[October 21, 2008]

When Cynthia Aubrey sought a wellness coach, she ended up with a teammate, too. It's what she needed-someone who could nudge Aubrey down her own path to a healthier lifestyle, rather than an authority figure to force-feed a rigid diet and exercise regimen.

Last spring, Aubrey, who retired as a computer consultant at UC Davis in 2005, took a health assessment, provided by StayWell, the wellness and personal health management program that is offered to many UC employees and retirees.

The assessment confirmed some health and weight issues, which Aubrey already was trying to address. She had cut down on sweets and sodas in favor of healthier foods and picked up her physical activity, taking walks on the trails near her Oregon home. Still, she heeded the assessment's findings and decided to participate in StayWell's NextSteps Program, which connected her with a wellness coach.

In the first phone session with her coach, Amanda, they discussed Aubrey's exercise and eating habits and set some reasonable goals for the coming months. Between their five monthly sessions, Amanda sent Aubrey handy information, including publications with nutrition and fitness tips and a calendar on which she could stick colorful markers noting the dates in which she engaged in healthy activities. "The calendar, with all the sticky things, served as a nice visual and incentive to stay on track," said Aubrey.

The calendar first showed 60-minute walks, three days a week, and with Amanda's advice and encouragement, she added two visits a week to the gym. A food journal and a weight tracker on the StayWell website were also helpful. Aubrey's biggest weakness is snacking at night, but her coach did not advise that she go cold turkey and quit. Instead, she suggested that Aubrey perhaps lighten the portions of her snacks, switch from ice cream to popcorn or fruit, and designate only a few nights for snacking. "I still have ice cream, but not as much and not as often," said Aubrey.

Despite a recent ankle injury, which set back her exercise routine, Aubrey says she's doing and feeling great. She lost about 10 pounds and noticed that her clothes are fitting differently. "I definitely lost inches--turned some of that tissue into muscle."

She gives credit to her coach, who was "more like a friend helping me work through this."

Elizabeth Shipley of Red Bluff, CA, also benefited from a similar relationship with her StayWell coach, Mark, who was more of a "collaborator" than coach.

Shipley is the wife of UC Berkeley retiree and space science technician William Bridgehouse, who passed away in July. For the last few years, she has been on her own "Thousand Day Diet," which favors healthy foods rather than those she used to enjoy. She's two-thirds through her second thousand days, and she's lost a whopping 40 pounds.

She took the opportunity provided by the StayWell program for retirees and their beneficiaries and connected with a wellness coach to help keep her on a healthy course.

Coach Mark's bits of advice over a few months--such as adding 10 minutes of extra exercise four days a week to her usual five days of 35-minute walks or workouts--were helpful. So now, four days a week, she dances for at least 10 minutes to all types of music, "depending on my mood."

One of her weaknesses is eating too much at receptions and events where food is abundant and served constantly. Mark advised that she pick only the three items she likes most and just say "no" to the rest. It was some simple advice, but it's worked.

Of most value, she said, was Mark's support and encouragement. It might be just one of the little things, but a bunch of the little things make a big impact.

For more information, see the UC Living Well website.

This article first appeared in New Dimensions, October, 2008.

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