A prescription for fitness inspires 'Healthy Habits'
After suffering with chronic back and neck pain for nearly six years, Walter Lee came to Bernard King, DO looking for relief. By the time he made his first appointment, he had already discontinued his daily painkiller regimen.
“I was tired of running around to fill prescriptions and counting my pills every day just to live a comfortable life,” says Lee.
During his first appointment with Dr. King, a primary care doctor at Main Line Health Concordville, Lee discussed his concerns and divulged his years-long struggle with pain and his weight. When he left the office that day, Lee had a prescription to enroll in the ‘Healthy Habits’ program at the Main Line Health Fitness & Wellness Center in Concordville.
The Healthy Habits Weight Management Solution Program is one of several medically-supervised fitness programs available at the Main Line Health Fitness & Wellness Center. By joining the program, you receive supervised exercise, education and support throughout your journey to safely achieve and sustain weight loss.
For Lee, the program felt like a fresh start and a step in the right direction. He signed up for his first eight-week session, and was immediately impressed.
“It’s a tremendous value,” he says. “You have a personal trainer there to help you and most of the classes that are offered at the Center are small. It helped me to get in the habit of going to the gym.”
Lee’s first sessions began with an assessment, during which his trainer learned what he was capable of and comfortable with in the gym. From there, the Fitness & Wellness Center team developed a routine that was unique to him. Says Lee: “I did primarily cardio workouts, but flexibility and circuit training, too. By the end of each training session, I worked up a pretty good sweat!”
As time passed, Lee began to notice changes to his pain level and to his health. He signed up for another eight-week Healthy Habits session, during which his trainers continued to challenge him.
After four months, he was pleased with the results. Lee had lost 14 pounds. But it wasn’t just the number on the scale that mattered anymore; he was also impressed by how his body had changed throughout the process.
“The in-body analysis that you are offered at Fitness & Wellness was very helpful. It helped show my progression over those 16 weeks, and I saw a reduction in body fat and an increase in lean muscle mass,” says Lee.
While Lee still has some weight to lose before he reaches his goal, he continues to make fitness a priority. He visits the Fitness & Wellness Center for regular workouts, but supplements his gym routine with daily activity.
“I make it to the gym about three times per week and try to walk two or three times each week,” says Lee.
Dr. King has noticed Lee’s success, too. At follow-up appointments, the two have discussed his progress and his commitment to a new, healthier lifestyle—something the Main Line Health Fitness & Wellness team helped him to discover.
“Now, I’m taking the time out of my day to care for myself, physically. This is a much better approach than I had been taking before, and I’m grateful to the Fitness & Wellness team for their help in making me successful.”
Main Line Health Fitness & Wellness Center offers personalized fitness programs with professional guidance and motivation every step of the way. Visit our website to learn more, join the Fitness & Wellness Center or register for a wellness program.
Main Line Health serves patients at hospitals and health centers throughout the western suburbs of Philadelphia. To schedule an appointment with a specialist at Main Line Health, call 1.866.CALL.MLH (225.5654).