Mark and Diana DePriest with Hogan Construction have worked hard to “build up” their health and improve their wellbeing. As a couple they’ve lost nearly 130 pounds and improved several aspects of their biometric scores. Mark gained much of his success by taking part in his at-work “Biggest Loser” competition. Diana followed suit and together they worked on improving their day-to-day habits and aimed to achieve short-term goals in order to reach their ultimate goals. They both report that they’re feeling better, more confident, and happier than they have in years.
Mark set a long term goal to get below 200 pounds when he first joined the Apple Program®. To accomplish that, he designed goals with his Apple Health Coach™ which included things like eating breakfast, increasing water intake, and exercising. These changes helped with his initial weight loss, but when the Biggest Loser competition began at Mark’s work, he was motivated to take action. “I have a very competitive nature!” says Mark. “I believe I got that from doing sports through school. My wife was also a great inspiration. She quit smoking three years ago and as a family we decided to give up soda, chips, and most snack foods and replaced them with healthy snacks like: fruits, vegetables, rice cakes, 100calorie packs. We also invested in ourselves and bought a treadmill which we placed right in our living room, instead of a corner somewhere, where most of our family together time is spent.”
Diana’s improvements began to accelerate as well when her husband signed up for the Biggest Loser challenge. “I wasn’t going to let him get skinny without me! I was determined to not be the fat one in the relationship!” Diana said, so she bumped up her efforts as well. She began substituting regular soda with diet, baking using low-fat recipes, and exercising. She’s since gone from a size 16 to 6 in four months!
Prior to joining the wellness program Mark & Diana were living with excess weight they slowly gained over a 10 year span. Mark said, “If the Apple program hadn't challenged me and showed me where my health scores were I probably would’ve deceived myself for several more years, believing that I was happy where I was. Without the program, I may have had success eventually but not as fast.” By working with an Apple Health Coach™, Mark and Diana were able to develop a plan for success. Diana reports, “My coach was very helpful in answering a lot of questions I had about weight loss and what was healthy and safe.” Mark says, “My coach has been a great inspiration to me by challenging me to complete small goals along the way to keep me on track. I think the reminder that it takes a daily commitment and a plan that makes you accountable for that commitment was key to getting me started.”
Mark and Diana continue to set goals for success. “My daughter and I are preparing to run our first 5K this year and might run a 10K next year,” says Diana. “I also want to lose another 13 pounds in the next two months in order to fit into my size 4 jeans I haven’t worn in ten years!” As for Mark, he plans to run a half marathon this year and next year a full marathon, something he hasn’t done since 1994. Together they plan to continue paying attention to what they’re doing and eating, to prevent health consequences from arising again.
Both Diana and Mark are happy to report they are feeling better than they have in years. “I love being able to do things I once considered myself to big to do anymore. I wish I had done this ten years ago,” says Mark. His advice for others is, “Make yourself a priority. Sometimes work becomes our only focus and we consider ourselves later, but put your health first and remember the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, so get moving!” Diana adds the famous quote by Bob Harper, Biggest Loser Trainer, “Stand up and finish what you started.”
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