Robin Zwahlen with Washington County

Robin Zwahlen of Washington County is improving not only her own health but the health of her entire family. Incorporating dietary changes and exercise in her family’s lifestyle has benefitted them all.

Robin’s thoughts are focused on her kids. She wants them to be healthy and feel energetic when they’re at school. To ensure they don’t have a drop in energy before lunch time, Robin makes conscious, healthier choices when preparing their breakfasts. Making healthy substitutions with other meals has also helped, such as the use of olive oil instead of vegetable oil, crackers with cheese instead of chips, and fruit instead of candy.

Robin is finding that her energy levels are higher than they used to be as well. She is drinking more water in place of soda and is feeling the difference. She’s also eating more fruits and vegetables. These changes have given Robin the strength needed to set up the nursery for her new baby. She’s excited by her new lifestyle and not even dreading having to be awake with the new baby!

The changes Robin’s family has made since joining The Apple Program® have not only enhanced their health but also their bank account. “We ate out so much; we didn’t even realize how much it was costing us. Now we prepare dinners with the help and input of our kids.”

Robin said, “If it wasn’t for The Apple Program® we wouldn’t have begun making these changes. With the motivation of a helpful coach, my husband and I decided to buckle down and make this a family effort. We now go on family bike rides, walks, or swims.” If you want more energy, Robin suggests, “Take a second look at your menu and see where you can improvise and substitute.” Make it a family effort and you can succeed!

Kent Chauncey with DHI

Kent Chauncey of DHI has improved several aspects of his health since becoming a member of The Apple Program® in 2009. Not only has he lost 16 pounds, he has also lowered his blood glucose level, triglycerides, and total body-fat percentage. He’s no longer considered “high risk” with his health and attributes this to focusing on his short-term goals which were included getting his blood sugar and body-fat levels under control.

Kent’s desire to change came after his health assessment with The Apple Program. It was alerting to him that his blood sugar was at a level classified as diabetic. He’s grateful that he found out sooner rather than later in order to prevent serious health consequences. Through trial and error, Kent has learned about his strengths and weaknesses and is now able to work with (or around) them to accomplish his goals. His overall goal is to “be healthier next year than I am right now, in order to have a small measure of peace of mind.”

Kent said that much of his success is due to the influence of his Apple Health Coach™. “My coach helped me set reachable goals. She’s also been a good cheerleader by providing me encouragement. Up until now, my health goals were to avoid weight gain and get in good enough shape each year to play softball.” Now Kent has aimed even higher and is working toward improving his health for a lifetime.

His advice to others is to just focus on being healthy. “Losing weight was never my main goal- it came along with the changes I made. Decide what you want and what you’re willing to do to get there. For example, I wanted to lower my blood sugar, so I cut back on Pepsi and other unhealthy foods in my diet. I haven’t completely cut them out, but I’ve cut back. I’m a fan of setting and reaching goals you can consistently obtain. It’s like making extra payments to principal on a mortgage; money paid to principal early-on will have a larger affect than the same amount paid later on.”