Terry's Story

Terry Carver, Administrative Secretary – BGSU Department of Recreation and Wellness
  Health Enhancement and Group X Participant

I was being stubborn about not wanting to change too much in my daily routine or diet, so these programs motivated me to eat right, be active daily and lose weight without a huge time commitment.Recreation and Wellness is now my home away from home, and I have been employed with BGSU over 10 years now. As the years pass, it is more difficult to lose weight and keep it off. However, my attention has changed to what enters my mouth, thus the results of the foods in my body. After participating in and really enjoying the "Strive for Five" Wellness program last summer, my focus was shifted to eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains FIRST. This usually satisfied my appetite without sugar or salty snacks. Plus, the program incorporated 30 minutes of exercise daily, which was easy for me as I can now walk to work. So, without much change in my daily routine, I saw my weight come down and enjoyed eating without having to diet. Two other programs reinforced this success: the "Eat Right For Life" Wellness program in Fall of 2013, and also the Weight Loss Program through Psychology Department in Spring in 2013.

BEST OF ALL, when I had blood work completed at Falcon Health Center as part of the "Eat Right For Life" program, I received the best results I've had as a middle-age adult ever! My good HDL's were high, my bad LDL's were low, and my cholesterol counts were super! Not bad since I come from a family history of heart disease.

Terry's Advice for Living a Healthy Lifestyle

Schedule your exercise sessions – Pick a routine time to walk, clean, shovel, bike, swim, whatever, when it does not interfere with time you wish to spend with the family.

Plan ahead – Prepare healthy meals ahead of time, so you eat right and enjoy wellness time at your convenience. And, there are great ideas and recipes online to give you suggestions for nutritious and yummy meals!

Find activities you enjoy doing – Another great way I stay active is participating in the Group X classes through Recreation and Wellness. There are quite a variety of fitness activities, as many as I wish to attend, for one low price. I've made use of at least three different classes that keep me returning each semester. They are fun, inspiring, and give me a great sense of accomplishment.

Don't gauge exercise benefits on weight loss alone – One thing I've really noticed is that if I don't exercise at least moderately (generally walking or swimming) and eat as I should on a regular basis, my mood drops. When I begin again, it's like the best medicine of all - and life is good! AND, I still have time for family and personal events in the evening and weekends, and also get the family to join me in fun and moving activities!

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