Get H3 Inspired by Win

I knew very little about Hilton Head Health (H3) before signing up for a three week stay early in 2012—only that a friend had been there some ten years earlier and that she did pretty well. So I didn’t expect much beyond a horrible time. Wrong. Very wrong. It turned out that I had a fine time, met a bunch of nice people and lost 12 pounds.

The campus is very attractive. It’s composed of one central low rise college campus-like building in a residential setting surrounded by golf courses and lagoons. Not a hospital! I was assigned to a two bedroom attached condo about a quarter of a mile away from the main building that I found charming and comfortable.

I had no immediate medical issues. I just wanted to focus on losing weight and the core of the weight loss program is simple and turned out to be just right for me.

First, the food is very good. H3 goes to a lot of trouble to provide very nice meals, nicely served and amply sized. You are served enough not to be hungry yet nice enough not to be resentful. I was not tempted to go “off the reservation” out of a sense of deprivation.

Second, there is no compulsion. This is not boot camp but a paradise for people who like exercise. There are scores of classes; however, I didn’t do any of them. I hate exercise. Instead, I walked along the beach and shaded golf courses some five miles each day with no pressure from H3 to do anything else.

What did I learn? I’ve lost 18 pounds since my stay at H3. So I must have taken something away. I learned that you should prepare or order food the way you want to eat it—just eat less of it. Doing so will allow you to enjoy all your favorites without falling in the resentment trap. Also, find some daily activity you can do, not something the other guy likes to do. H3 helped me figure out what worked best for me so I encourage you to do what works best for you too.

-Win.

Sharing Success: Lyle Orr

I often ask guests, “What makes this important to you?”  Lyle, unwavering said, “This is for my kids, my wife, not to wear a seatbelt extender on an airplane; this is so I can change my life and then be compassionate towards others.” To narrow down the motivators and the vision is the first step, but would he translate this over? I had no doubt in my mind and here is his story…

Lyle Orr checked into Hilton Head Health in late April and stayed for the entire month. During his program, Lyle was a ball of energy that spurred everyone to push harder and motivated everyone alike in our patented Hilton Head Health Treading Class. His yips and yells could spook even the most fearless, but the fight and motivation he showed during his H3 Journey was rare and infectious. Day in and day out, Lyle would come into every fitness class and lifestyle lecture ready to work, ready to commit to a new way of living. After successfully losing 23 pounds and 8 inches there was no stopping Lyle, he signed up for the H3@Home Coaching.



To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure how he was going to do it. Leading a busy work life, caring for two kids, DJing on the weekends, finding time to spend with his wife Jess -- Oh, and knowing he’d be flying to Fort Lauderdale every week, how was he going to make this work? Well he did and below are only a few of the incredible strategies he came up with dating, all the way back to his first day outside the H3 bubble.

Get H3 Inspired: Jeni Hayes and Cheryl Haze, A Mother/Daughter Journey

Jeni Hayes (Daughter), Charleston, SC

As an NCAA athlete in college and group fitness instructor afterward, I have always been blessed with the motivation and ability to exercise often and make healthy food choices.  I managed to maintain my weight throughout college and pharmacy school, but residency was a different story.  Stress eating is no joke… although I was still going to the gym 7 – 8 times each week, the pounds started to creep on and suddenly my clothes didn’t fit as well as they used to.

After finishing my 2-year residency, I had a few weeks before starting my new job.  When my mom, Cheryl, and I decided to take a trip together, I started looking for places that had two of my favorite activities – fitness and good food.  One of the places my mom found was Hilton Head Health (H3), and as I read more about their program on the website, the more intrigued I became.  Honestly, I couldn’t think of any better vacation than taking group fitness classes and having someone else cook for you while in a beautiful location.  Since my mom has been struggling with her weight over the last few years, it seemed like the perfect place.  I had 3 goals for my trip to H3: Get my mom inspired to lose weight again, spend some quality time with her, and to get myself back on track.

Get H3 Inspired: Andy Fowler

It was April 15, 2010. I knew I had been gaining weight, but when I stepped on the scale, I was just under 275 pounds – AGAIN! For a 6 foot man who is too close to 60 years old, that is not good! I was not just disappointed, I was devastated! My whole life has been a series of diets – you name it, I’ve tried it. I’ve successfully lost weight, but I have never successfully kept it off. It was time to take some major action!

I got on the Internet and started to search for what I will affectionately refer to as a “Fat Camp” for adults (admit it; you’ve thought the same thing!). I went through several “advertisements,” but there was something different about Hilton Head Health. Not sure what it was, but maybe it was the concept that I needed to make a lifestyle change and concentrate on the healthy aspects of weight control. Maybe – but maybe it was also the fact that it was one of the more reasonably priced programs, and I could drive there from Memphis! Whatever the reason, I now categorize this as the second best decision of my life (asking my wife to marry me will always be the best!).

I booked an all-inclusive two week stay there.  What do you get for that? Well, the easiest and simplest thing is this—you stay in a very nice condo on Hilton Head Island (that alone would cost at least $200 plus a night!); you get three outstanding (yes OUTSTANDING) meals a day prepared by professional chefs –not just “cooks,” and snacks that you will learn to refer to as “metabo-meals.”  That’s not all – you also get amazing classroom instruction by remarkably informative experts in the fields of nutrition, exercise physiology, etc., as well as a bevy of exercise classroom opportunities with professional, board-certified personal trainers from all over the place! I have always been intimidated by the Pilates, yoga, aerobic, Tai Chi, etc. classes they have in the gym at home. All of the participants there know what the language is, and what the next “move” is going to be. I felt like I would be totally out of step to join. Well, at Hilton Head Health, you will get to try those and several more! That alone was rewarding!

I learned what my resting metabolism rate is; I had a fitness assessment; I learned how to monitor my caloric intake and see the difference between what I burn versus what I ingest. I learned healthier food choices, and I learned that there are no “BAD” foods, as long as you use common sense and exercise moderation. I learned way too much to explain it all here!  Here’s the bottom line – I can tell you what it is like to jump in a pool and swim, but until you actually do it, you will never really know.

Oh yeah – so where am I at now - 5 months later? Great question – I started at 273 pounds. I was stretching out of a size 44 pant – had to buy a couple for 46’s to wear for work. I grew into an 18” collar shirt. Today – beginning of October 2010? I weigh 226 lbs. I have lost almost 50 lbs – but, when I had a body composition analysis done, I found out that I have also gained 28 pounds of muscle – so that’s about 75 pounds of fat –GONE! I went out to the store last night and decided I needed some jeans for the upcoming winter months (yes, it can get a bit chilly in Memphis, TN) – they are a size 36! I am stoked!!  My advice? JUMP IN THE POOL! Sign up today!

Andy Fowler

If you have a story you’d like to share, please e-mail us at getinspired@hhhealth.com! Make sure to put ‘Get Inspired’ in the subject line.

Monday Motivation: Get H3 Inspired with Tracy Rodgers

[caption id="attachment_3174" align="aligncenter" width="215" caption="Tracy Rodgers Before"][/caption]

 

My story is nothing new, really. I've struggled with my weight for most of my adult life. I'd try a diet and lose a few pounds, then gain them back (and then some!) when I went back to eating normally. For about a year, I gave up entirely. I was extremely overweight, and I knew it, and I hated it...but I just couldn't bring myself to do anything about it.

 

Finally, something broke. I'm not sure what prompted it, but I was tired of being embarrassed by my size and concerned about my health. I'm twenty-nine years old, and there was no way I was going to still feel like that when I turned thirty. I did some research online and started planning my trip to South Carolina.

 

When I arrived at Hilton Head Health on March 29, 2010, I weighed-in at 219.4 pounds, officially the largest I'd ever been. I spent a week at H3 (with my mom!). While I was there, I tried my first-ever yoga class and promptly fell in love. I learned new ways to think about food and health, to really pay attention to the things I put into my body.  And most importantly, I think, through my time there, I finally made a real commitment to myself to make the changes I'd been putting off for so long.

 

Four months after leaving Hilton Head Health, I weigh 175, just shy of 45 pounds less than I did when I arrived. The changes in myself are incredible. I read labels on everything. I don't drink soda. I cook more now than I ever did before. I take spin classes, pilates, zumba aerobics. I'm even training for my first 5K.

 

I still have weight left to lose, but I know Hilton Head Health gave me the tools I need to succeed! I plan on returning later this year for another week of fun and fitness, and I can't wait. See you there!

 

--Tracy Rodgers

 

 

For more stories like Tracy's, click here.    If you have a story you’d like to share, please e-mail us at getinspired@hhhealth.com! Make sure to put ‘Get Inspired’ in the subject line.