When Robin Adams began to lose sight of who she was, and found herself stressed, dissatisfied and unhappy, she turned to the Your Plan for Health (YP4H) program and OSU Health Plan health coaches to embark on her path of wellness and eventual self-love.
As an OSU Extension program assistant in the Mahoning County Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), Robin teaches nutrition and exercise education to limited-resource families. While she has always been mindful of her diet and physical activity, she wanted to practice what she preached to better relate to and help her clients. She also wanted to be more physically active to play with her young grandson.
As she was researching the YP4H website, Robin discovered personal health coaching and decided to take action. Her health coach worked with her to develop a plan for her journey, and she created a vision page where she identified her health and wellness goals. Robin applauds her coach for her continuous encouragement and accountability.
“My coach helps me achieve my goals while keeping me in perspective – she is never judgmental and is always supportive,” Robin explained. “For example, I was in a bit of a funk this winter, and she gave me resources to get through it.”
Robin has learned the importance of staying determined, being confident and forgiving yourself. When she encountered a plateau where she was unable to lose weight, she did not lose hope. Instead, she stayed positive and knew she would see changes eventually.
“I always say that one small step leads to thousands. You just have to take that first step.” she said.
Robin regularly uses a Fitbit to track her steps and calories. She aims to engage in physical activity five days per week, whether she walks outside or on the treadmill, or uses the elliptical. Another favorite resource of Robin’s is group health coaching, where she can interact virtually, with other Ohio State colleagues and learn about a variety of health and well-being topics. She is grateful to work somewhere that emphasizes health and wellness and thankful for colleagues who inspire and motivate her.
“Everyone in this office is in the same mindset: ‘How can we challenge and motivate each other?’” Robin said. “There are so many things Ohio State promotes to advance the wellness of employees, and it’s an extremely supportive environment.”
In addition to weight-loss results, Robin has felt the impact on other aspects of her life – she is sleeping better and feeling confident and happier. While her inspiration for becoming healthier stemmed from external reasons, Robin has learned more about herself than she could have imagined.
“I have gone through a lot of personal stress, and I couldn’t get ahead of things,” she explained. “This has shown me that I can handle it.”
Perhaps most importantly, Robin rediscovered who she is as a person and found peace.
“I started putting myself first, and I found myself again. I like myself!” said Robin. “I am so much stronger than I gave myself credit.”