As a way to encourage the community to become healthier, The
Medical Foundation spearheaded the Healthy Me! Program with the help of
partners from Family Medicine of South Bend, P.C., Saint Joseph Regional
Medical Center, Memorial Health and Lifestyle Center and Dr. Jeffrey Mader’s
Office.
Six participants were chosen from the community and three
men and three women agreed to have their weight published in the newspaper
while they received quarterly lab work and met regularly with a dietitian, a
physician, a fitness specialist.
“I wanted to find a way to give these participants the tools
they needed to become healthier individuals. I also hoped that through the
process, they would inspire people to become healthier at home,” said Healthy
Me! Coordinator Colleen Hahn.
On April 1st when the program started, Deborah began
her journey weighing 244 pounds. She was
eager to begin sessions with the dietitian, Erin, and immediately began working
out.
“I work out every day, Monday through Friday, and sometimes
I will pick up a Saturday or Sunday at Memorial Health and Lifestyle
Center. Prior to starting with the Healthy
Me! Program, I was totally sedentary, so I took it easy at first with my
workouts, but I wasn’t so out of shape that I was unable to perform any
activities,” said Deborah.
Now, she is seeing a noticeable difference in her clothes
and her muscle tone. She begins her 90 minute workout with rowing, then moves
to the elliptical and treadmill, followed up with another rowing session. She’s even started spin classes twice a week.
Her persistence in the gym, along with watching her intake
of food has proven successful so far, marking the scale at 196 for her November
weigh in. She’s lost a total of 48 pounds since the beginning of the program.
More importantly, her laboratory test results have improved tremendously and
during her November labs, Deborah had lab work that was completely within the
reference ranges.
In April, Deborah’s triglycerides were 162, approximately 12
points above the highest recommended reference range. In July, they were as
high as 203. Last week, her
triglycerides were at 72, completely in the middle of the recommended reference
range. She also was able to elevate her
HDL cholesterol, which is typically referred to as the “good” cholesterol from
38 to 45. These successes have led to
her overall cholesterol numbers to fall within the recommended reference
ranges.
“It’s exciting to know that doing a course correction in my
daily food intake and exercising could change those numbers in my lipid panel,
which will have lasting effects on my health. It was all well worth it,” said
Deborah.
Early in the program, Deborah’s lab work reflected a
sluggish thyroid and her Healthy Me! Program physician, Dr. Scheel, recommended
medication for her. Since then, her thyroid has been performing at an optimal
rate, allowing her to have energy to exercise.
The program has not only led to a change in the way Deborah
feels about herself, but it has also changed the way her family approaches
their health.
“My husband and I waited to have children and I am
considered a ‘non-traditional’ mom. I
felt that it was vitally important that my children see the importance of a
healthy lifestyle, because I would not want them to encounter poor eating
habits from me. Now my children are much
more conscientious with regard to reading nutritional labels and looking for
goods that are better for them to eat,” she said.
As Deborah reflects on her new “job,” it’s clear that she
has put in the work necessary to be successful in the program and she’s using
the tools that have been provided to her.
“The Healthy Me! Program is appropriately named, because I
am living a healthier life. I’m excited
that I’ve kept at it and have amazed myself with regards to how far I have come
in my weight loss journey,” said Deborah.
