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.

The Climb

My accountability partner and I have been texting each other just about every day to make sure we’re staying on track. She recently told me about a tough run she had and we decided to talk about it. Before her run, she decided to shoot for her best 5K time. In spite of the heat during her noon-day run, she managed to meet her goal of setting a new personal record (PR) for her 5K! After hearing this, I wondered why she was so upset about her run. Turns out, the rush from meeting her goal inspired her to make a PR for her farthest run right after running her fastest 5K. Needless to say, having spent just about all her energy meeting her 5K goal, her long run didn’t go as she hoped. I reminded my partner that while setting challenges for yourself is a good thing, celebrating when you meet those challenges is just as important.

I know I’ve found myself guilty of forgetting to celebrate my simple wins and solely focusing on what I could have done better. Often used in wellness coaching, when assessing whether or not you met your goals, try giving each goal a percentage instead of a flat out yes or no. What I’ve learned from this exercise is that even though I may not have cooked as many meals at home, decluttered as many rooms in my house, lost as much weight as I had hoped, or whatever the goal is at the time, I still made 70% more progress than the time before—which to me is success worth celebrating! So the next time you’re down about missing that top branch, take a look at your surroundings and celebrate how far you’ve already climbed.

We're so proud of all your success, keep up the hard work!

Get H3 Inspired: Dale Bornstein

[caption id="attachment_5892" align="alignright" width="420" caption="H3 Roommates! Mary Kruse (right) and Dale (left)"][/caption]

 

I think I truly underestimated what stress can do to one’s mind and body. For the past two years, I was living in what I called “a perfect storm” – the combination of working full time in a senior leadership role at a global public relations firm, raising a pre-schooler with special challenges and heading into my late 40s with hormones dancing in all directions.

In February, I hit bottom. I found myself 35 pounds heavier than my usual adult weight and it was having a serious impact on my ability to function day to day and also manage my chronic health issues.  

No matter what I tried, I couldn’t make change stick. That’s when I realized I needed to get away. I needed to be able to wake up each day and make my health my priority.

Once I made up my mind, I got to work researching the possibilities and that’s when I found H3. 

For me, it was a big decision. If I was going to take precious time away from my family and my work, I needed to make sure that this would be the right place for me. I scoured the website, talked to Michelle and other H3 consultants and even connected with some folks who had just returned from the program. And as they all raved about the program and the people, I kept thinking, “this just can’t be as good as they say.” But everyone was right. This was among the best experiences of my life and the greatest gift I have ever given to myself.

Get H3 Inspired: Bridget Donnelly

I’ve come very far since my visit to H3 – it really did change my life. [Since my visit in June 2008,] I have lost 70 pounds and have gained a lot of self confidence and determination.  When my mom told me she and I were going to H3 a few years ago, I was excited and nervous.  When I think of the time leading up to going – it never really occurred to me that I wanted to lose weight; I got to a point where I knew I was heavy but didn't really care much.  Then when I got there [to H3] and started exercising and losing weight, it was an awesome feeling.  She [my mom] and I bonded when we were there which was also really nice.  We were able to lean on each other and motivate [each other] when we felt like it was too hard or when one [of us] felt like we wanted to give up. – That was my favorite part about having my mom there.  Even when we got home it was helpful because we made healthy meals and went to the gym together and did pool workouts!  It was fun too because I set goals for myself – for example, when I lost 30 pounds I bought a really nice perfume or new clothes. It's a whole new life for me now and I am really thankful for that.

The one thing I will never forget was when my mom and I got off the airplane before we arrived at H3 and I got a TCBY ice cream. We met this lady at the airport who was also going to H3, for her third visit, and she said to me "that may be your last ice cream for a while because this place will change your life." – At the time I thought that was really cheesy, but now I have said it too.

It is definitely very hard being in college and staying on a diet. Eating in a dining hall is sometimes a challenge because there aren’t always the healthiest choices and sometimes I would love to eat that pizza they serve everyday – BUT, I just remember that I never want to be at the weight I used to be. So I skip the room with the bad food and head straight to the salad/soup bar.  [Another healthy tool I’ve picked up] is buying 100-calorie pack snacks or fruit and keeping it in my room for the times I want something to eat when my friends are snacking. If I get discouraged or anything I really just remember how far I have gotten and how much better I feel and look now. It is very hard at times but like anything, dieting becomes a part of a lifestyle and you just learn to live by it.

I have really grown from then, not only have I lost weight, I have done so much better in school, I have a boyfriend now and life is just more enjoyable. I will continue to eat healthy and exercise and hopefully help encourage people as well.  My mom and I are actually thinking about coming back to when I graduate in May!

- Bridget Donnelly, Fairfield, CT

Get H3 Inspired: September Kanigowski

Today marks one day since I began my journey at H3.  As you know, I was given some pretty bad news about my lungs.  The COPD had gone from bad to worse and the doctor felt that I would need oxygen in order to function.  The news of this did not go over well with me at all.  The doctor told me that if I could lose weight, it would help the breathing and that I could almost regain 25% of my breathing capacity.

 

My first instinct was to have bariatric surgery.  I went through orientation and evaluation, and I was turned down.  My previous history and surgeries made this a dangerous option for me.  Having been denied the surgery, I knew that I had to do something – but the question was what?

 

As you know, my two very good friends heard of my situation and quickly, without hesitation, came to my rescue.  They showed up with the questionnaire and information about H3, and they told me that they were going to pay for me to go.  My first reaction was of sheer elation and disbelief.  I could not believe that someone would do something like this for me and I suddenly wondered what I did to deserve it.  After that, I became filled with guilt for letting myself get to this point.  I felt guilty that my friends had to spend their money to help me fix a lifetime of problems.  I also felt relieved that I had somewhere to go and some hope for my future. 

 

I was concerned that I would be the only “fat” person there.  I thought that I would be alongside a lot of wealthy women who had a few pounds to lose and no one would be able to relate to me.  When I walked up the ramp to the door, I saw a pool full of people who were a lot like me and a big sigh of relief came over me and I suddenly knew that I was in the right place at the right time.

 

Everyone there made me feel like I was worth it.  Like they wanted to help me with the journey and that they had faith in me.  Isn’t that amazing!  It was also the first time that I was not presented with all the things I could not do but instead – all the things I could do.  I could make choices- unwise, better, best.  I could eat what I wanted to, but there is a price to pay for doing so.

 

As you know, breathing was especially difficult for me during exercise.  Walking and riding a bike were almost impossible.  I could do many of the other exercises and much to my surprise I took 3-4 exercise type classes a day.  I could not work out at full capacity but I did it to the best of my ability.  Thanks to your encouragement, I finally decided to use the oxygen during a treading class, and I surprised myself by working on the nu step machine for 55 minutes.  Everywhere I turned there was support.  People at H3 knew my name; they made it personal and I loved it.

 

The hard part came when I had to leave the environment of having someone cook for me and having someone tell me what type of exercises to do.  I had to go back to the real world where my kids liked that I cooked big trays of lasagna and manicotti.  My kids liked that I made them meatballs loaded with fat.  The same roadblocks that were there in the past were still there.  The difference is I became a bull dozer to the roadblocks.  I made it clear to those roadblocks, who were sometimes family or friends, that there was no room for roadblocks any longer.

 

My husband was with me throughout this process.  I am proud to tell you that the day after we got home from H3, we joined a gym.  We have worked out six days/week since we came home.  Most of the time we workout in the gym but occasionally we work out at the gym and then come home and do an hour of water aerobics.  Sometimes we do water aerobics instead, but we always do something.  We keep track of our daily food and exercise through our app on our iPhone, Lose It.  We even hired a trainer who works out with us once a week.  He helps us learn how to do things the right way.

 

As of today, I have lost 39 lbs. (in 30 days) and my husband has lost 21 lbs.  Today I went to my pulmonary doctor who had not seen me and he immediately noticed my weight loss.  He was thrilled and even more thrilled when I told him about H3.

 

I make it clear to everyone, I am not on a diet, and I am changing my life for the better.  I am making better/best choices everyday for my family and for me.  I still enjoy a treat or two but I feel better and my doctor says he is seeing improvement.

 

Thank you and thank all the staff at H3 for their help during my journey there.  I hope to come back one day.

 

Sincerely,

September Kanigowski