success stories

Michelle had already achieved success on her own, improving her health and, as a result, had lost 20 pounds. She wasn't sure that a health coach could help and taking on one more commitment seemed daunting. She already had a full plate with her job, kids, parents and other responsibilities. Reluctantly she decided to give coaching a try.

When Gabriel started his coaching journey, he was a regular at the gym, but wasn't seeing the results he wanted.  Even with consistent workouts, his weight was not decreasing. With a BMI of 38.3, his weight put him at increased risk for developing chronic health conditions. In addition, his health screening showed very high triglycerides, putting him at risk for stroke, heart attack, and heart disease. At age 40 and a father of young children, he was ready to admit his attempts at weight loss were not working, and he needed to try something new. After his first few appointments with coach Kat he said, "It dawned on me that everything I had done before was not successful. It became clear very quickly that she knew what she was talking about. Because you can't BS a BS'er."

There is no such thing as a quick fix when it comes to improving your health, and Brett's story is a great example of persistence combined with a customized strategy. When asked why he decided to work with a health coach he said, "You get to a point where you look in the mirror and say "I’m tired of this." It hit him after a WellCheck with poor results. He realized he had been leaving his shirt untucked to hide his stomach, and couldn't keep up with his grandkids. Brett has always been an athletic outdoorsman, so it took time to come to terms with reality. He said, "I felt like I could either give up and die young, or get serious and do something about it."

Everyone wants to wait for just the right time to begin focusing on their health, but Hayley decided to jump in without waiting. She was struggling with depression, she was in a new job, had a husband and two young children, and was about to have leg surgery, which would impede her ability to exercise for a while. She had no free time, and a lot of responsibilities and pressure. In addition to her very busy schedule, she worried about missing work for the coaching calls. When she started working with health coach Katie Delaney, she said "I would schedule the calls during my lunch break, because I was afraid to miss work."

A life-long battle with obesity is agonizing; and when it interferes with your desire to have children, it’s heartbreaking. Ashlie spent years developing coping mechanisms to live with a body that didn’t respond to popular programs like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, including developing an internal dialogue that was self-defeating, self-shaming, and hypercritical. These mental roadblocks became her biggest obstacle to good health. Health coach Kat Van Fossen turned out to be the perfect match for Ashlie. Ashlie says her biggest takeaway was "being vulnerable, and really just getting out of my own way.”

Emily is a natural caregiver who loves to focus her attention on the students she advises. As often happens with giving people, she spent all her energy on others, and left none for herself. When the pandemic hit, she found herself working from home and finally had more free time. It was the beginning of the summer, and when she weighed herself, she was the heaviest she had ever been. She made the decision to take the energy she usually spends on others and invest it into herself. Exercise had always been a part of her life, and she had an “accountabilabuddy” at the gym who she worked out with. But she said, “It made a lot of sense to add a partner to help with the experience I did not have with changing habits.”

What happens when a running coach gets high blood pressure? Yes, even people who are athletic and healthy have unexpected results on annual health screenings. When Chris’ results showed elevated blood pressure, he was alarmed. As someone who focuses on health and wellness, he was eager to talk to a specialist to find out what he was missing, and to learn more about how to reduce his risks. He really appreciated the holistic approach of the program, rather than only focusing on food and fitness.

“Nate accomplished more in six months than most people accomplish in 5 years.” That is how coach Kat introduced our next success story. Nate had started losing weight on his own prior to joining the program, but he wanted confirmation that he was doing the right thing, and to work with someone who had the knowledge and experience to help maximize his efforts. Nate said, “I had tried tracking calories before, but it never really stuck.” He also credits his health coach for giving him new insight and knowledge about himself, “She helped me along the way with things I didn’t even think about. It was a process that took time to stick to it. This accomplishment feels good.”

Taking time for herself and working with a health coach gave Bonnie momentum and confidence. She said, “In the past when I used food for comfort and gained weight, I began doubting myself, and had very low self-esteem and self-worth. But over time, I started putting myself first and began to realize and tell myself that I’m worth the effort. That is the phrase that kept me moving forward to become a healthier version of myself.” When it came to the monthly coaching calls with Linda, Bonnie said “it was never a dread, I looked forward to it. This was one thing during the pandemic that did not get canceled.”

Coach Katie was impressed with Theresa’s* consistency and perseverance, “Theresa was very driven; even though she had some setbacks she still stayed the course, showing her motivation and perseverance. The program helped her identify tools to stay the course, even during challenging times when most would have thrown in the towel. She dug deep and was committed.” Theresa said “It took me 30 years to gain all the weight, I’m not going to lose it all in a year. I’m okay taking longer and making sure that I can keep it off.” Her coach said, “every time she got down on herself, her commitment to her goals led her back on course, and she kept going.”