October 2023 Wellness University Success Story Heather Barden, Nurse Professional Development Specialist, started working at…
Sue Eisberg
Sue Eisberg- January 2021 Wellness University Success Story
Sue Eisberg, Safety Ops Practice Leader, noticed a photograph recently from a work gathering and was stunned by what she saw. Since starting to work at Kaiser Permanente, South Sacramento in 2011, the weight slowly crept up and in 2020, when many felt it was impossible to make a positive change in their lives, Sue decided it was time to not only look better but feel better.
2020 was a very busy year and often Sue barely had time to eat. When she finally made it home, cooking a meal seem like a dauting task, so many times dinner was from Door Dash. “And when you are hungry and tired, it’s harder to pick healthier foods, you just go straight for what is there and quick,” she noted. But when clothes stopped fitting well along with not feeling good, she knew it was time to work on her physical and emotional well-being. What drove her to work on her wellness transformation was wanting to be the best role model she can be for kids and show them that eating well and staying active is important.
She started trying “diets” that have worked in the past, but they no longer did the trick. Sue tried something new and joined the Weight Watchers program, which helped her to track what she was eating and supported her to make healthier nutritional choices. What she learned is that it wasn’t only about what she was eating, but also about the portions. “I was surprised how much I ate before-it was at least twice as much as I should have.” Portion control was instrumental in reaching her wellness goals.
Next, she started setting up her environment at home and at work for success by removing all temptations and making healthy foods and snacks easily accessible. She recalled times when she was stressed that she would eat chocolate just because it happened to be there. The funny part she mentioned is that she’s really not a chocolate fan. Sue now takes a more mindful approach with food; taking the time to think before she eats something. She would ask herself is this a healthy choice, will it make me feel good, and could there be a better option. She called this “all a mind game” and a game one can win.
As she improved her nutritional wellness, she noticed that she became more aware of her stress levels. She started checking out all the Wellness University offerings and tried anything to do with mindfulness and stress reduction. “I tried the free Calm app and now checking out Bliss Breaks, I really feel a difference with my stress levels”. Reducing stress makes it less likely that she would grab an unhealthy food option and makes her feel good.
In the last few months, her weight started dropping and she began feeling so much better. She admits that she doesn’t have a set workout schedule, but there is no need for one. She just gets up and moves every single moment she can. “I move all day long, take the stairs, walk the dog, and track my steps on my smart watch. I go over 10,000 steps daily just fitting in little walks throughout the day,” Sue said.
With tracking her nutrition, steps and working on stress reduction, not only did Sue see the physical benefits but also noticed an improvement in her mental health. “Don’t over think it. Commit to the first three weeks and create an environment for success. It is hard at first, but you will see the light at the end of the tunnel. It does become easier and feeling better will be the motivator to keep you going.”
Sue Eisberg, Safety Ops Practice Leader, noticed a photograph recently from a work gathering and was stunned by what she saw. Since starting to work at Kaiser Permanente, South Sacramento in 2011, the weight slowly crept up and in 2020, when many felt it was impossible to make a positive change in their lives, Sue decided it was time to not only look better but feel better.
2020 was a very busy year and often Sue barely had time to eat. When she finally made it home, cooking a meal seem like a dauting task, so many times dinner was from Door Dash. “And when you are hungry and tired, it’s harder to pick healthier foods, you just go straight for what is there and quick,” she noted. But when clothes stopped fitting well along with not feeling good, she knew it was time to work on her physical and emotional well-being. What drove her to work on her wellness transformation was wanting to be the best role model she can be for kids and show them that eating well and staying active is important.
She started trying “diets” that have worked in the past, but they no longer did the trick. Sue tried something new and joined the Weight Watchers program, which helped her to track what she was eating and supported her to make healthier nutritional choices. What she learned is that it wasn’t only about what she was eating, but also about the portions. “I was surprised how much I ate before-it was at least twice as much as I should have.” Portion control was instrumental in reaching her wellness goals.
Next, she started setting up her environment at home and at work for success by removing all temptations and making healthy foods and snacks easily accessible. She recalled times when she was stressed that she would eat chocolate just because it happened to be there. The funny part she mentioned is that she’s really not a chocolate fan. Sue now takes a more mindful approach with food; taking the time to think before she eats something. She would ask herself is this a healthy choice, will it make me feel good, and could there be a better option. She called this “all a mind game” and a game one can win.
As she improved her nutritional wellness, she noticed that she became more aware of her stress levels. She started checking out all the Wellness University offerings and tried anything to do with mindfulness and stress reduction. “I tried the free Calm app and now checking out Bliss Breaks, I really feel a difference with my stress levels”. Reducing stress makes it less likely that she would grab an unhealthy food option and makes her feel good.
In the last few months, her weight started dropping and she began feeling so much better. She admits that she doesn’t have a set workout schedule, but there is no need for one. She just gets up and moves every single moment she can. “I move all day long, take the stairs, walk the dog, and track my steps on my smart watch. I go over 10,000 steps daily just fitting in little walks throughout the day,” Sue said.
With tracking her nutrition, steps and working on stress reduction, not only did Sue see the physical benefits but also noticed an improvement in her mental health. “Don’t over think it. Commit to the first three weeks and create an environment for success. It is hard at first, but you will see the light at the end of the tunnel. It does become easier and feeling better will be the motivator to keep you going.”Related Posts
