Angela Bradford of Environmental Services keeps a photo of herself from last fall (left, top) on her iPhone as inspiration for her wellness journey. So far, she’s lost 75 pounds. In the past year she’s worked out regularly with her friend and co-worker Danica Childress (below) who has lost 85 pounds to date.
On her iPhone, Angela Bradford keeps a reminder of how far she’s come. It’s a photo from September 2009, before she joined the Wellness Program at CoxHealth and began working out.
Angela’s husband, Blake, a National Guard reservist, was deploying for a year-long tour in Afghanistan and Angela saw an opportunity to develop new habits and focus on her health. Over the last year, she’s headed to the Meyer Center for a workout after her days’ work in Environmental Services.
She worked with her wellness coach and with a trainer and now, 75 pounds later, she’s singing the praises of the Wellness Program.
“It’s helped me keep my head in the game; if you want to lose it, you’ve got to stay with it,” she says.
The first time Blake came home on leave, Angela says he greeted her with one word at the airport: “Wow.”
“That felt great,” she says with a laugh.
Angela has done a lot of walking and weightlifting and she’s made dietary changes, such as cutting out soda and fried foods.
She also hasn’t been doing it alone: Danica Childress, a friend and co-worker in EVS, has joined her in working out and eating right. To date, she’s lost 85 pounds.
“At first she lost weight faster than me, then I started losing more,” Danica says. “It’s motivation to have someone doing it with you.”
Between the two of them, Danica and Angela have been involved in a lengthy list of CoxHealth and community wellness activities, everything from poker walks and “Biggest Loser” competitions to the Tour de Cox bike ride.
When asked what changed about her diet, Danica responds: “everything.”
“It’s a total lifestyle change,” she says.
This fall, Danica is signing up for the Wellness Program for the first time, while Angela is making plans for her cash award for participating.
“It’s great to have something like this in a business where you work and it’s awesome that you earn money by getting healthier – I love that part,” Angela says. “When my money gets here this time around, I’m buying new clothes – I need ’em!”
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