan gives her physical, mental, and emotional strength to navigate her life. Her peripheral arthritis is gone, she is back to running, and her depression and anxiety are better managed. "Mayo gave me the tools to successfully navigate my lifelong confusion and overwhelm with food. I am thriving now that my diet consists of premium fuel,” says Kirsten.

How’s your mindset?

Do you have the right mindset for weight loss? Take the three-minute New Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment. This evaluation will provide you with insights into what motivates you and set you off on the right path for weight loss.

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