Joanne was feeling the stress from her new job and knew she needed to make some changes—especially in her eating habits. Too many sweets. Junk food a little too often. So, she enrolled in the StayWell health coaching program sponsored by her employer.
Her health coach, Nancy, talked with her about her stressors and eating habits and then helped Joanne set some new goals. By the end of the conversation Joanne was ready to get started with Nancy’s strategies and tips.
She started out by eating fewer sweets. After reading materials sent by her health coach, she started bringing a bag of veggies to work to meet her veggie goal. In just seven months, she was able to cut down on her soda intake from five cans a day to one can every other day. She also drank more water, ate more fruits and vegetables and cut down on chips.
With her change in diet, she wanted to start exercising but dreaded it. She talked with Nancy for suggestions on how to make it easier. Joanne started walking with Dave, her husband, about two to three miles each day. She started to lose weight and now walks faster and longer than when she started.
By setting more goals with Nancy, Joanne is now working out four days a week and making healthier food choices, and eating more salads and fewer sweets. She has lost 10 pounds and feels great about the changes she made. By making these changes in her health habits, and including an exercise routine to reduce stress, Joanne was able to manage her stress a lot better by the end of the program.