HealthMiles Blog

Member Spotlight: Kelley S.

Virgin HealthMiles made the difference in my life. I have struggled with my weight for about 20 years; always on the roller coaster ride. I was famous for crash diets then gaining it all back within a few months time. I allowed stress to rule my eating habits and consume my entire life. For so long I desired to get back on that roller coaster and not get off but it never registered mentally with me until I started the Virgin HealthMiles program. I realized at that time I did not want to live like this anymore and what better way to start the journey to a healthier me.

Since joining, it has motivated me to increase my activity level to the point of feeling guilty if I don’t have some form of exercise in my daily routine. I began recording everything I put in my mouth and focused on my caloric intake. 

I am happy to announce since joining this program I have lost 24.2 pounds and I'm loving life. I have about 26 more pounds to lose to reach my 1^st really big goal. Everything about me has changed; my mental state of mind, my body, my endurance and my husband would be happy to say my snoring at night. I had reached the level that my snoring was so bad that I would stop breathing several times during the night. Guess what? Now, no more snoring!

I could just go on and on about this program…one word sums it up – AWESOME!

2 months after sending her story, Kelley sent another update that she's since lost another 10 pounds and is now up to a total of 35 punds.  Way to go Kelley!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post a comment for Kelley | Share your story: stories@virginhealthmiles.com

Member Spotlight: Sergio A.

Sergio celebrates 40 with 50!
 
On September 19, 2011, Sergio and 200 others ran the North Face Endurance Challenge, an “ultra marathon” (that’s 50 miles) in Kettle Moraine, WI. Only 130 runners finished the race. Sergio came in 12th place overall and 2nd in his age group, finishing in 7 hours, 25 minutes. Why run a 50-mile marathon? This was one of Sergio’s life goals, and he achieved it. He ran this particular marathon, because he just turned 40 in early September, and it was his gift to himself.  
 
While competing in this ultra marathon Sergio recorded 81,892 steps and 426 Active Minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

Congrat, Sergio - those are some serious steps!

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Member George D.'s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thanks to member George D. for sending this recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. We can't wait to try them!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies      Makes about  45 cookies

• 1 cup Butter or Margarine
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 cups canned pumpkin or 1- 15 oz can
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg

 

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter with sugar then add eggs and mix. Add remaining ingredient and mix well. Then fold in chips and nuts. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes.

Member Sarah G.'s Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Thanks to member Sarah G. for sending us her recipe for pumpkin turkey chili.  It takes advantage of the pumpkins in season and sounds delicious!

Pumpkin Turkey Chili

• 1T oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 T chili powder
• 1/2 tsp gound black pepper
• 1 dash salt
• shredded cheese
• sour cream

Heat oil in large skillet over med heat and saute the onion, pepper, and garlic until tender. Stir in the turkey and cook until evenly browned.  Pour meat mixture into slow cooker.  Mix in tomatoes and pumpkin.  Season with chili powder, pepper, and salt.  Cover and set on low; cook for 4-5 hours.  Serve topped with cheese and sour cream.  Serves 4.

Healthy Pumpkin Bread

Try healthy pumpkin bread recipe to reap the benefits without all the calories.
Serves: 16 Edit
Yields: 1 loaf
Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients
1 cup(s) (packed) light brown sugar
2 large egg whites
1 cup(s) pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/4 cup(s) canola oil
1/3 cup(s) low-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup(s) whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8 1/2" by 4 1/2" metal loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, with wire whisk, combine brown sugar and egg whites. Add pumpkin, oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract; stir to combine.
• In medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert pumpkin bread onto wire rack; cool completely.

Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories -140, Total Fat - 4g, Saturated Fat - 0, Sodium- 165mg, Total Carbohydrate - 25g, Dietary Fiber -1g

The Great Pumpkin

October is here, and that means so are the pumpkins. Pumpkins are not only great for carving scary faces, but they also have a lot of nutritional value. 

 

• Pumpkin is very rich in carotenoids, which is known for keeping the immune system of an individual strong and healthy.
• Beta-carotene, found in pumpkin, is a powerful antioxidant as well as an anti-inflammatory agent.
• Being rich in alpha-carotene, pumpkin is believed to slow the process of aging and also prevent cataract formation.
• The presence of zinc in pumpkins boosts the immune system and also improves the bone density.

So go ahead and go orange. 

Healthy "After School" Snacks

Whether you're looking for some healthy options for the kids or just need a nutritious pick me up in the afternoon, try these healthy options to keep the tummy rumbling in check.

• Edamame - you can buy frozen in grocery stores and heat up in the microwave for a quick fiber-filled snack.
• Mini-pizza - Coat a whole wheat muffin with tomato sauce, shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese and a sprinkling of garlic powder and oregano. It's a great way to get the carbs and dairy from pizza without all the calories.
• Frozen grapes - Wash seedless grapes and put them in bags in the freezer. Once the grapes are frozen, they develop a popsicle-like texture and taste deliciously sweet without any added sugar.
• Whole Wheat Pretzels - Regular pretzels are made from over-processed flour that has had all of the bran and much of the fiber removed. Choose whole wheat for a quick and healthy option.

String Cheese - A great way to get calcium, choose low-fat string cheese to help control how much saturated fat you eat. And it's fun to eat no matter what your age.

Back To School, Back To The Routine

For many people, September still means back to school and back into the groove of your routine. Make sure you're making activity a regular part of that routine and taking your GoZone along for the ride.

Even when things get busy, here are some ways to make sure you're staying active. 

• Set a goal of how much time you have for exercise. Don't say you'll do it for 90 minutes if you know that's not reasonable, but you CAN find some time each day if you plan for it.
• Put it on the calendar. Staying active is important for your body and your mind, so make sure you give it priority and schedule it in like everything else.
• Pick an activity. You can walk, run, bike, dance, golf...just pick something you enjoy. You can always change things up, but having a plan helps you stay focused.

Stick with it. Stay with your routine for a month and see what 30 days of an exercise routine can do for your step count!

HealthMiles Members Step it Up [Part 2]

Members keep finding new ways to step it up, so we had to share them with you!

 

 

Amy B. took the last challenge in stride. "How many steps to the pier on Fernandino Beach at Amelia Island, FL?  Well, it’s about 1.4 miles so that’s a LOT of steps!  On the first day of the challenge, I logged over 7,000 steps in an early morning beach walk with my family. When we made it to the pier, we took the attached photo so I could send to Virgin HealthMiles.  Then we started the return walk back!  Being on the beach definitely made a difference in how many steps I took each day – who wouldn’t want to be out there walking and picking up shells instead of inside an office all day!"

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Adrain K. along with Alex M., Mike M., Jon T. and Jon N. try and get their steps in whenever they can. "A group of us walk at lunch. Jon invites everyone in the group, about 15 people, every day. Most don’t join us, but this group of diehards walk when it’s raining, when it’s 110 degrees and when we have to miss eating lunch to do it."

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Terry P. brought his pedometer along for a hike on a trail in Alaska's Denali National Park this July.
"My 3 sons are also in the picture, the whitecap mountain in the left background is Mt. McKinley.  The steps were not only more numerous than normal that day they were also much more strenuous than normal!'

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Janet V. and Alma S. used their lunch break to get in some steps and inspiration. "Yesterday Alma and I decided to walk to the canal in downtown Indianapolis from our office building instead of staying in for lunch or driving to a restaurant. We saw beautiful fountains, ducks, people in paddle boats, joggers, walkers, tourists and picnickers. We also passed many of Indy’s sites like the Eiteljorg Museum and the USS Indianapolis Memorial. This was a great way to spend an hour and we got about 5,300 steps in the process! Thanks for helping us find the motivation with the regular challenges. We have now moved on to challenging each other."

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Tammy M. took her pedometer when she and her family took a trip to help clean up in Joplin after the tornado in May. "I was able to get lots of steps in because we were not allowed to take our vehicles into the damaged areas where we were working to reduce congestion."

Member Spotlight: Karen C.

 Before                                                After

I

In November, 2009 I was not feeling well, retaining water and could not breathe well. I was very concerned about my health and went to see the nurse practitioner and she said that I needed to see my doctor immediately and if I could not get in to go to the hospital. That was my wake up call. I went to the hospital and they did a stress test on my heart and it was okay and then some other tests and released me. Later, I had a scope done and found that I had acid reflux disease and was put on some medicine to help with it.

My doctor said I needed to lose weight and I knew he was right. In January, 2010 I started my mission to lose 100 pounds. When I started I did not know the direction that I would go or what exercises that I would do, but I knew I needed to start. I started out slowly and challenged myself each day to do more. I got involved with Virgin HealthMiles, wore my pedometer and began walking along with strength training and dieting. In April, 2010 I went to Florida on vacation and put in around 20,000 steps a day and loved it. I have now lost 70 pounds and still want to lose the other 30 pounds.

This has been a wonderful experience for me. I am a person that does not normally wake up early and I changed that by waking up at 4:50 a.m. each morning and spending the start of my day with Bible study and prayer. Then I go directly into exercising. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are my aerobic days and I do the elliptical for 20 to 30 minutes each morning, walk during my lunch hour and during my breaks and walk up and down the stairs in the building where I work (I am now up to the 22^nd floor).  Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are my strength training days. I do weight lifting in the morning and evening and walk during lunch with weights on my wrists. Sunday is my rest day but I still wear my GoZone and count my steps. Each night I try to be in bed no later than 10 p.m. and earlier if possible (rest is so important in this process).

During this year I have several health problems that I thought would prevent me from continuing on my journey but I rested when I needed to and proceeded to get back on track as quickly as possible. I feel better emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. It is still a day by day journey and I have my victories and disappointments but I know that I am doing the right thing. I celebrated by 51^st birthday this year and know this will help me to be a better person for my husband, myself, my children my grandchildren and for my employer.  It is hard to lose that last few pounds but I am not going to give up it will happen a little at a time and I plan to have a lot of fun doing it. I need to continue to drink more water and watch my diet and avoid temptation when possible.

At church I am the co-leader in the First Place for Health Bible Study Group. It focuses on finding the balance in life for the emotional, physical, spiritual and mental needs we all have in life. We talk about the importance of diet, exercise and our walk with God through obedience.

Running and playing with my grandchildren has been wonderful and I have even ventured out to the snow and made a snow angel. Life is great and I praise the Lord for it!

Post a comment for Karen | Share your story: stories@virginhealthmiles.com