BALTIMORE -- A local family suffering from obesity turned to a doctor's controversial weight loss program earlier this year. That program does not include diet and exercise, but instead, uses medication.

WBAL-TV 11 News profiled the Clemens family in May, and now we have an update on how they're doing -- two month later.

WEIGHT LOSS WEEK July 14 - 18, 2003 Monday 'Curves' Tuesday '3-4-5 Total Fitness' Wednesday Dr. Paul Revis' Plan Thursday Starch-Blocker Diet Friday Johns Hopkins Plan How Do You Lose Weight?

"You don't have that hunger, you don't have that crave," mom Rose Clemens said.

"It just turns off the eating [and] lowers your appetite," son Bobby Clemens, 14, said.

"I'm more active now," son Nick Clemens, 12, said.

"I've now lost 73 pounds and I really feel great," dad Randy Clemens said.

Randy Clemens, his wife, Rose, their two sons, Bobby and Nick and their uncle John are all trying to lose weight together. When WBAL-TV 11 first visited them in May, they were just getting started.

Each family member was pushing 300 pounds except for Randy, who was close to hitting the 400-pound mark.

Now, there's no doubt about it, they're breaking through the weight barrier.

The Clemens are on a program designed by Dr. Paul Revis (pictured, right). He prescribes his patients the weight-loss drug phentermine and an antidepressant.

It's a controversial program but Revis responds to his critics by saying: "I say to them you use drugs for high blood pressure and ... diabetes and ... asthma and depression and they are not killing as many people as obesity is right now."

Despite the controversy, between the five of them, the Clemens family has lost almost 200 pounds.

"My sugar level is down, my cholesterol is down, my blood pressure is down [and] my medicines have been reduced," Randy Clemens (pictured, left) said.

"I'm happy and I'm still losing -- and I'm still eating, still eating as a family and doing activities like we always did," Rose Clemens said. "We're eating salads, meats, chicken, fish, crabs."

Those activities include vacationing at the beach where fried foods and sugary treats can be tempting at every turn.

"You become satisfied if you have the Italian ice, then you don't want the milkshake. Or if you had the candy apple, then you didn't want to have the cotton candy. Where before, we would have hit every place up the boardwalk," Randy Clemens said.

How many of us could say that? Randy Clemens couldn't resist showing us just how much weight he has lost.

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Family Losing Weight Together

John Clemens decided to get into the act as well, but beyond the physical, the weight loss is having a profound effect on the Clemens family.

"To do it as a group, like my brother said, if I haven't had a good week, he's had a good week. So just to look into somebody else's eye, you feel good for them," John Clemens said.

"My kids, I'm really happy that they've lost weight. That makes me feel better than me losing weight," Randy Clemens said.

"Whenever I go to do active stuff, I usually get made fun of all the time. And now that I'm better than everyone else, basically, I don't get made fun of as often," Nick Clemens said.

Nick and his family are inspiring others to lose weight as well. Nick's teacher is now on Revis' program and Nick said she's already lost 10 pounds.

WBAL-TV 11 News will continue to follow the Clemens family and their progress.

For more information, you can contact Dr. Revis' office by dialing 410-583-5677.

Many people want to lose weight, but not everyone finds success. Have you found success? If so, how? What would you suggest?

Be sure to tune in to WBAL-TV 11 News at 5 all this week for the next Weight Loss Week story!

Stay with TheWBALChannel.com and WBAL-TV 11 News for the latest health updates.