Have you ever wondered how someone “all of a sudden” got fit and healthy, but were afraid to ask? Well, that’s what we are here for…

She's All A-glow

Meet 3-Day walker Kathy DiRusso. She is a 59-year-old woman, wife, mother of a 23-year-old daughter, and 28-time walker. She leads the team The Cup Crusaders, which has raised just shy of $1.3 million. Kathy DiRusso is a force to be reckoned with, but in 2017 walking up Torrey Pines on Day 1 of the San Diego 3-Day, she realized she wasn’t as healthy as she should be and decided to make a change. 

Kathy: When we lost our teammate and friend, Heather Morse, to breast cancer, I knew that if I didn't do something about my health, I was not going to be able to continue the crusade to find the cures for breast cancer. I promised her I would NEVER give up. So, I got myself healthier, lighter and HAPPIER to continue my quest to save the lives of others.

Kathy has since transformed her health, physique and mindset over the past year and went from 232 pounds to 166 pounds. She also went from size 16 to a size 8. How did she do it?

Kathy: I was already a ‘gym rat,’ but joined a wellness program through my health insurance. I had 30-minute webinar sessions with a coach each week and each week was a different topic. You had to sign a contract weekly that you’d try to incorporate each lesson into your daily routine. Lessons included no eating in my car, no eating lying down, never ever skipping breakfast, no eating standing up (social events where we do much unconscious eating) and drinking WATER!! You think the 3-Day crew tells you to hydrate? I am now a ‘waterholic’ and take in no less than 80 to 100 ounces of water each day. This time I learned a new lifestyle. I ate FOOD, regular food, and I added more exercise into my routine, lifting, cycling and walking. I told myself it would be one full year before I looked back to see how far I’d come. 

Kathy’s advice to anyone looking to make a change is that it’s a journey with no destination. Don’t put a time limit on it. Don’t beat yourself up when you fall. Just pick yourself up and keep at it. 

The 3-Day Community would like to celebrate Kathy for taking charge of her health! We appreciate all that she does to make an impact, but more importantly we congratulate her for taking charge of her health! Anyone who knows Kathy understands the 3-Day would not be the same without her. Let’s all learn from her and make sure we are taking care of ourselves.

It Takes a Well-Rounded Approach to Take Charge of Your Health (Like Kathy)

At American Bone Health, one of our goals is to teach people how our bone health is shaped by the decisions we make about our overall health and wellness. Here are some examples.

• Smoking: Smoking is known to be a risk factor for bone loss and fractures. For one thing, smoking appears to interfere with absorption of calcium in the intestines. Quitting, or even just cutting back, may reduce your risk.

• Nutrition: Many nutrients play a role in bone health, and some — particularly calcium, vitamin D and magnesium — require special attention to make sure you’re getting enough in your diet. Bottom line is a balanced diet provides adequate nutrients for most people without the need for supplements.

• Physical activity: Children and teens need to exercise to boost bone growth and strengthen muscles. Adults need to exercise to maintain bone and muscle mass. And older folks need to exercise to support balance and reduce risk of injury from falls. Here are the 2018 guidelines on physical activity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• Medical issues: If you’re being treated for a disease or medical condition, you should ask your doctor whether and how the disease or medications might impact your bone health. Your doctor can suggest how you can decrease the risk to your bone health.  

*Please speak with your doctor before taking on a new lifestyle.

Time for a pop quiz… well, survey!
Throughout this series, we’ve been talking a lot about bone health and what choices you can make to impact your bone health as you get older. Do you know how to build and maintain strong bones? We would like to know what you know — and what you don’t know — so we can better educate and empower people like you to build and maintain strong, healthy bones for life. Take the poll here now, it should only take 2-3 minutes of your time and we can’t make an impact without your feedback!

This email is a part of the Healthy Living: Preparing your Mind, Body and Bones for the 3-Day Series. To catch up on blogs and emails about Healthy Living, click here.

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