During November, LIVE FOR LIFE received over 50 entries for the Eat Wise & Exercise lifestyle makeover contest. During the 10-week program, the winners will provide regular updates as they start eating wise and exercising! For more information about the contest winners (including their winning essays), click here.

Week 10: March 17 - 21

Posted March 27, 2008

Craig Galunas lost 17 pounds during Eat Wise and Exercise.

Individual Winner: Craig Galunas

Planning to Stick to the Program

So, this is it. The final week is done. It is time to say good-bye to everyone who has helped me on this incredible journey. Many thanks to and from everyone from LIVE FOR LIFE: Dietician Kay Pratt, Fitness Program Manager Jessica Ward, Fitness Specialist Jeffrey Beamon, Fitness Specialist Heather Schmitt, and most of all Fitness Specialist Vicky Yeingst, and also to Communications Specialist Elizabeth Michalka. I could not have done this without them.

I feel great, and I am well on my way back to good health. My goal when I started was to lose 20 pounds during this 10 week program, and I came close...I am down about 16-17 pounds! I am very proud of that and plan on continuing so that I can reach my goal weight of 200 pounds by August. So to everyone who has been tracking my progress, I am putting it on record, so that I won't slack off and will continue this program.

Not that I plan on stopping. I feel so much better now - it is like night and day. They say it takes 21 days to create a habit and I have definitely created the habit of exercise thanks to the folks who have been so patient and encouraging while working with me. I will miss them but I know they will be there for me if I need a pick me up!

Group Winner: School of Nursing

Reflections on the Program

School of Nursing group completes Eat Wise and Exercise program.

This has been a wonderful experience for me. I've learned a lot about exercising and eating healthy. I have a lot more energy, and I know I'm on the right track to achieving my goals. I can't express enough what a great experience this is for me.

Submitted by Lynette Edgerton, program coordinator
 

Wow. This has been very rewarding to me. Although I haven't lost tons of weight, I've clearly changed the way I look at and think about food. I find myself eating less quantity at a time, rather than stuffing my face two or more times a day. I now eat smaller meals more frequently, and I'm more conscious of the protein/carb balance intake. I'm also constantly thinking about adding and/or making opportunities to exercise; for example, rather than taking the elevator, I'll take the stairs (not always but more than before, and take walks with my family at night more frequently). This has truly been a great experience for me and the few sessions we had with Dream Dinner, Fleet Feet and the clinical psychologist, were very informational and thought provoking.

Submitted by John Carbuccia, network systems analyst
 

I surely hope this is not the end of our efforts. I for one have enjoyed the collaboration and friendships that have been built around this program. I have lost a little weight but have seen more of a difference in my eating habits, portion control and exercise. I feel healthier and stronger and look forward to continuing and feeling even better in the near future.

Submitted by Kristy Chu, staff assistant
 

This is not the end of our efforts. Jessica Ward from LIVE FOR LIFE will be working on ways to have information available to us and updates on new events we can participate in. We need to keep encouraging each other and talk about this with others at the School of Nursing. This is just the beginning of the rest of our lives.

Submitted by Catherine Taylor, manager clinical placements
 

Catherine and I, as well as others have been thinking about how to continue to support each other, as well as share what we have learned with others in the School. We have started a lunch time walk, from the School to Duke University Road and back. A little over 1.5 miles in 25 minutes. Catherine and I have done it several times and others are joining us. We are also considering other exercise options, and have requested time on the monthly staff meeting agendas for "health-wise" information, updates, announcements, etc. A couple of the folks will begin dance classes in the near future.

Most of us have had a little weight loss. But more importantly, we have learned and are practicing eating better and fitting in exercise throughout the day. We also will have a group participating in the Relay for Life for the Cancer Society at the end of May. Finally, we keep sending links and other information to each other, such as the message and link sent by Jane Blood-Siegfried today:

I just read something that was horrifying.

We are all trying to eat better and I bet when you look at this list you will see things you might order from a restaurant thinking that they are healthier than something else on the menu. But beware. I was shocked at the calorie content of these foods. Yeah the bloomin' onion is in there and we all know better on that one. But what about plain spaghetti and meatballs. Or a turkey burger, taco salad?? It is scary. I can't even imagine how they found the calories to fit in these meals. They had to import them from all the worst foods in the world.

Read and weep. http://body.aol.com/diet/basics/worst-food

The only way to know what is in your food is to make it yourself. So sad because I love to go out and eat.

Submitted by Debra Mattice, director academic support operations