Wow! What a journey I had to my LIFESTYLE CHANGE

I think that we have all had those moments when you have woke up, or saw a picture of yourself, and have thought - is that really me? I had that "aha" moment last spring. I knew that it was important for me to get serious about being a healthy human being for both my family and myself. I also knew that I needed help and accountability if I was going to lose weight. I was so scared! I made an appointment with a Lifestyle Consultant and that was all it took. The information and knowledge that Donna had was amazing . I knew that I was ready and that they were there to help me be successful. When I decided that 50 pounds was my goal, I left and though to myself - Are you crazy? That will never happen!. I have never been a healthy grocery shopper so the grocery list itself was pretty frightening. After three hours in a grocery store, I had my first week of groceries.

As the weeks turned in to months, everything got easier, and I would just take five pounds at a time. The small goals that I made for myself was the key to my success, along with all of the great information and encouragement that each and every Lifestyle Consultant gave to me. Encouragement was given to me when I was feeling frustrated because I didn't lose any weight for three weeks - we brainstormed together to see what was happening. I made the changes I needed to by ramping up my exercise program and changing what I was eating and sure enough, I was a few steps closer to my lifestyle change.

I sit and write this six months later, 55 pounds lighter, and all I can say is Thank You! In my 42 years I have never felt so healthy. I have truly learned that it is not about how much you weigh, but about being a healthy you and being comfortable with who you are. I know that I couldn't have done it without the Healthy Inspirations Program; encouragement and knowledge from each of the Lifestyle Consultants; and of course my family.

Lois K. of Grants Pass, OR

France Best, US Worst in Preventable Death Ranking

France, Japan and Australia rated best and the United States worst in new rankings focusing on preventable deaths due to treatable conditions in 19 leading industrialized nations, researchers said on Tuesday.

If the U.S. health care system performed as well as those of those top three countries, there would be 101,000 fewer deaths in the United States per year, according to researchers writing in the journal Health Affairs.

Researchers Ellen Nolte and Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine tracked deaths that they deemed could have been prevented by access to timely and effective health care, and ranked nations on how they did.

They called such deaths an important way to gauge the performance of a country's health care system.

Nolte said the large number of Americans who lack any type of health insurance -- about 47 million people in a country of about 300 million, according to U.S. government estimates -- probably was a key factor in the poor showing of the United States compared to other industrialized nations in the study.

"I wouldn't say it (the last-place ranking) is a condemnation, because I think health care in the U.S. is pretty good if you have access. But if you don't, I think that's the main problem, isn't it?" Nolte said in a telephone interview.

In establishing their rankings, the researchers considered deaths before age 75 from numerous causes, including heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, certain bacterial infections and complications of common surgical procedures.Such deaths accounted for 23 percent of overall deaths in men and 32 percent of deaths in women, the researchers said.

France did best -- with 64.8 deaths deemed preventable by timely and effective health care per 100,000 people, in the study period of 2002 and 2003. Japan had 71.2 and Australia had 71.3 such deaths per 100,000 people. The United States had 109.7 such deaths per 100,000 people, the researchers said.

After the top three, Spain was fourth best, followed in order by Italy, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Greece, Austria, Germany, Finland, New Zealand, Denmark, Britain, Ireland and Portugal, with the United States last.

Mayor Challenges City to Lose 1 Million Pounds

Mick Cornett, mayor of Oklahoma City, proposed one very challenging and unusual New Year’s resolution to the city: take a collective stand against obesity and lose 1 million pounds.


Inspired partly by his own wish to lose weight, Mick Cornett transformed a personal struggle into an urban crusade against obesity. Oklahoma City stands as one of the fattest cities in the United States.


The mayor said people need to acknowledge that they do not follow a healthy lifestyle and that exercise and a better-balanced and healthy diet, coupled with self-discipline, are necessary.


If the mayor of Grants Pass challenged us with a New Year's resolution to lose weight, would we take our health more seriously?


Check out the city's weight loss website by clicking the icon below.

Congratulations, Dawn!

Dawn started her Healthy Inspirations program in August of 2007 after her blood sugars tested at 106, which is in the pre - diabetic range. Her father has adult onset diabetes and Dawn did not want to get diabetes as well. This week, after 4 1/2 months on her Healthy Inspirations program, Dawn had her blood work done again. "I thought this (program) would help (my blood sugars) - I had lost weight (34 pounds), but I told myself not to be disappointed." When Dawn's blood sugar results came back at 84, (normal range is 60-100) she was thrilled! Dawn says that bringing her blood sugars into the normal range is even more exciting to her than the weight she lost! Way to go, Dawn!

How to set realistic goals for weight-loss

The Seattle Times has an interesting article about setting realistic weight-loss goals. Give it a quick read. It is worth the review. Click here to read the article.

Happy New Year Healthy Inspirations members!