Hollie is a home health nursing aid and has been a member at See Yourself Health since November 2019. Her favorite activities are running on the treadmill and gardening. We sat down with Hollie on Zoom to hear about her journey toward weight loss, healthy behavior change, and better diabetes care. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.  

What was your life with diabetes like before you joined See Yourself Health?

I first found out I was a diabetic on Halloween of 2013; I felt sick and my husband took me to the hospital. My blood sugar level was almost 500.

My life before SYH was a struggle because I didn’t always want to do the right thing. I was relying on medicine to knock my sugar down, and never truly trying to eat right. I would gain weight and lose weight in an endless cycle. When I fell off track again, I was at the doctor’s office and told them “I’m having a hard time getting started again. I want to do this right.” That was when they told me about this new program called See Yourself Health. 

When I first tried SYH, I had trouble getting into it. Then Maribeth touched base with me to see how I was doing. She happened to call me when I had just gotten all my test results back - they were bad. That was when I made my turnaround; she called at just the right time. She gave me encouragement to give the program a chance. I’m really glad that I did - I’m doing really well, I’m more focused, and I’ve lost 30 lbs! I think a lot of people might be nervous to try the program because of the virtual world aspect, but SYH really helped me change. You do different activities and are encouraged to be more active. They teach you how to eat differently - I’ll admit I don’t eat healthy all the time, but I’m more mindful of my eating and how much sugar I’ve taken in throughout the day. I’m really thankful that I have the SYH program as a resource. 

What was your approach to diabetes management before See Yourself Health? 

Geisinger sent me to a diabetic specialist, but the 1-on-1 approach didn’t work for me. At SYH, you’re with a group of people who are struggling just like you are. I think that’s what helped me - hearing other people’s stories makes you want to focus more on yourself. You hear people say what they’re going through while being a diabetic; taking medicine, checking sugars, and doing a lot of things that you do. 

Is there a particular moment that stands out for you since joining this virtual world community? 

I really enjoyed the triathlon, when we were riding bikes and running. I also liked when we went into the “dungeon” area and tried to get out. Another one I enjoyed was when we went ice skating, went up a slope to go skiing, and went sledding.

At the beginning of every session, dancing is a pillar of the See Yourself Health program. What’s your go-to dance music? 

I’m a big Breaking Benjamin fan; I like rock and alternative music and going to rock concerts, it gets me pumped up. A few times, Evan played Breaking Benjamin at the meetups. They would ask what music we liked and play our suggestions, whether it was rap, country, rock, alternative, etc.

Would you like to share any newfound strategies or tips that have helped you with your diabetes recently?

To keep up with my dieting, I try to count calories. I know how many calories I take in, so I know that weight is going to come off. One thing many people don’t realize is that when you’re working in a garden you’re burning calories. I cut grass, I weed whack - all physical activity. I’d say if you like to do outside work, gardening is a great activity to get into. I never thought there would be a time where I’d be able to do that type of work because of my past health problems. Besides the SYH program, staying active will help. Some people may not be able to run on a treadmill, but yoga or stretching can also be beneficial.

What’s your outlook for the future?

I would like to stay healthy and manage being a diabetic. Right now, I don’t take any medicine. I was able to go off of it because I’ve been doing well. I’m not going to say I’m not a diabetic, because I think that there’s always a risk, it’s going to depend on what I do. Some people say they can’t reverse their diabetes, but I was able to reverse mine. I still check on my blood sugar and make sure I’m eating healthy. I enjoy eating chicken, fish, and vegetables. I’m not much for red meat, I eat chicken about 90% of the time. 

What would you say to someone who’s struggling with their diabetes and doesn’t believe that things can change?

I would say to give the SYH program a chance. Hearing other people’s stories, like that someone is losing weight or blood sugar is better, can provide motivation to do the same thing. When I didn’t have motivation I had a hard time starting back up again. Once you get started, it gets easier as time goes on. Once you see that your numbers are better, you’ll be happy about it. Give the program a try, what do you have to lose? It’s free! You just have to make time to go on and try it.

Want to know more about our virtual lifestyle change classes? Click the link below!