Bill Yetman with Ancestry.com

Bill Yetman of Ancestry.com has made tremendous changes in his lifestyle since his initial Apple Health AssessmentSM last winter. Follow his assessment his evaluation indicated he was overweight and had high blood pressure. Bill felt like a “fat boy with high blood pressure” who needed to make modifications. He decided to start making changes by getting in shape and staying that way. He’s since lost over 50 pounds, dropped five pants sizes, and consequently lowered his blood pressure!

Bill accomplished these improvements by biking over 2200 miles on his road bike this year and hiking in the Draper trails even when if it was cold and rainy. He also learned to improve his eating habits by eating and enjoying more greens and limiting fatty junk food. His wife, Liliana, also helped him improve his eating habits by following the 30 Minute South Beach Cookbook and planning and preparing healthy meals for both of us. “She found recipes that were tasty and good for me,” reports Bill. He adds, “My daughter, Shanna, also visited me shortly after my assessment and taught me how to count calories. It was an eye-opening revelation to actually write down what I ate in a single day and calculate the calories. I learned that if you change what you eat, you could ‘diet’ without being hungry and if I went back for seconds it was for vegetables or a piece of fruit. That was a big change.” He realized his tactics were working when he lost his first 10 pounds. “I felt better and that made it easy to keep going.”

“The Apple Program® was the final straw to get me moving,” Bill says. “I was thinking about doing this but being part of the program helped me go from thinking to doing. Without the program I would probably still weigh above 240 and still be thinking about losing weight and getting in shape.”

Bill states that his Apple Health CoachSM was also very encouraging and positive. “She suggested some core exercises for me to compliment all the leg work I was doing on my bike. Having someone you must contact once a month and check in with helped keep me on course. It was nice to have an extra reminder.” At various times in Bill’s life he’s been very athletic and in shape. In college he swam and played water polo, working out twice a day, 6 days per week. At that time he weighed 180 pounds. He indicates, “I was 21 and in the best shape of my life. Right now I am only 10 pounds away from that weight and almost in as good a shape--and I’m a lot older.”

Bill’s future goals are to maintain his fitness strength and keep the weight off. To do this he plans to workout at least one hour a day for a minimum of five days a week. His added energy, focus, and drive keep him motivated to stay in shape. He has also seen that his ability to climb hills on his bike a lot easier, and his added strength and stamina that he thought he had left behind for good years ago also help keep him focused on his goals. “The process was painful, and I had to get in shape slowly but it worked!” reports Bill.

Bill’s advice to other is, “If you’re trying to get in shape and exercise, start slow, and build up a little at a time. Build an aerobic base and then push a little farther and challenge yourself. Consistently making little gains over long periods will result in big changes. Finally remember the slogan, ‘Just do it.’”

Dale Watkins with Washington County

Dale Watkins of Washington County is winning his battle with weight loss with the assistance of The Apple Program®. Throughout Dale’s life, he’s wanted to lose weight but never saw any lasting progress. This changed on Memorial Day of 2010 when he and his wife decided together that it was time to make changes. With his wife’s assistance and his Apple Health Coach’s SM support, Dale has lost over 30 pounds since June 1st and has improved several other aspects of his health biometric scores.

When Dale initially joined The Apple Program® he designed goals for himself that were good, but not very challenging, because he wasn’t extremely committed to making a change. When he saw little improvement at his next Apple Health Assessment SM he knew something really needed to change. Dale indicates he was “a health disaster waiting to happen.” He adds, “I think everyone wants to take better care of themselves, but truly doing something about it is where the rubber meets the road. You have to decide to act. I didn’t and I saw the consequences, but with the support of this program and my wife, I am now reaping the benefits. I feel better mentally and physically, and I weigh less. Without this program, I would still be in denial, starting other programs and eventually giving up, but with this program I get support, praise, and encouragement to keep me motivated.”

Designing real goals helped Dale have success. Walking was a key component for his fitness. “When I walk with my walking partner, Brinkley, my golden retriever, I feel better; it energizes me, and I consequently have a better attitude when I wake up in the morning! I have found a new willpower and I am not willing to look back.”

Dale plans to lose another 30 pounds by next June and anticipates seeing more improvements in his scores at his next Apple Health Assessment SM. To accomplish this he will continue to follow a quote that has motivated him to get make changes thus far, “The pain of change is never overcome until the benefit of the change is realized.” Dale indicates, “I used to set goals but would find ways around them, thus I never realized the benefit. I have now realized the benefit of a healthier lifestyle, and it is good. Another quote I live by is, ‘Kites rise against, not with, the wind.’ Resistance is a fact of life; what we need to do is learn to harness or control those things that are thrown against us and use them to our advantage; when we have overcome them or subdued them then we rise above and are in control of the resistance, rather than it controlling us.”

Jacob Case with Max International

When Jacob Case with Max International finished college in the fall of 2009, he decided it was time to get in shape. For six years he had faced frustration with his weight, excelling in school but not in his health. Shortly after graduation he began making changes. His workplace then teamed up with The Apple Program® and he’s since lost 50 pounds!

Jacob has known for some time that he needed to improve his blood pressure, but he didn’t realize that his weight was also putting him in high risk health categories. To move his scores to normal levels he set goals related to nutrition improvement and increased exercise. Jacob states, “My goal this year was to run 365 miles and ride my mountain bike for 750 miles. I’ve run 620 miles and biked 650 so far!” Several weeks have passed since, so Jacob has likely well exceeded his goal.

“The Apple Program® has helped me in numerous ways. I knew I was heavy and needed to lose some weight, but it was learning of the other factors (hypertension, high body fat percentage, and BMI) that really reinforced my purpose to get healthier. Talking with my health coach has also helped generate new ideas. For example, I try to eat about 2,700 calories each day, 30% from protein, 50% from carbohydrates, 5% from saturated fat, and 15% from unsaturated fat. Trying to maintain calorie amounts and ratios became a challenge until I discussed this with my health coach. She gave me several new ideas about foods to integrate into my diet. She has also helped me with running advice and discussion with exercise such as why I should have good running shoes and how important stretching is,” notes Jacob. He adds, “I think the program has added knowledge and motivation that I wouldn't have otherwise had. I learned more about my health, as well as gained support and ideas about how to maintain variety in my diet and workout plan.”

Jacob has learned things from his Apple Health CoachSM that he otherwise may have never known, for example, he though his sodium and caffeine consumptions were at normal levels, but then learned he was actually consuming 300% of normal sodium requirement. Jacob’s coach helped by giving him ideas to reduce his intake of those ingredients, which has helped him lower his blood pressure to a normal level. Jacob states, “Talking with a health coach is good because you know they will ask you about your goals and give you ideas about them. Tracking the goals is also great because it's a way to hold yourself accountable. Just having a health-minded mentor there to bounce ideas off of and check yourself with is a great advantage. Furthermore, although I already know much of the material at the quarterly brown bag meetings, I always come away from the meeting with at least a few new ideas and concepts that I can integrate. Some things that I already knew I still need to be reminded of, and the brown bag meetings are good for that.”

Jacob knows that his success would not have come unless he was able to change his behaviors. “I remember saying ‘I have a slow metabolism,’ but that was before I started tracking my diet and learned that I didn't eat well. After taking ownership of my diet, I found that my metabolism is not slow at all. The Apple Program® and the health coach helped to facilitate the process of improving my health. Specifically, I would say that goal setting and periodic evaluation of those goals with the health coach is how I've succeeded.”

Jacob suggests, “You have to decide why you want to reach your goals and believe in those reasons; they're different for everyone. This summer I got into racing mountain bikes. Much of my motivation and purpose for wanting to lose weight, in addition to getting healthy, was to be able to compete in the mountain bike races. I competed in 5 mountain bike races, 2 half marathons (Ogden and Park City in 1:45, and 1:47 respectively) and ran the St. George marathon in 3:50:22. While losing the weight and conditioning, I went from running a 10:30 mile pace to around an 8 minute mile. Physical performance is one of the biggest reasons I've become so concerned with my health. It's very satisfying and adds a level of fulfillment to my life.”

Saying yes to challenges and stepping out of your comfort zone is important to Jacob. He was invited by a team to run the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay last June when they had a teammate drop out at the last minute and needed a replacement. Because a member of the team knew he was training for the St. George marathon, they invited him to join. He was uncertain about it, but did it anyway. It was a great experience for him. He made several new friends that weekend, and they all formed another team for the Las Vegas Ragnar, which was just last weekend. Jacob states, “Doing activities in groups and gaining friendships with people who are into fitness is important, because values rub off on one another, and you can gain insight from those friends when you talk to them. That's why it's also important to get your spouse on the same page; my wife and I are on the same page with our diet and exercise, and it helps tremendously.”

Jacob’s future goals include maintaining the fitness he’s implemented and become more competitive with mountain biking and running. He’s grateful that he has achieved efficacy (the capacity for producing a desired result) in his life and is able to do what he wants with physical activities.

His advice to others is to, “Find balance and sustainability. You have to keep balance in your life or the program that you're on is not Sustainable. I see the need for balance when I start to get annoyed with not eating appealing foods because of its nutritional content. When this happens, I loosen my diet for a meal or two. I don't go overboard; I just force myself to be ok with eating a less than perfect meal, such as having desert, or a larger portion. It's better to eat one or two less than perfect meals than it is to fall off the bandwagon for several weeks. By the end of the month, if you've eaten a handful of less than perfect meals but the rest of the time you ate clean, then your overall diet is excellent. It's also good to remind yourself that fitness will ebb and flow to a certain extent. When I start to get burned out of exercising, or a certain type of exercise, I'll try to switch it up, or replace it with another activity. Sometimes I realize that I haven't spent as much time with my wife as I should be, so I won't work out that day and go do something with her instead. Also remember that early on, you will get extremely sore from exercise. This is also when it's the most discouraging. Keeping balance in your life will help you from getting burned out and discouraged and is the best way to find a sustainable, healthy routine to adhere to over the long run.”

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.”