Diane Lozano's Wellbeing Journey
Baylor offers a variety of benefits and resources to faculty and staff that support wellbeing. Hear how one of these benefits, Wondr Health, helped Baylor staff member Diane Lozano on her wellbeing journey. Read her story below.
Transcript of interview between Diane Lozano, Manager of Technology Support Services at the Hankamer School of Business and Randall Brown, Manager of Benefits and Wellbeing - Human Resources.
LEFT:
Before photo Christmas 2018
RIGHT: After photo Christmas 2021
Randall: Hi Diane. Thank you for meeting with me today to talk about your wellbeing journey.
Diane: Hello Randall. I am happy to be here today. I get very passionate when I talk about my journey.
Randall: Let's begin with setting the stage on what led us to sit down to talk about your wellbeing journey. The Naturally Slim program rebranded itself to Wondr Health and to help promote the program during the Fall semester. Baylor Wellbeing purchased an air fryer to incentivize participation and your name was randomly selected from those who finished the program. When you came to pick up your air fryer, we chatted a bit about your wellbeing journey. Thank you for accepting the invitation for this interview. Before we begin, I am curious about what you have made in your air fryer.
Diane: Thank you. I have enjoyed using my air fryer and the first thing that I made was a concoction of my own that consists of olive oil spray, frozen chicken bites, frozen broccoli, black olives and cheese. It was tasty.
Randall: That does sound tasty, and I am glad to know that you are enjoying your air fryer. As I recall, you told me that your wellbeing journey began two or three years ago. I know that you have been an active participant in Baylor Wellbeing seminars and programs for several years. What was the spark that set you down this path of creating a healthier lifestyle?
Diane: It all started in 2018, my only niece that I have been close to all my life decided to have bariatric surgery. I was ready to go have it done, but my son said he did not agree with me going down that route. He is a health fanatic and never has had weight problems. He told me that I could do it on my own with changing my eating habits and exercising. I was not totally convinced until I visited my niece at the hospital. I saw how painful it was and all that she was going through. In 2019, one of my co-workers asked if I would like to accompany her to the gym. I jumped on the invitation. So, January 17, 2019, my journey began. I asked for permission at work to get off early twice a week so I could go in and exercise. I started with the circuit exercise machines. It was quite embarrassing what level I was at. I set my iWatch on the timer for 1 minute and that's how I started exercising.
Randall: That is impactful. I am sure that many people can relate to that story. Once you decided to take action, what did you do to ensure your success?
Diane: I didn't know what I needed or what I was expecting. My initial goal was modest. I thought losing any amount of weight would be great. I was in terrible shape. I couldn't lift anything above the bare minimum. But in my mind, I kept thinking, one day I will be able to do more. The staff at the gym were very helpful. After seeing me for a couple of months they invited me to join some group classes. I very hesitantly did. I could barely keep up and I remember when the coach would introduce a new move, I would roll my eyes and think, REALLY?
Randall: That took a lot of mental discipline. That can really be a challenge. It sounds like you have figured it out. The Wondr Health program includes a component on mental discipline. How has what you learned through the Wondr Health program helped reinforce your own self-discipline?
Diane: I first signed up for Naturally Slim, last year and learned a lot going through that program. The Wondr Health program has helped to reinforce the concepts that I was introduced to through the original Naturally Slim program. For me I attacked my weight loss problem from all angles. I went from no exercise to exercising 5 days a week. I tried all kinds of different programs. I was missing the food element. I needed to find out what I needed to do to help me lose the weight in addition to changing my habits of bad eating. The Wondr Health program speaks to you about portion control, tips to get around parties or co-workers that bring in food that doesn't fit in with what you are doing.
Randall: You previously mentioned to me that your supervisor is one of your supporters. How did you approach your supervisor to enlist his support in your wellbeing journey?
Diane: I just walked in one day and asked if it was possible to leave 30 minutes early, even if it meant cutting out 30 minutes from lunch. He was readily onboard. I then continued adding other days of the week. I even at one point was one of those people that got up at 4am in the morning to go exercise at 5am. I was doing HIIT classes. I never dreamed I was going to do any of this. I just took it one day at a time.
Randall: That is great that you had the courage to have that conversation and that your supervisor is so supportive. In addition to your supervisor, there are other people in your life who have supported you. Did you need to reframe any relationships to turn those people into supporters?
Diane: I think that once my friends and family saw that I was totally serious about my journey, they began to support me. One time, when I did not feel like going to work-out, my husband said, "What…you aren't working out today?" I asked my family to not buy me food as a way to support me. At family gatherings we changed up the menu so that it worked for me. It's been great. My mom listens to what I say is bad food and now she tries to watch what she eats. She is 86 and I tell her she has earned the right to eat whatever she wants.
Randall: Many people use this time of the year as a springboard to establish new behaviors. What advice and encouragement would you offer to anyone who might identify with your story?
Diane: I would say that you must want to change, and then commit to changing. There will be times that it gets tough, but you have to pray for strength to keep moving forward. I was not unhappy with myself. I just wanted a healthier version of myself. I wanted to get off some of my medications.
It can be done. I have been a diabetic since I was in my thirties, and I have sleep apnea. I wanted to lose some weight with the hopes of being able to get off some of my medication. I can say that it's been a year that my doctor took me off insulin, and I have maintained my A1C between 5.8 and 5.9.
When I started my wellbeing journey in 2018 I weighed 289 pounds. I now weigh 193 pounds. I went from a size 3x to L & XL. I achieved these results gradually through changes in my diet and exercise.
Randall: Wow! You lost one-third of your body weight and you have achieved something that few diabetics believe is possible. You successfully reversed your health condition and got off some of your medications. Not only are you healthier today than when you began your journey in 2018, you feel better, and are spending less money on your healthcare. Congratulations! Are there any easy first steps that you would encourage people to begin their own wellbeing journey?
Diane: I would say take baby steps. I kept telling myself that I didn't get this way overnight. When I started going to the gym, I would see all kind of people trying to do the same thing that I was trying to do. There was no judgement. Start with baby steps and small attainable goals. My first goal was just to be able to lift more than the minimum on the circuit. Then my next goal was to be able to keep up with the group exercises. When I noticed the weight coming off, I began setting small goals of 5 or 10 pounds. Each time I dropped a clothing size I rewarded myself with a new outfit.
Randall: That is fun. It sounds like you might have a few motivators to continue along your wellbeing journey. Diane, it has been a real pleasure to speak with you today. You are truly an inspiration.
Diane: Thank you Randall.
If you have any questions about benefits at Baylor including Baylor Wellbeing and Wondr Health, please email askHR@baylor.edu.
