Staying Healthy
Paulette Kelly-Ellis had been working out in gyms for 45 years. But like so many people, her habits changed through the decades and her exercise regimen fell away. At the same time, her diet included more bagels and burgers than the grains and beans she ate as a child.
She got to a point where she stopped going to the gym completely. Working in a New York City law firm, Paulette's time restraints pushed her health down the priority list. Then, she took stock of her life.
"I'm single and I realized I wanted to stay as healthy as I could," Paulette, 68, said. "I didn't want to be a burden to my family and I knew I had to get back in shape."
She searched for a gym near her Teaneck home and learned HNH Fitness was owned by Holy Name. Paulette had used Holy Name for several medical issues, including a hip replacement and subsequent physical therapy, and she was pleased with the care she received. She was intrigued with the package offered at HNH Fitness, which she recognized provided much more than gym equipment.
HNH Fitness is a medically-based fitness center that helps members make lifestyle changes, producing real results and improving health. In particular, the Prescription for Wellness program offers additional services such as sessions with registered dietitians and ongoing monitoring by the wellness team. As part of this program, Paulette was given information and encouraged to participate in a sleep study at Holy Name since she had suffered with sleep issues for years. The result – she learned had sleep apnea, a life-threatening sleep disorder.
In the gym, Paulette worked out with weights and state-of-the-art equipment, and had 10, 30-minute sessions with a personal trainer. She also met twice with a nutritionist.
"I really liked the overall practice at the center, and the Wellness Program was instrumental in helping me achieve some of my goals," Paulette said. "I received so much support from the people there, and the fact that it is medically-based makes it different from other gyms."
Paulette had always been physically strong. Now that she's regained that strength, she's determined to keep it. She walks or runs in a nearby park every morning for about 4 ½ miles, in addition to doing cardio and weights at HNH Fitness. She's changed her eating habits and is sleeping better.
"I've met so many people at the park and I always tell them about HNH Fitness," Paulette said. "So many good things have happened to me since I joined the program and I want to share that with people. I tell them they don't have to cut everything out of their diet – just do things in moderation. I see my contemporaries often are overweight and move slowly. I'm doing all I can to avoid that and be as healthy as I can."
