Being able to be a part of the amazing journeys of so many of our clients is one of the most fulfilling parts of what we do. We are excited to share some of these success stories with you and hope they will inspire you as much as they have us.
Kelly Swangin, a Central Indiana Hardware (CIH) employee, issued both herself and Health Coach Paige a challenge at their very first meeting, perhaps unknowingly. She respectfully declared she was never going to eat more vegetables. She loved her meat and potatoes and that was that; end of discussion! But was it? Not quite!
Flash forward one year later: Kelly has not only dropped 26 pounds, but she has also lowered her A1C level from 7.2% to 5.5% through great coaching, amazing lifestyle changes and incredible perseverance. Undeniably, she is now a lean, mean, vegetable-eating machine! This lady demonstrates an intrinsic motivation that not only inspires others, but also serves as an optimistic reminder that we should never say “never,” even when it comes to vegetables!
For Kelly, who works in the Fort Wayne office for CIH, the small changes here and there led to huge results. Steps such as adding spinach to her smoothies, incorporating more color and variety to her plate at each meal and experimenting with healthy salad options daily have helped pave the way for her success. Steadily seeing results is what drove Kelly to keep going, to become hungry for more progress and to ultimately transform into a healthier version of the same, kind, intelligent, hard-working individual already was.
The bottom line: She is committed, she is all in and she is never looking back. “This was something I wanted to do for myself. I’ve had some cheerleaders, but this was for me, by me,” Kelly proudly shared. “Coach Paige has been wonderful, cheering me on all the way. She would help me break down my barriers, try new foods and tell me she was proud of me.”
Kelly offered some advice about how she mastered some of her goals, citing she reads all material offered by her coach and now recognizes “food is fuel” and views nutrition as a way of life instead of simply as a diet. She reads food labels, shops the perimeter of the grocery store to select the most nutrient-dense options and regularly meets her goal of walking at least 10,000 steps per day. Reframing her mindset and not seeking a quick-fix solution to weight loss and health improvement has really helped her along her journey.
“Honestly, I was my own worst enemy. I kept making my own roadblocks by saying I didn’t like vegetables and not trying new things,” Kelly said. “I want to feel good for me. I deserve the best life I can have.”
Over time, Kelly has removed those roadblocks with flying colors and in turn solidly positioned herself for continued progress. Remarkably, she has also inspired co-workers to walk with her two miles a day, to pack lunches and to overall make positive changes!
“I’ve had a number of people tell me they are inspired by how well I’m doing and that they’ve started making changes, too,” Kelly excitedly shared.
YES. This is what being healthy is all about; each of us trying to flourish in our own personal wellness journey, and in turn, positively impacting those around us to do the same. It is infectious, and we could not be more excited for Kelly and her story, influence and accomplishments. AMAZING job, Kelly! We love witnessing your progress, dedication and positive attitude. Good luck in the “Healthy Me” challenge!
For more information on effective and preventive employee wellness programs, contact us.