Hear What Employees Have To Say

Read success stories from participants in the Live Well for Life program.

LaTasha M.

Sutter Health Support Services

Before:
- As a result of poor lifestyle habits and chronic stress, LaTasha became severely overweight and was very unhappy.
- She joined the Live Well for Life program and together with her coach, set weekly goals. She changed her eating habits and started walking for 15 minutes a day, 3 days a week.

After 2 years:
- LaTasha now walks 6 miles a day, seven days a week, and has changed her eating habits.
- She lost a total of 65 pounds, and dropped four dress sizes.
- In addition, she lowered her “bad” cholesterol, and increased the “good.”

“The benefits of my new lifestyle are visible in every aspect of my life, and I am so happy that these are habits I can share with my children, so that when they grow to adulthood they will have this quality of life. I want to thank Sutter Health for caring enough about their employees and our health to give us this much needed benefit. One of the reasons I love working for Sutter Health is because they care and are always looking for new and innovative ideas to ensure the well-being of their employees.”

Miguel M.

ER Social Worker, Sutter Delta Medical Center

Before:
- 263 pounds
- Diabetic
- On cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar medications
- CPAP machine is needed to control, sleep apnea (a condition related to excess weight)

After 6 months:
- 211 pounds
- Diabetes and cholesterol medications cut in half and blood pressure medication eliminated completely.
- With just a few more pounds of weight lost, he can eliminate the need for the CPAP.

“As a social worker in the emergency department at Sutter Delta, my job is continuous high stress, high-crisis. The regular exercise and healthy eating help me with stress control and provide more energy at work I have never felt better,” he says. “I look forward to the exercise because I know that is my time to focus on me. Thanks, Live Well for Life, for reminding me how important that is!

Blair S.

Employee of Samuel Merritt University

Before:
- 259 pounds (BMI of 33.3)
- Diagnosed with high blood pressure, chronic stress, and was eating fast food and restaurant meals on a daily basis.
- By working with his coach, he learned that adopting a healthy lifestyle was not a lost cause, even for someone in my condition. Together with his coach, he set realistic goals and gradually increased the quality of his diet and the intensity of his exercise program.
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After a year and a half:
- 195 pounds (BMI of 25.0)
- Blood pressure is stable, and says he feels stronger and more energetic than ever.
- The key things he did were to reduce the amount of alcohol and fast food he consumed, learn to make better meal choices as a family, and bring his lunch to work instead of eating out every day.

“My entire family is on a healthier track now—my two sons (ages 3 and 1), as well as my wife, are all benefitting from the healthy changes I have made! There is potential for improvement in every person’s life,” Blair says. “I have encouraged my colleagues to take advantage of the opportunities the wellness program offers because participation is risk free and success is attainable. I am living proof of that.“

Darryl F.

Employee at Sutter Medical Center Santa Rosa

“All my life, I have struggled with my weight. When the Live Well for Life program was first offered at Sutter Medical Center–Santa Rosa, I jumped at the chance to join, and I was one of the first ones. At that time, I wasn’t sure exactly what my goals were, but my coach, was really helpful. She was so nonjudgmental and gave me some great tools to work with, and even if I didn’t meet my goals, she always had a note of understanding and more helpful suggestions.

All of a sudden, something changed. I started to rethink my attitudes about food and my body. I began keeping a journal of what I ate on a day-to-day basis and setting goals. I realized that I didn’t need to eat until I was full, just until I was satisfied. I was really surprised by the fact that it doesn’t take lot. I also started changing the kinds of foods I ate and slowly increasing my physical activity.

I have lost 40 pounds over the last 3½ to 4 months, and I am thrilled with the results! This program has changed my life, and I have never felt better!”

Ellen M.

Regional VP, Medical Foundation, San Francisco

"While I’ve never thought of myself as unhealthy (have never smoked, always exercised and maintained a normal weight), I like to be on a constant path forward… trying to improve even a little. Jennifer Marcus was the magic touch. As a coach, she got me to realize I was eating a fraction of the fiber I really needed in my diet. It has become a little bit of a game for my husband and me. Reading labels to see how many grams of fiber for the number of calories in any particular food is the technique now, and we’ve called the game F, F, and V: Fruit, Fiber and Vegetables. We’ve discovered lentils and quinoa to name just a couple of new things we now love.

It took me 5 decades to learn how to eat and I’ve never felt better. I lost about 5 pounds, but that wasn’t really my goal. My goal was to improve something and I did it with help from Sutter Health Partners and Jennifer Marcus."

Kurt W.

Director, Capital Planning, Treasury

“The Live Well for Life program is the best thing since sliced bread. I couldn’t have done it without them!”

Before:

• On high blood pressure medicine, with a 140/90 blood pressure


• Pre-diabetic, with a 113 blood sugar reading


• 265 lbs, BMI 32.6, Body Fat 30.1%


• Inactive

After (one year later):

• Blood pressure normal – no longer taking BP medication


• Blood sugar normal – no longer pre-diabetic


• Exercising regularly


• 203 lbs, BMI 24.9, Body Fat 17.7%


• Lost 62 pounds

Donna R.

Labor and Delivery Nurse, Marin General Hospital

“Having a coach is the key, especially when you have a hard time getting going. The coach will take wherever you are, and help you move to the next level.”

Prior to joining the Live Well for Life Wellness program, Donna was inactive. With the encouragement of her coach, she began exercising on a regular basis and competing in triathlons. In addition, her commitment to a healthy lifestyle has also hit closer to home. Her transformation has inspired her husband to lose 30 pounds over a period of 9 months by changing his diet and daily exercise.

Angel T.

Sutter Delta ER Technician

“My coach was so encouraging and really kept me moving forward. It feels great that I can maintain the lifestyle changes I have made for the rest of my life!”

Angel’s 12 week results:

• Weight Loss: 34.5 lbs


• Body Fat Reduction: 7.8%


• Angel is riding his bike to work daily

David S., PhD

Pharmacist, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center

“As a pharmacist, I constantly need to stay focused. I know that good nutrition and exercise are also good ways to reduce stress. Working with my coach has been a key factor in my success.”

David has significantly improved his eating habits and is exercising a minimum of 5 days per week to reduce stress and improve focus at work. As a result he has also lost 20 pounds over the last 6 months

Tom L., RN

Clinical Integration, Sutter Health Support Services

“With Doug’s coaching, I have totally changed my lifestyle. The best part about this program is having the coach to help you through and keep motivated.”

Tom’s 1 year results:

• Total cholesterol reduced: 40 points


• BP reduction: 140/90 to 110/70


• Weight lost: 18 lbs


• Enjoying regular exercise