Wellness programs offered through GEA help employee improve eating habits and develop a passion for exercise.
Getting stuck in a go-cart at Kart Kountry left Karen Crawford with one question. “What am I doing?”
She’d taken her grandson for an afternoon of fun but found herself facing a major reality check, “I’m going to die before this baby graduates.” At 267 lbs., Karen’s future was on the line.
Karen, a forklift driver at Appliance Park’s Building 1, knew something in her life needed to change, but she didn’t know what. That’s when her friend at work, Latricia Jacobs, told her about a free program at The Park’s onsite fitness facility to help employees learn healthier habits.
The pair signed up for The Y @ Work’s Better Choices Program and continued with another employee-focused pilot program, Be Well, offered through Health Benefits & Services. Karen learned the importance of moving throughout the day, what to eat, how much to eat and using gym equipment. Karen has lost 70 lbs., is running 5Ks and walks for the fun of it these days.
“I wasn’t living before,” says Karen. “I’m living now.”
The caretaker who “didn’t know how to eat”
Karen’s life was centered around her son, Dion, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Unable to walk, 24-year-old Dion needs lots of care. “I was battling depression and I felt guilty if I left him,” says Karen. “I was a caregiver and that’s all I allowed myself to be.”
Karen’s diet and lifestyle contributed to her weight. She had a ritual of picking up two Whoppers on the way to work; one to eat now and one for lunch. “I ate nothing healthy,” says Karen. “I had no clue.” Her activity level was minimal: sitting on a fork truck all day and watching TV at night.
Creating her well-rounded, meaningful life
Each program taught Karen how to eat for nutrition. She reads labels and focuses on portions. She allows one “bad” snack a day – but it must be less than 300 calories. “I can eat whatever I want,” says Karen, who now understand how to make balanced choices.
Karen’s physical activity has increased over time as well with encouragement from Erik Mann,
The Y @ Work Fitness Director, who helped manage the Better Choices program. In the beginning, she walked while waiting for racks to be loaded on her fork truck. And the momentum has built over time.
Karen started walking when her shift was over and now, she’s a member at two gyms, one of them The Y @ Work. Karen came in third in a recent 5K, is trying kayaking and hikes parks around Kentuckiana with her husband, who has lost 37 lbs. alongside Karen.
The most unexpected benefit to Karen is the effect exercise has had on her mental health. She found herself less angry, a relief from stress, and has gained patience as a caregiver. The change is not lost on Dion who says the “difference is like night and day.”
“I can’t stop smiling now,” says Karen. “If someone would have told me that exercise can get rid of your depression, I would have done this a long time ago.”
Are you interested in joining The Y @ Work?
There are always challenges and programs going on at The Y @ Work, and it is easy to get involved. Learn what’s new and how to sign up.