Obese Woman Steps up to Healthier Living with Help from MSU Extension

Bringing Knowledge to Life! / Partner Report /
Lake County
915 Michigan Ave.
Baldwin, Michigan49304
Phone: 231-745-2732 / E-mail:
Fax: 231-745-6213
Web: msue.msu.edu/lake
February, 2010

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing,MI48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.

Obese woman steps up to healthier living with help from MSU Extension

Kilah King recently completed an extensive nutrition series with a woman who is severely overweight and wanted to lose weight and get healthier through diet and exercise and without the gastric bypass surgery.

The woman was on oxygen 24 hours per day, did not leave her home and was consuming a considerable amount of high-calorie foods. King taught her about healthier alternatives, and the woman later reported that she had replaced the candy she ate with frozen strawberries. She also reported that she was only eating a few pieces and would put the rest away for later, no longer craving the candy.

"Things are gettingeasier as far as, how much to eat and I'm not taking food to bed anymore,” the woman reported several months into the series. “I have also stopped using my oxygen during the day completely and have more energy to get around.Because I know that eating and laying down is unhealthy, now I try to just chew gum or ice when I get the urge to eat at night."

King worked closely with the woman to help her to manage portion control and monitor thefoods she was eating, even giving her a food scale to accurately measure out correct portion sizes for meals and snacks. After a month, she said that she was able to “eye”her portions out better and eat more closely to what was recommended.

She continued to make improvements for better health, including eating more salads, eating from smaller plates, and consuming more water. During the summer, she was able to increase her physical activity level. By the end of the series, the woman expressed that she thought about healthy food choices 60 percent more often than before she began the series, read food labels 40 percent more often, and she increased her consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains by 20 percent.

“I have found myself reading more labels unconsciously, which really helps me to watch portion sizes. Some things aren’t as appealing as they used to be. Overall, I am feeling physically and mentally better and I have even lost 30 pounds since we’ve been working together. Thank you for all your help and support.” – Program Participant

Contact: Kilah King

Disc golf course adds recreation venue

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services recommends at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day for youths between ages five and 18. Other health organizations recommend taking 10,000 steps each day.

An average round of disc golf takes 60 to 90 minutes and involvesbetween 5,000 and 8,000 steps, putting participants on track to living healthier lifestyles.

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Disc golf--continued

The Lake County disc golf coursewillalso give youth and adults a relatively inexpensive opportunity to constructively use their time during the summer.

Seth Hopkins, Lake County MSU Extension 4-H program instructor, has created a nine-hole disc golf course at Baldwin Schools that provides the means for families to participate in disc golf.

Disc golf provides upper and lower body conditioning, aerobic exercise and combines both physical and mental abilities. Concentration skills increase by mastering shots and negotiating obstacles. Players of limited fitness levels can start slowly and gradually increase their level of play as fitness improves. Disc golf offers an alternative sport that is not solely based on physical fitness or strength like football, basketball, baseball or running.

Disc golf is played much like traditional golf. Instead of a ball and clubs, however, players use a flying disc or Frisbee®. The trees, shrubs and terrain changes around the fairways provide challenging obstacles. Players use strategy and skill to flip the disc into the basket. Disc golfers share the same joys and frustrations of traditional golfers, whether it's sinking a long putt or hitting a tree halfway down the fairway.

Lake County MSU Extension 4-H will use the disc golf course to provide a means for youngsters to try a new sport and involve their families and friends. When families are active together, children get the support they need to succeed and the perception that they are valued.

“I am so excited about the new 4-H disc golf program. I had a great time learning a new sport. If I practice, I can earn free discs in team competition.”

ProgramParticipant

Contact: Seth Hopkins

Garden workshop series provides credits

The MSU Extension Master Gardener workshop series creates an avenue for Lake County Master Gardeners to obtain their annually required educational hours. They are also open to the public to increase their knowledge base in horticulture. Ninety-two people attended the three workshops that were held in 2009.

The Photo Boutique Gardens in Big Rapids was the destination of the third workshop. Twenty-two garden enthusiasts viewed the portrait gardens and focused on the landscape plantings. They spent time learning how to create continuous bloom during spring and summer with a variety of plants. Brad and Sharon Byers, owners of the Photo Boutique Gardens, gave instruction on taking landscaping photos.

Participants gained new insight for consideration in landscaping with light, shadows and color as accents to their gardens and landscape projects.

“I have such a great time at our garden workshops, and the inception of the teaching tours has accentuated my gardening knowledge.”

Program Participant

Contact: Wanda DeMeyere