Are You Living Well?
Shirley Kindrick
CWP
“Why is my weight creeping up? I know I don’t eat that much!”
“I’m already walking up and down the stairs—I must do it more than a dozen times a day!”
“I don’t have time to sleep, how am I going to find time to exercise?”
Do these comments sound familiar? We often fool ourselves by eating more than we think we do and exercising a lot less. One of the best tools for getting these problem areas under control is journaling. Participants in the OSU Center for Wellness and Prevention (CWP) Living Well program are taught this skill right from the start.
One participant who lost 80 pounds identified journaling as the tool that helped her become accountable for the number of calories she was consuming. With the help of the Living Well staff, she also learned how to substitute lower-calorie options for her usual choices and ways to control her portion size, which made decreasing her calorie intake much easier. Two years later, she continues to make choices that support her lower weight.
Another participant, who entered the program to support his wife, realized he didn’t move nearly as much as he thought he did. After an evaluation identified his level of fitness, this participant received an individualized exercise plan that helped him lose more than 30 pounds. As an added benefit, his blood pressure was also lowered enough to discontinue one of his medications.
If you’re concerned about your weight, learn more about the Living Well program by attending a free information session offered every Monday at 6 p.m. and the first Thursday of the month at noon in the CWP, located at the Martha Morehouse Medical Plaza, 2050 Kenny Road. All university medical plans reimburse up to 50 percent of the cost if you meet plan requirements, and you can earn points for Your Plan for Health. Payroll deduction for program fees is also available.