Miguel Avina Says Family, Friends See the Difference  

​ROME, Ga., Feb. 3, 2025 – Miguel Avina remembers when his sister wanted him to take a two-mile hike with her on her birthday.

“We were less than half of a mile into it, and I started getting so out of breath and so tired. And I realized whatever distance I walked to where I got to, then I would have to walk back. Everyone was like 'We just started.'"

That experience sealed his decision to seek bariatric surgery in October 2021.

At his maximum, Avina weighed about 430 pounds. He now weighs around 260, is able to play with his two sons and enjoys walking his dogs. He has also been able to hike 14 miles in a day.

“My kids (two sons) right now are 16 and 17, and I figured if I didn't do something very drastic, I might not be around too much longer. I always joke that no matter what I do I can't die because my kids still need me and my wife does, too."

Avina, 39, had sleeve gastrectomy, a laparoscopic procedure that removes approximately 75 percent of the stomach. This results in the body producing less of the hormones that stimulate hunger. As a result, patients often experience long-term appetite suppression.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Ryland Scott, Harbin Clinic surgeon and medical director of Atrium Health Floyd Bariatric Surgery. Other Harbin surgeons who perform bariatric surgery at the center include Dr. Peter Adams and Dr. Bennett Brock.

Avina also credits the expertise of dietitian Cala Dittmer for much of his success. She is a Harbin Clinic registered, licensed dietitian who provides nutrition education for patients throughout the bariatric process.

“One of the first things Cala taught me was how to count calories," he said. Avina, who enjoys cooking and eating a wide range of food, did not want to follow any specific diet.

“I can't do meal planning and meal prepping," he said. “I want something that's going to work." He said counting calories has meant he can go buy a hamburger at a fast-food place, weigh it out and determine its calorie count. He uses that to figure out how much more he can eat that day.

“Calorie counting can be a helpful tool for bariatric patients, especially when it comes to managing portion sizes and ensuring nutritional balance," Dittmer said. “It provides structure, helping people to monitor intake while still offering flexibility in food choices."

For Avina, that process works. He said his weight still fluctuates but overall, he has been able to manage it.

Through dieting and simply making sure he walks so many steps, he was able to lose almost 100 pounds before he even had the surgery. That helped him realize that the surgery was going to help him be successful.

“The surgery is just a tool," Avina said. “Everyone knows the basics to losing weight; you burn more calories than you consume. The surgery and counting calories have helped me manage my weight."

​​Avina said he has three friends who opted to go through the bariatrics program after witnessing his success. He said his two sons, who are 16 and 17, have also worked to become healthier after seeing their father transformed.

“I'm more than happy to share my story because I know that I wasn't mobile. I know how much it affected my life. I would sit on the couch and watch TV. I was never really physically playing with my kids, and I feel like I missed so much because I was tired all the time."

Atrium Health Floyd's bariatric surgery center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program  (MBSAQIP), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

About Atrium Health Floyd
The Atrium Health Floyd family of health care services is a leading medical provider and economic force in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd is part of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Floyd strategically combined with Harbin Clinic in 2024 and employs more than 5,200 teammates who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at four facilities: Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center – a 361-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center in Rome, Georgia; Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia; and Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; and Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Behavioral Health, also in Rome. Together, Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic provide primary care, specialty care and urgent care throughout northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd also operates a stand-alone emergency department in Chattooga County, the first such facility to be built from the ground-up in Georgia.

About Atrium Health 
Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is part of Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, which was created from the combination with Advocate Aurora Health. A recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine is its academic core. Atrium Health is renowned for its top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Atrium Health is also a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine, providing care close to home and in the home. Ranked nationally among U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals in eight pediatric specialties and for rehabilitation, Atrium Health has also received the American Hospital Association's Quest for Quality Prize and its 2021 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award, as well as the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all, providing $2.8 billion last year in free and uncompensated care and other community benefits. 

About Advocate Health 
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $6 billion in annual community benefits.