Rise to Success - David Longhurst

“I’m feeling really good,” says Caselle employee, David, now 30 pounds lighter, “I have an overall feeling of, ‘I can continue to do this.’ If I ever get off track, I can get right back on.” At his heaviest, David weighed 268 pounds. But with the help of his Orriant Health Coach℠, Karli, he is making strides to reach his goal weight. “The biggest thing with Karli is the accountability. It’s helpful to speak with her once a month. We review my progress and see where I’ve been.” 48-year old David shares a recent “check-in” email he sent to Karli:

“The good news is the scale is down a little. Not as much as I would like, but I have actually hit the 230s. I feel great about that because I haven't seen my weight there for probably more than 15 years. Despite all the pressures in life, I do feel good about what I'm doing. My exercise has not been as good, but I have kept it up with basic walking and some basic strength training. So I'm moving, but I do need to start focusing on better exercise and not just walking when I could be burning some serious calories training for a run or something. My food tracking and what I have been doing there is going terrific. I'm not just trying to say what is right, but I have actually really felt better and choices are good. I have not been depriving myself certain foods that I want, but I have definitely said, ‘just a small piece’ or ‘none today’. Not having seconds has really made the difference I believe.

“I was at about this weight last year before Christmas. I was dieting with Medifast and spending a lot of money on prepared foods that I did not enjoy. After I didn't meet my goal (only by a small percentage) I simply could not do Medifast anymore. I would try, but with the holidays I quickly gained much of it back by the end of January of this year. What I have done differently this time is using normal everyday foods that I enjoy with some sweets. I am where I am today by eating real food and of course watching what I'm eating but not focusing on what I can't have. I'm sure you hear this over and over with people. I really hope this time I have found what it takes. I feel it is right. The consistency of good choices has been outweighing unhealthy choices and I know that has made the difference. I still love to cook, but I do it differently now.

“As for goals, I still want to keep tracking the food. It’s a habit and a good one. It’s easy for me. When I do that, I also save money because I eat out less. It’s been a really great thing. I am still limiting my sweets to three a week. Some weeks I have even less, but I say I have only three so I get 100% score. I do need to up my game on my exercise. I'm glad I'm moving and walking, but I can do more."

Karli and David enjoy their one-on-one interactions with each other. David recalls how tracking his food has been a useful tool in maintaining his diet, but what was even more helpful was his coach’s suggestion to not get hung up on perfecting his diet. David explained, “I used to think if I’m not perfect, then I haven’t succeeded, so why even try? When I was really rigid with my food tracking, it was very discouraging.” Karli helped David understand he doesn’t need to be perfect. This realization helped David enjoy the process of making long lasting changes for his health.

“David is one of the most determined individuals I have ever met” says his coach Karli. “He tracks what he eats a few days a week, just to keep himself in check. The biggest improvement David has made is learning how to listen to his body. He eats when he is hungry, and stops when he is full.  I think this is such a challenging concept for adults to master. I really feel he has conquered this aspect of health.”

When Caselle, David’s employer, first offered Orriant’s wellness program, David’s motivation to join was mostly due to the discounted insurance premiums. He admits thinking the program “would be a hassle”, but was willing to give it a shot to keep some money in his pocket. “In the long run I’ve been really grateful. My (improved health) has been a long time coming. I’m pleased with where I am now. Had I not joined Orriant, I would have continued to gain more weight. When you aren’t paying attention to it, it can escalate quickly.”

Orriant Intermediate Workout #1

Last week, we started you off with beginner workouts.  Try this new intermediate "Finish In Minutes Workout".

 Warm Up

Intermediate Cardio

Cool Down

Orriant Beginner Workout #2

Here is another Orriant beginner "Finish In Minutes Workout!"

Warm Up

Beginner Plank Workout

Cool Down

If you missed the first beginner workout, click here!

Today’s Preparation Determines Tomorrow’s Achievement

 Last minute Summer excursions and Fall break planning is underway.  If you’re finding it hard to keep your healthy routines going while you’re away, don’t fear! Orriant has tips to help keep you on track, so you feel great when wearing that bathing suit on vacation.

You’ve probably heard the notion, “If you fail to prepare, you’ve prepared to fail!” This can be applied to your getaways. As you’re packing and getting everything in place to leave town, take some time to map out what you can do to make the trip a healthy experience for you and others involved. Set a few health-related goals for the trip so you’ll feel energized while you’re away and not fall into a slump that’s hard to climb out of when you return home.

A few goals to consider could be: do you want to lose a couple pounds during the trip

or will it be a success if you can maintain your weight? How many days can you involve activity: every day, every other day? What will you do when it comes to eating out: share meals to have smaller portions, skip desserts, or drink water instead of a high calorie beverage? If you leave with a plan, it will be easier to stay committed and make healthy choices during the venture. To keep your exercise going, scope out activities that involve fitness. If you’ll be taking kids along, plan to visit a theme park, zoo, water park, national park, or beach. Can you bring along your bikes, or is the area you’re visiting or traveling through famous for hiking trails? Maybe there’s a hobby locals love that you can try: surfing, paddle boarding, or golfing. If you’re staying at a hotel, can you find one that offers a gym or swimming pool? If you’re visiting family, maybe they have a gym membership where you can purchase a daily or weekly guest pass. Remember the last time you had guests visit you? Did it interfere with your workout time? Don’t do the same to them! Get fit together!

If you know the trip’s events are going to interfere with any spare time for leisure activities, perhaps you can pack resistance bands or weights to use for 30 minutes before your day gets going. You could even prepare to do your favorite workout video. Just don’t forget to pack your sneakers.

Colors of the Rainbow

Eating foods in a variety of colors is just what your diet needs.

We’ve all been told how important it is to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. But did you know that variety is just as important as quantity? Colorful fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients that our bodies need.

The natural pigments in each fruit and vegetable contain specific vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help us to fight diseases. For example, fruits rich in the color red - such as strawberries, raspberries and cranberries - are loaded with vitamin C. This powerful vitamin is effective in decreasing your risk of heart disease, arthritis and even cancer. What about taking vitamin or mineral supplements in lieu of eating produce? Research has found that substituting supplements for whole foods is not a beneficial trade off. Eating produce gives your body fiber, which can help fight against cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Benefits by Color

Red/Purple/Blue - These pigments provide our bodies with powerful antioxidants that work to fight off free radicals. Free radicals damage our cells and can interfere with our immune system which can eventually lead to disease. Add raspberries, blueberries, or purple grapes to your diet to give your body a healthy boost of antioxidants.

Orange/Yellow - Think oranges, peaches, carrots, and corn. These lively orange and yellow pigment foods are packed with vitamin C. They also contain beta-carotene, an antioxidant which becomes vitamin A in the body and is important in maintaining good vision, healthy skin and decreasing your risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Other key nutrients found in these foods include potassium and folic acid.

Green leafy greens - such as kale, spinach and lettuce - are considered one of the most nutrient-dense foods available. These foods are high in vitamin A, vitamin K and are also a great source of calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. When it comes to leafy greens, the darker the better. Foods like broccoli, bell peppers, kiwis and pears are also a great source of vitamin C.

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What the Sun Can Do For You

The Sun Supplier

Did you know that just 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure is enough to synthesize the amount of Vitamin D that your body needs for one day? Vitamin D is important in maintaining normal blood levels, aiding in the absorption of calcium, and it could help prevent against hypertension, cancer, and several autoimmune diseases. Deficiencies for this important vitamin are common in the winter months. Foods like seafood (cod liver and eel), dairy products, and mushrooms contain a type of Vitamin D, but often it is in very small quantities. The National Institute of Health recommends 600 IU (15 mcg) of Vitamin D for adults 19 through 50 years of age. It is beneficial to add these foods to your diet supplemented with a Vitamin D tablet. The best way however, to ensure that you are getting enough of this important vitamin is by spending a few minutes in the sun everyday.  So get outside and enjoy some beautiful weather!