Scott Murdock with Wheeler Cat

Scott Murdock with Wheeler Cat has noticed great changes in his lifestyle since joining The Apple Program®. Being accountable to someone has encouraged Scott to set and meet short and long term goals. As a result, increased energy and vibrancy in life are just some of the benefits Scott has noticed.

Prior to joining the program, Scott had asthmatic problems and was often tired but now he’s improving his cardio endurance by engaging in activities such as spin classes. Since Scott began doing this, he’s noticed improvements not only in his physique with weight loss, but he’s also experiencing fewer asthma related complications and isn’t as tired as he once was. “I have more energy to play with my kids and accomplish my tasks,” Scott says.

One thing that motivated Scott to begin pushing himself was purchasing a watch with a heart rate monitor which has helped him get his heart rate up to his target zone. This has increased his stamina and endurance and has enabled him to set goals he was once unable to achieve, like attempting to bike up mountains. Scott’s said, “It’s nice to be in enough shape that I can actually do that type of activity.”

Scott reports that he wouldn’t have had the success he’s had if his company hadn’t offered The Apple Program®. He’s said, “The accountability and educational aspects of the program have helped me; it’s exactly what I needed. My Apple Health Coach™ has helped get me on track by answering various questions related to my dietary goals.”

His goals for the future include continuing to lower his body fat. He plans to do that by creating a caloric deficiency, cutting back between 200 and 300 calories per day. “I’ve found that I’m able to do that by eating more protein and fiber, which helps me stay full longer. I’m also eating smaller meals more often.”

Scott is grateful that these changes are not only creating savings in terms of health care, but also increasing the quality and years of his life. His advice to others is, “If I can do it, you can too!”

Paul Stokes with Clyde Companies Inc.

Paul Stokes of Clyde Companies Inc. has lost 35 pounds over the past year by altering his eating habits and exercise routine. His determination to get back to the physical shape he was in years ago led him to his path to change. By participating in The Apple Program®, Paul notes that he became more aware of his health habits and gained the education needed to improve his lifestyle.

He started by cutting back on sugar and limiting his snacks. Paul also started to gradually incorporate exercise, and notes that each month, “My coach helped challenge me to add a new goal to continue my progression and take me to the next level. I have now lost the weight I wanted to and have not gained it back.”

Losing weight is something Paul has wanted for a long time in his life. He knew that he needed to get his health in track, so he could avoid the risk of developing heart disease in addition to improving his overall heart health. Paul states, “The wellness program has helped me learn how to be a better eater and more active person. I understand why it is important to exercise regularly and eat healthy. I have made the decision to change my eating habits and to exercise. The combination of these things has helped me maintain my weight loss. I attribute my success to the Apple Program and to my wife. Working together as a family has made it a lot easier to change the way I treat myself.”

Paul plans to maintain his progress by focusing on eating healthy and exercising regularly. He hopes to run a triathlon sprint next year with his brother-in-law. He also adds, “I don’t think I will do anything crazy like run a marathon, but who knows? Maybe I will get in good enough shape that I will feel like doing that someday!”

Paul is grateful that the changes he’s made have given him more confidence and enabled him to be a better example to his children and family. “I want all of us to live a healthy life, and I feel that these steps I’ve taken will help.”

Paul concludes, “My advice to others is, find a way to take little steps to becoming healthier. If you don’t like to exercise, make small goals to walk longer each day. Little by little, you will find that you like to exercise. Also, enjoy the outdoors. It is great to go outside, breathe fresh air and enjoy the beautiful scenery. My last piece of advice is simple, eat less sugar and starches and consume more veggies.”

Gail Duarte with South Shore Medical Center

Gail Duarte of South Shore Medical Center has made tremendous changes in her health and lifestyle in the past two and half a years. Her path to a better wellbeing began when she turned 50 and had an annual physical with her doctor at South Shore. Her results came back, and she discovered she weighed almost 270 pounds, was borderline diabetic, and had cholesterol and blood pressure levels through the roof. Her desire to change came that day when her physician took her by the hand and brought her down to see Laura, a physician assistant specializing in diabetes. This was just the beginning of her journey.

A year later Gail found herself 80 pounds lighter! She was still fearful, however, because she had lost weight like this in the past but then would put it back on. She knew it is one thing to take the weight off, another to keep it off. “I’ve since learned that to be successful with managing weight loss, you have to make a lifestyle change and be an overall healthy being; until you learn that and live by that day to day, you won’t achieve your goals,” says Gail. “I was able to maintain my weight for a full year, and then The Apple Program® came in. I needed a coach only because of BMI, as my ideal weight for my height is 140. I’m nearly 10 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight and plan to reach that by my next Apple Health Assessment™ in December!”

At Gail’s most recent annual exam with her doctor her scores came back better than ever with a blood pressure of 118 over 70, an A1C reading down from 10 to 5.0, triglycerides at 117, glucose reading of 89 down from 113 only six months ago, and a total cholesterol of 131 with HDL’s at 40 and LDL’s at just 69!

Gail has picked up several tips over the past three years that have led to this success. She reports that cutting back on carbs and doing little things like chewing on sugar free gum, contemplating her food choices before each meal, or simply getting a breath of fresh air have all helped. “I try to stay away from any white foods except cauliflower! I’ve cut out a lot of potatoes and breads and have substituted it with things like soup, lettuce wraps, or vegetables. If I do have carbs I try to eat them earlier in the day (for breakfast or sometimes lunch), so I can burn it off; even when I do eat carbs, it’s complex carbs such as brown rice, low cal whole wheat breads, or whole wheat pasta.” Gail has also found exercises that she loves including Zumba classes and brisk walks. “I try to do 70 minutes of cardio, three times per week,” says Gail.

Gail would like to thank all those who have attributed to her success. “The Coaches at The Apple Program are all great. I’m also appreciative to those at my medical center who have helped me get me fit. We’re asking others to be healthy, so we have to be healthy ourselves, which is why our company took on The Apple Program®. It’s been a full circle, and I couldn’t have done this alone. My husband of 34 years has been a great support, as he’s altered his cooking to help us both be healthy.”

For more tips, Gail suggests reading Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. Her advice to others is, “To change our lives, we must first change our minds. You have to make a lifestyle change; you can’t lose weight and think you’re done.”

Rhonda Sanchez with Harmons

Rhonda Sanchez of Harmons has made tremendous lifestyle improvements since joining the Apple Program®. Not only has she implemented changes in her eating habits by reading nutrition labels on foods, but she’s also quit smoking and has implemented an exercise routine in hopes of improving her long-term health including her cholesterol levels.

“In the beginning,” Rhonda admits, “I joined the Apple Program® because of the financial incentive. As time has gone on, however, I’ve realized I need to make changes in my health. I am a proud single parent of a beautiful, amazing, 13 year old daughter, and it became apparent that if I didn’t make changes, I may not be around to watch her become a successful adult.” With the support of the Apple Program, including an Apple Health Coach™, Rhonda received the tools needed to get her health on track. “There’s no way I would have ever been this successful without the program. I’ve had a tremendous amount of support.”

Rhonda began focusing on making small changes with her health in order to combat smoking. “My coach gave me tips on quitting. For instance, we talked about how I could go a whole day at work without smoking, and how I could refrain from smoking on my days off. One helpful thing was locking my cigarettes in the trunk of my car, so if I wanted one I would have to go down three flights of stairs and unlock the trunk to get one. That helped because it made me assess whether or not I really wanted one.”

Rhonda now feels like she has the support and tools to make healthy choices for the rest of her life. She’s grateful for the encouragement offered by her daughter as well as her Apple Health Coach, and for the opportunity to be in the Apple Program. She’s especially delighted that her daughter has a healthy example and will no longer be exposed to the effects of secondhand smoke. She reminds others to, “Take it one day at a time and never give up. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. We’re all a work in progress.”

Shane Mather with Rhodes Bake-N-Serve

Shane Mather of Rhodes Bake-N-Serv has sought to lose 30 pounds since joining the Apple Program® in order to obtain the weight he was in high school. With the suggestions and reminders round in the program, Shane has met his goal and consequently lowered his BMI. He’s now working to maintain his success and feels confident that he’ll stay on track for his annual Apple Health Assessments™ from here on out.

Shane began making changes by simply making up his mind to lose the weight and deciding to do it. His Apple Health Coach™ helped keep him on track by educating him in aspects of nutrition. “She told me what to avoid as far as ingredients in food,” says Shane. He also decided to cut back on eating in the evenings and added high fiber foods like fruit and flaxseed.

To further his progress, he incorporated regular exercise. He set the goal of exercising three times a week for 30 minutes, but often exceeded that. Although Shane has always been an active person, he’s found that losing the extra 30 pounds has added even more energy to his life. “An extra 30 pounds is a lot to pack around all the time.”

His efforts brought results, as he improved all aspects of his biometrics. Shane’s advice to others who are seeking to improve their health is to apply a quote given by Plato, “The first and greatest victory is to conquer self.” Shane says, “Just make it happen.”

Matthew Christensen with Ancestry.com

Matthew Christensen of Ancestry.com has been working with the Apple Program® to regain good health. He put on some “happy married weight,” as he puts it, and has been determined to lose the weight he gained and improve other aspects of his health. With the motivation and principles of the Apple Program®, Matt has not only lost 20 pounds, but he’s also lowered his blood pressure and cholesterol and feels better when competing in sports.

Matthew knew his family health history and understood that he was at a high risk for developing health complications, but he also understood that modifications such as losing weight and eating healthy could improve his odds of steering clear of health problems. With that in mind, Matthew began making changes in his lifestyle by planning ahead. “I try to map out my meals for the next day, so there’s no guessing or random snacking. I also plan my workouts for the week on Sundays. This program’s really taught me to plan out my days so they are healthier.”

“I’ve wanted to make these changes for some time now, but the accountability aspects of the program got me motivated. Having a coach, goals to track on a website, and rewards at the end pushed me to succeed. My coach was very positive and gave me great ideas to make my goals easier to accomplish. She challenged me to continue to build upon my goals to have more success.”

Matthew’s efforts have helped him lower his blood pressured from 142/90 to 125/78 in addition to a 20 pound weight loss and lowered BMI. He plans to continue lowering his cholesterol and weight until he reaches his long term goal. Matthew says, “I’m expecting a child in December and am determined to make sure that the baby knows the fit me and not the fat me!”

His advice to others is to create a plan and stick to it. “Have large and small goals to help you find purpose in exercise and eating.”

Dixon Bringhurst with Clyde Companies Inc.

Dixon Bringhurst of Clyde Companies has lost over 20 pounds since his Apple Health Assessment™ by implementing healthy eating habits and routine exercise. Prior to joining the Apple Program®, Dixon rarely ate regular meals and as a result his blood sugar levels were out of control. Now he has his diabetes under control and is feeling better in all areas of his life.

Dixon built up motivation to exercise by participating in hour long spin classes twice a week at a local high school. He has continually built up his strength and is using a Bow Flex machine to bring his health to the next level. Aside from incorporating a well-rounded fitness routine, he’s also improved his daily eating regimen by seeking to get in three balanced meals. Dixon said, “I used to starve myself all day, and then eat a heavy dinner. I’d be so hungry at that point that I’d often overeat, but now I make sure I get a healthy breakfast in, which often consists of eggs cooked in a little bit of olive oil with whole wheat toast, or just yogurt with fruit. For lunch, I often eat soup or grab a sandwich if I’m on the go.”

Having short term goals has helped Dixon improve his health. He reports that he’s not to his ideal weight, but is very happy that he’s now headed in the right direction. “I’ve wanted to get my health back on track for awhile now, but it’s been about 10 years since I’ve done anything about it.”

Much of Dixon’s success came with the motivation and support of his wife. “We’ve been able to work on improving our health together. We have kids and grandkids we want to be around for. And we want to be independent as we grow old, so we’re glad we’re doing things now to make that happen.” Dixon reminds others, “You have to want to improve your health. If you’re not serious about it, you’re not going to have success. Find something that will motivate you.”

Kristal Christiansen with Gerber Construction

Kristal Christiansen of Gerber Construction has made tremendous lifestyle changes in the past year since joining the Apple Program®. Not only has she lost 42 pounds, but she’s also improved her fitness and energy levels. Much of Kristal’s success came when she took part in a three month Biggest Loser challenge with her family. She began making changes in her eating habits that she could maintain not only now but for years to come, in order to have good health today and down the road. She’s now training for her first half marathon and plans to continue working on her fitness to lose another 15 pounds.

Kristal’s alterations to her eating habits included not only eating less food, but also limiting her intake of sweets. She no longer has sweets on a daily basis, but she doesn’t deprive herself either- she saves them for special occasions. She also made changes to the way she ate her food. She no longer stands while eating. Instead, Kristal sits down and makes the process enjoyable so she can remember and feel like she ate.

Kristal reports that she feels happier and more balanced emotionally than she has in a long time. “I wake up feeling great and I have energy throughout the day,” says Kristal. She adds, “Having the Apple Program® helped me organize my goals and put them on paper. Checking in with a coach regularly has also helped keep me motivated. I was ready to change and start exercising, and my coach helped me build the confidence to do it.” She’s also grateful that she’s made these changes so she can keep up with her kids.

Her advice to others who are seeking to make changes is to, “Modify your lifestyle for you. A lot of times people want to lose weight for the wrong reasons. Do it for yourself and remember that the days all add up. You can’t lose weight in a day; you have to add the days together to see your success.” This is exactly what Kristal has done and continues to do as she trains for her first half marathon this fall!

Jon Webb with Veracity Networks

Jon Webb with Veracity Networks began his journey with the Apple Program® while in the pursuit of improving his cholesterol ratio. Initially, the financial incentive is what caught Jon’s attention, but his dedication to the goals he designed with his Apple Coach™ began to motivate him past the point of greenbacks. Now just over six months later he’s happy that he’s not only improved his cholesterol ratio from a 13 to a 5, but he’s also lost a pant size and is happy that his efforts have paid off in his triathlon and half marathon races.

Jon has participated in the Wasatch Back Ragnar, Provo Relay, Top of Utah Half Marathon, and will be doing the Kokopelli Triathlon in September, along with a 10K relay, “The Dirty Dash,” in September! He has increased his swimming ability from barely being able to swim 50 Meters to swimming 1000 meters in each work out set.

Jon’s has never had a weight problem, so he never had to watch what he ate. What he didn’t want to acknowledge was that by not being conscious of his eating habits, his cholesterol was being affected for the worse. He decided to take action by limiting fast food and sweets and having more healthy snacks including fruits and vegetables.

Jon reports, “It was helpful to have a tracking and reporting mechanism in place. Seeing my progress and knowing that I have some accountability was very helpful and motivating. Gradually, I became more dedicated to exercising and working out on a regular basis. I’ve gone through phases in the past where I would work out for a few months, but this is the longest I have stuck with exercising. Having the goal to do triathlons helped get me going in the right direction as well.”

Jon adds that his Apple Coach™ also attributed to his success. “She was motivational and took interest in what I was working on and how I was doing. Having someone take an interest in you like that helps to increase the excitement to succeed and creates some accountability for the outcome. Without the program I know I wouldn’t have had the discipline and dedication to track and improve my exercise and eating habits to the extent and duration that I have. It’s great that this wellness program has the measurement tools in place to give someone a starting point and know what they can expect to see.”

He attributes his success to the desire to be healthy and the enjoyment he has for working out and being active. It’s helped that he has rewarded himself with buying fun things like a triathlon wetsuit and gear, road bike, and mountain bike. Jon plans to continue improving his wellbeing by training for and participating in triathlons, as well as maintaining his healthy eating habits.

Diana & Mark DePriest with Hogan

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.”