I was obese and was no longer able to sit on the floor with my kids and dogs to play. I would get winded easily and avoided activity that seemed strenuous. I was so overweight that I would wake up sore from sleeping in the same position for too long, which then led to me tossing and turning.
During COVID, I started working from home and very quickly gained 30 pounds on my already heavy frame. I saw that it was impacting my life. I wanted my kids to be proud and be healthy as well.
I visited Wellnet, the Marathon Health center offered by my employer Nelnet. Kim Lien Ho, a licensed practical nurse, did my health screening and Angela Curran, a nurse practitioner, was a cheerleader for weight loss and encouraged me to lose weight.
I used the Healthy Me bucks offered through Nelnet to join Weight Watchers and lost 150 pounds in 15 months. I’m a healthy BMI for the first time since high school. The way I eat, sleep and live has improved thanks to healthier choices.
I have never felt better. I have extra energy, and I can easily keep up with my kids. I run ON PURPOSE now. My family is eating a little better, and my dogs are getting more exercise, too. My sleep has improved and I am managing stress in more positive ways.
Making small changes to the food that you are eating can have a huge outcome. This journey also taught me that you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight, you just have to watch how much of it you’re eating.
— Katie Brock, Marathon Health Member
