Tell us about a pillar of wellbeing you are thriving in and what you are doing:

I have joined a strength training class 4 days a week, which has transformed my body physically, as well as mentally. It has given me confidence to perform tasks I didn’t think I was capable of  accomplishing. When I stay  active, I notice that I experience a more restful sleep. I have lost 30+lbs of fat but have also gained muscle weight. This was very
challenging in the beginning because I saw my body changing but the scale wasn’t moving much. Once I got over the mental turmoil of muscle weighing more than fat, I was able to continue the course and enjoy the benefits my body was giving me

How has the Healthy Saint Paul Program improved your quality of life, work life balance, or job satisfaction?

I am a very competitive person. Healthy Saint Paul has helped feed my competitive nature in a positive way. I knew my weight was hitting a dangerous high, so I set a goal. I would enter my daily results in HSP and was able to track my progress. What a joy to go back one or two weeks/months and see the change. In the VirginPulse app for healthy Saint Paul, you can create challenges, groups, or invite your co-workers. When I saw one or several of them having more steps than me, my competitive nature surfaced, and I would try to increase my
daily steps. This created fun banter among me and my co-workers, not to mention it was a
great health benefit.

What do you aspire to improve in your wellbeing over the next year?

Consistency!! I have been a part of Healthy Saint Paul for years, but this year was different. I want to be consistent in my wellness journey instead of the start and stop commitment o f past.

Thank you for sharing, Bertrene!