My Interview from Employee Health What is your position at GRHC and how long have you been here? IT: Application Specialist What was your inspiration for making a change? Tired of being tired at first. Later on I found out I had diabetes while I was in the hospital for a heart issue. How much weight have you lost and how did you do it? Not sure, I went from a tight fitting 44 inch waist to a 38. Rough 60 pounds. How did you choose your goal weight? I am watching my waist size, Goal is a 36 inch waist. What differences do you notice now, with your current lifestyle, compared to before you lost the weight? More energy, looking younger, happier, and a more positive outlook on life. How has losing the weight impacted your current state of health? I am no longer taking insulin injections 4 times a day. Managing the weight and keeping fit is a great motivator for this. What is your best tip/advise to losing weight? Watch all sugar and carb intake. When going out to a restaurant I ask for substitution. Example: Hamburger and French fries, I will ask for no bun and a dinner salad instead of fries. Never beat yourself up for we are all human and we will cheat. Remember tomorrow is another day. What (and when) was the deciding factor that motivated you to lose the weight? I had a stent put into one of my arteries that was 99.9% blocked by plaque buildup due to not treating my diabetes. This happened at the last week of February of this year. What is the motivation to keep the weight off and maintain your current level of weight loss management? My health and reversing type 2 diabetes. It doesn’t hurt that I have motivated others to lose weight and that drives my will power and commitment to physical fitness. How long has it taken you to lose the weight? 5 months, but my journey started 2 years ago… The hospital wake-up call really motivated me to do something. Has your family made adjustments to their lifestyle to support you? Yes, my diet has changed and they are sacrificing by eating the same foods as I do. Did you have any barriers that prevented you from getting healthy in the past? I think we all do. We need to work on our inner self first, then we can move forward to the outer physical part. Are there any obstacles that you are still currently facing? All the time, but it is how we work through those obstacles that makes us stronger. How has losing the weight affected your overall well-being within the six dimensions of wellness: Occupationally, Emotionally, Physically, Spiritually, Intellectually, and Socially? More positive approach and knowing I can triumph over adversity no matter what stumbling block might be in my path. What does a typical day look like for you? I eat three meals a day. Workout 5 days a week for only 35-45 minutes, cardio 3 days and weight routine for 2. What I have come to release each day I do things in moderation, never excess. And I always take the time to relax at least an hour a day. Do you ever have a relapse in your diet or exercise plan and how do you get back on track? I tell myself “Tomorrow is another day” But the next day even if I feel my heart is not into, I just take that one step and my mindset changes and I am ready to go. This is a lifelong journey and when I feel down I tell myself “Rome was not built in a day”. Has the employee wellness program at GRHC helped or influenced you in any way? It has helped me when I thought I was ready but the mind was not. Having a mentor/couch /consoler supporting you every step of the way gave me hope and to open one’s eyes to how you’re truly feel inside. It is so important to help develop the proper mind set to move to the next step for change. What would you tell the people who are reading this that are facing their own challenges and who are considering making a change in their lifestyle? At the end of the day do something for yourself, better health in mind, body and soul. For me “I want to die young at a very old age”.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 17:08:23 +0000
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