Guest Post from Dayle Morrell, Manager, Health Operations at Nurtur

When I was first approached to write a blog about my “personal accountability,” I first thought, well, maybe you should wait and ask me in a year.

In October of 2011 I had major foot surgery. I was couch-ridden for over 2 months. And while I enjoyed catching up on every Law & Order episode known to man, I also had more than enough time to do some inner reflection.

I have always been an active person, organizing family and neighborhood parties, chairing PTO events, supporting my children in their sports activities, and really, in general, welcoming anyone into my home. All of these activities ended up being put on hold while I recuperated. By early January 2012, I came to have a different appreciation for what I had missed out on doing for nearly three months. And truthfully, I was afraid. Afraid that if I didn’t start taking care of myself, I wouldn’t have the energy to plan my daughter’s next birthday party, afraid that I’d miss my son’s catch that won the baseball game, afraid that my husband would have to host the family gathering (okay, that one really scared me!).

With some gentle reminders from my doctor (meaning he had to tell me more than once) that it would promote stronger/faster healing if I lost weight while eating the right kinds of food, I made a commitment to “do my body good.” Because “planning” and “celebrating” came very naturally to me, I decided that was how I would manage healthy eating. I now plan my meals much like I plan my kids sports and after school activities, and I celebrate my weight loss while enjoying date nights with my husband (he’s learned to love popcorn without butter too!).

Recently I had to undergo additional surgery to my foot. While the procedure itself was fairly routine, my doctor indicated that there would still be a fair amount of recovery time. We were both amazed at how quickly I was able to put that “bounce” back into my step. This time he only had to tell me once that my healthier food choices coupled with my weight loss directly improved my healing and recovery time!

I know that I can’t “plan” for everything that lies ahead. And a year from now, I hope to continue to have the same renewed energy and enthusiasm that I now enjoy today. I take faith in the daily reminders from family and friends that small steps will still get you to the finish line. So, while my finish line is just ahead, my step is 50 pounds lighter.

So, when you say to me “Hey Dayle, you look GREAT!”… I’ll say, “Why thank you.” I will also say…”Can you tell me again in a year?”

The Power of Place
I’ve always been pretty active and strive to live a healthy lifestyle. For me, this means being outdoors and experiencing the physical challenges as well as the tranquility and beauty of natural environments.
About four years ago, my husband John and I traveled to Southern California for vacation. What began as a rest [...]

Nurtur is on a journey to transform our industry, the relationship between life and health and, most importantly, the lives of the individuals we serve.
Since starting out on our journey in 2007, our guiding philosophy has always been and continues to be based on the fundamental understanding that life and health are intrinsically intertwined. This [...]

Guest post from Dana Oliver, MS RRT AE-C, Manager of Education at Nurtur
As the year comes to a close, it’s an opportunity to reflect back on some of the achievements of the Education Team and the Health and Lifestyle Coaches here at Nurtur.
One of the primary roles of the Education Team is to train new [...]

Guest post from Carol Peckham, Director, Product Development at Nurtur
Taking personal accountability is about health and so much more. When I finally bought a house of my own in the town of Wethersfield, Conn, I wanted not only a place to call home but a community to be part of. For me, that meant finding [...]

Q&A with a leading health & wellness expert from Duke Medicine

Q:
Trillions of dollars have been spent over the past several decades on healthcare services, yet our health status as a nation has steadily declined. Obesity rates have skyrocketed. Societal influences have led us to move less and demand more. Can these trends be reversed?

A:
Yes, on [...]

3 Essential Ingredients to Engagement
Two primary goals of any effective wellness program should be to promote wellness education and empower members to take responsibility for their own health. Over the years, I’ve found that all programs that successfully achieve these goals have three essential ingredients in common:

an integrated and personalized platform
strong communication and support from [...]

Monsters, Mud and Old-fashioned Fun
I promised my son that he could do an adventure race (mud run) and get a medal (all youth finishers typically get medals). We had planned on doing the Spartan Run in Amesbury, Mass., but Hurricane Irene hit and the race was cancelled. There weren’t any other similar races in our [...]

Recently, I had the great privilege of addressing the 18th Annual Best Practices Forum hosted by Community Health Centers, Inc. (CHC). If you’ve not heard of this organization before, you are perhaps not alone. It is a Connecticut-based non-profit organization that operates a network of comprehensive primary care services in medicine, dentistry and behavioral health.

Dan [...]

The Nurtur Monarchs Biking Team members Patricia Simmons and Steve Meholic
Keeping My Fitness Program Fresh
I’ve always loved to exercise. Growing up with four brothers that meant playing baseball, building forts and sometimes running away from my big brother. As I grew older, exercise was the way I managed my weight and my stress. At 5’2” [...]