For those pursuing New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, Owensboro Health Healthpark offers a 14-week program called LifeSteps that helps participants make lifestyle changes that result in healthier lives, according to ambulatory and wellness nutritionist Kelci Murphy.
Murphy said the program has been around for several years and has helped many participants combine behavior changes with exercise and healthy eating habits.
“I think what makes it different from other programs is that we are very focused on behavior change,” she said. “It is important to make these behavioral changes or identify the behavior that is preventing you from maintaining a regular exercise regimen or from following a balanced eating pattern.”
According to Murphy, LifeSteps not only provides participants with the tools they need to build exercise and nutritional regimes, but also the ability to maintain them over the long term, especially in certain circumstances that could be an obstacle to a healthy lifestyle, such as situations with high stress levels, eating out, birthday parties, or other activities that may make it difficult to keep up with possible change.
“This program is really helping them build those habits that they are willing to continue after the program,” said Somer Wilhite, manager, marketing communications for Owensboro Health.
Greg Warren, who joined the LifeSteps program in 2019, said the program changed his life.
Warren said he tried several other weight loss programs and diets that either weren’t followed or didn’t help him achieve his goals.
The best thing about the program, according to Warren, is that it is not a diet, but teaches participants basic diet and behavior changes, such as: B. How to buy a grocery store and what to keep in the refrigerator.
Warren said he had lost 60 pounds on the program and gained none of it. He said he has since followed new regiments that have changed the way he lives.
“Once I learned what I had to learn and decided that was what I was going to do, it was easy,” he said. “You’re not just changing something temporarily, you’re changing your lifestyle.”
Anyone interested in learning more about the LifeSteps program can call OH Healthpark at 270-688-5433.
