October 20, 2008
Yo DaVIta!!!!!!!!!!!!
NINE IN NINETY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well actually our core value of integrity demands that I reveal I only hit the 188 goal this morning, Monday. So it was nine in ninety-three!!
Technically that is a failure, I must admit. But it does not feel that way to me personally. I had been hovering at 189-190 for a week. This morning’s weigh-in was wearing the same clothes as all other official weigh-ins, and it was pre-breakfast and pre-workout, just like all the other weigh-ins. In fact, I worked out after the weigh-in which was a small 25 minute workout on the lifecycle, and I weighed 186 after that, which shows I was within the normal range of hydration. Today was another day when I could go to that 4th belt hole, but it is just a little too tight. Remember I started in the second belt hole.
So, a number of thoughts and feelings…
First, THANK YOU TO THE 568, YOU ALL ROCK! I can say without any qualification that I would not have hit this number in this period without being a part of the Village Vitality team that we became. I was inspired by what so many of you have done and are doing, and also did not want to let the team down. Your honesty and energy was so positive for me, and I bet for others.
Second, I LOVE THE FACT THAT MORE EXERCISE WAS A PART OF THE SUCCESS for me and for so many of you. While I have exercised 75% of the days for years, I ramped up the intensity over this 90 day period. This was reflected in my achieving new personal best’ in many of my regimens, including the classic Old La Honda Biking Hill, the dreaded Windy Hill Mountain Biking Hill, and the venerable Oak Campground Loop up in the mountains. Once I get my surgery on my torn MCL, I look forward to being able to broaden my exercise once more, to include more running, yoga, tennis, etc…
Third, LET’S MAINTAIN THE GAIN! Gain in health that is. I will report in for another two weeks, and I would like you to also. That way we can see if we have created new habits to sustain the gain. Just to report in I had a good weekend except I allowed myself a totally decadent Sunday dinner with my daughter — our first dinner with her since she started college. We took her to the restaurant my dad took me to when I was a freshman. She and I both had big steaks and creamed spinach. But other than this dinner every other meal this weekend was either reasonable or better, and the exercise was big.
Fourth, how about each of you who have not done so report in your accomplishments? The wonderful Mary Kay Gilhooly who has helped me with this journal will total up the number of people who did achieve all or some of their goals over the last 90/93 days. She will total up the specific items like pounds lost, cigarettes not smoked and the increased number of days of exercise.
I am feeling like I am personally on the path to good health. As some of you know, the last twenty-three months have included a herniated disc (for which I had eighty-three different healthcare appointments with nine different doctors and therapists). My Achilles tendons were so messed up I could not walk normally for eight weeks, a stingray sting that put enough toxin in my foot that I could not even bend it normally for twelve weeks, two rotator cuff issues that meant I could not throw a ball overhand or do push-ups, and the torn MCL. While many of you have faced far bigger challenges, I must admit I was periodically bummed out at the series of injuries getting in the way of a healthier life.
I also feel so lucky to have my job at DaVita rather than be CEO somewhere else. One of the primary reasons DaVita is a great place for me and my family is because of how wonderful so many of you are. I don’t get to spend much time with very many of you but I get to hear the stories and see the results, and I do get to interact with quite a few — if you count all my Academies I have spent time with over 20,000 DaVita teammates.
One for All & All for One. Not just a slogan to some of us.
KT, Your Mayor
Be mindful of your thoughts, for they become your words.
Be mindful of your words, for they become your actions
Be mindful of your actions, for they become your habits
Be mindful of your habits, for they become your destiny.
© 2004 - 2025 DaVita Inc. All rights reserved.
Steve said,
October 21, 2008 @ 11:55 am
Congrats KT and to the 568!
“So it was nine in ninety-three!! Technically that is a failure, I must admit”. No, not a failure…just a slightly delayed Victory – Still just as sweet.
All the Best to you all for your continued success!
0
Sue Degutis said,
October 22, 2008 @ 4:35 am
KT,
Congratulations on your nine in ninety-three! You asked us to write in with our accomplishments. After calculating that I used to smoke 1/2 pack of cigarettes per day and I have been smoke free for 60 days, I have NOT smoked 600 cigarettes. Wow! I have also increased my exercise for the past 12 weeks. These are lifestyle changes that I have decided to keep for the rest of my life and I have DaVita and Match The Mayor and You to thank for giving me the extra push to do this. Congratulations to all the 568 who did something to better their lives. Let’s not stop just because the 90 days is over…let’s continue so that our Village continues on the road to better health, active lifestyles and happier teammates!
0
Barbara K. said,
October 22, 2008 @ 4:51 am
Congrats Mayor!!!!
I stuck to my one soda a day except for 4-5 days. I did lose only 6 pounds, but I walk pretty much daily now, and try to join 5k walks in the area as much as time allows. I have signed up for 2 Kat Walks:
One in Atlanta and one in Orlando, so I am keeping this going as much as I can.
Your extra “help” got me started…Thanks!!!
0
Dianna Skoog said,
October 22, 2008 @ 8:00 am
Congratulation K.T. not only for you accomplishment-more so for your commitment to your true self. I hope you do something like this again for I would like to participate. For me this past 2 months I couldn’t commit to anything like that (although it would have been better for me in the long run)My mom was ill, medicare came, we rolled brand new machines and then sadly after a 42 year battle my mom died on Sept 15th- God must have needed and angle. I still think you don’t get enough sleep by the sounds of it though–how do you do that?
Be Well,
Dianna Skoog
Forest Lake Dialysis in Minnesota, ya know!
0
Hannah said,
October 23, 2008 @ 9:38 am
First of all, congrats to KT for your accomplishment. I wish you had not said it was a failure for not achieving within your specified time. Any move towards improvement in health status is a success.
And congrats to other teammates who made commitments and/or reached goals or moved towards them! I am in the latter category. I had the goal to exercise a minimum of 30 minutes daily (7 days a week). I am under physician orders to lose weight to prevent several diseases from starting or progressing, and for me exercise would help with that. I am now exercising at least 30 minutes for 3-4 days per week, so that is is still an improvement (over NO exercise).
Also I joined a support group for people that have difficulty with over eating, and going to that has been a huge relief to know that I am not alone, that help is available and change is possible. And I see that also as a positive change for me.
YAY FOR ME! YAY FOR US! “All for One and One for All” means something to me now. We did this together. thank you teammates for your inspiration. Let’s keep moving (continuous improvement).
0
Kimberly said,
October 23, 2008 @ 11:48 am
Congratulations to the Mayor and teammates for their success!
Since June 30th, when I joined Weight Watchers, I have lost 10 inches in my waist and 23lbs. I walk at least 1 to 2 miles a day. My next goal is to shed another 20 lbs by February 1, 2009.Why February 1st you ask? Well, first, I want to be off of all my medicine and second, that is when my husband and I are going on a cruise to Mexico.
Congrats again to all!
0
Julie said,
October 24, 2008 @ 11:49 am
K.T.-
Thanks to your inspiration and Tour DaVita, I continue to ride my bike home from work (9 miles) at least twice a week, something I wouldn’t have even considered before the Tour. AND I like it!!! Congratulations on your success (and it was!!) and thank you for making healthy lifesyles a priority at DaVita.
0
Debbie Smith said,
October 24, 2008 @ 4:14 pm
Congratulations everyone! It is great to hear about everyone’s successes.
KT, I think you are too hard on yourself! You did great! I am so glad you offered this forum as it got me going on working on losing weight again. I did not meet my goal but I lost 11 pounds and have changed some eating habits. I have also gone down a size so I got rid of some pants that were too big now. It has been really interesting to read about what is going on in the company and all that you do. (Especially with all the injuries you have suffered this year.) It doesn’t seem like you sleep much though.
I am glad we are going another two weeks. It will be great to see more progress. I intend to keep working on my weight and other health issues.
Good luck everyone!
Debbie
0
Laura Cerone said,
October 27, 2008 @ 5:50 am
WOW is it 90 days already? It’s Monday morning and I got my -“match the Mayor pin” and I have been wearing it with pride. My fellow teammates are now fully aware of the challenge and will help to keep me on my toes. That being said I have to confess that I did make a tray of cupcakes with chocolate frosting and sprinkles on top I took them to work today to share and celebrate. My goal was not to put a specific number on the scale that puts me at war with myself because I would be on and off the scale ten times a day. I just tried to make better choices reguarding diet and exercise. I joined a gym and ate when I was hungry ate sweets but not in excess………..and now I can say that I look and feel better and did loose that extra belly fat. You all are inspirational to me too. Happy Halloween and don’t eat too much candy.
Laura
0
Kenya Hooppell said,
October 29, 2008 @ 8:24 am
WOW, what a great 90 days!!! Congratulations to everyone that participated in the challenge. My goal was to run 20 minutes of my 1 hour daily walk. Let’s go back one year…..When the subject of exercise came up, I would always say “if I’m running you better look out because there must be a bear behind me”. That’s how I viewed exercise. Today I’m proud to tell you that I run 4-7 days a week!!! 20 minutes walking at 4 MPH and 20 minutes running at 5 MPH. When I set my goal on July 6th to run 20 mins, I thought that maybe I could do it in 2 min intervals throughout my workout, but I far exceeded that! This is how I achieved my goal.
In 2006 I started breaking out with hives all over my body and the docs could not tell me why. So I started taking 3 different medications and would still break out from time to time. I didn’t start exercising b/c of this but b/c I wanted to be healthier. I started walking in May of this year and in June I started loosing weight (my first 10 pounds). After the weight loss, I noticed that I stopped having hives, so I forged forward. I am now 4 months with no hives. This is my success story….in May I started walking. I started at 3.3 MPH and thought I couldn’t do anymore:) In June I went to JROTC camp with my son and that’s when I started loosing wt, well that motivated me!! Then I started walking 3.5 MPH and thought I was doing great. In July KT started this program and I jumped on board, that made me push myself. I started walking at 4 MPH and then running 2 minutes every 10 mins. I though I would die, LOL!!! It was so hard. Every 2 weeks I would increase my running time, util on Sept 5th I ran the whole 20 minutes (but not at one time)……I was so excited. I kept pushing myself until on Oct 2nd I was finally able to run the whole 20 minutes at one time…..WOW what a feeling:-) I know now that I can do anything! It’s all in your mind!!!!! If you had asked me a year ago if I would be able to run “at all” I would have laughed……………..
0
Hannah said,
November 4, 2008 @ 3:39 pm
I’m continuing to exercise 3-4 times per week at 30-40 minutes each time. Today is my 8th day without sugar. It was tough to not pig out on all the cookies and candies around the facility. I did that on several days but since last Tuesday, my message to myself was “It’s not worth it.” Also, although the scale does not show any weight loss, I have gone down one bra size, and that is huge (pardon the pun).
0