Commitment to Health Leads to a Happier Workplace

In our continuing series highlighting the “Culture of Commitment” at General Insulation, we feature employees who are committed to health and wellness.   In the interviews we hoped to hear stories of successful weight loss, exercise and eating habit changes, and we did. What we didn’t expect was to hear about the impact being healthy made in self-confidence, focus, productivity and overall happiness. Many of those we interviewed tied their success to a bigger cause and this helped them reach their goals. Discover what fellow coworkers can teach you about the benefits of health and wellness.

 

Tori Browne, Director of Human Resources – Spearheads the Commitment to Health and Wellness at GIC.

Health and wellness are an important part of the GIC culture. Our HR team strives to keep it at the forefront by consistently sharing new ideas and topics. Each month we incorporate a relevant topic in our communication to employees. A healthy workforce not only means a safer workforce but it also reduces illness and absences in the branch. This in turn improves productivity and morale.

 

We are currently running a competition through Diet Bet to motivate one another to lose weight and develop healthier habits.  Employees who lose 4% of their body weight get to split the rewards!  We hope you join us in this important initiative.

 

Melissa Smith Regional Territory Manager, Ohio/Michigan  

My health commitment, especially my dedication to running, has been more of a way to “keep going” and push through tough times. After losing my brother in a car accident in 2007, I started running as a way to clear my head and work through the grief from my loss.

One day a friend asked if I would run a marathon. It seemed like a great way to use the head-clearing miles while giving back to a good cause. I ran the Boston Marathon in 2008 for a charity called Horizon for Homeless Children and, while one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, gave me a huge sense of accomplishment.

Then in 2014 another life changer was dropped on me. My mom was diagnosed with cancer. I promised her I’d help to find a cure, so I ran my next marathon to raise money for the Lazarex Cancer Charity at the Big Sur Marathon in Monterey, California. My mom fought bravely for 1 1/2 years but sadly, she lost that battle in 2015.

 

October of 2017 marked a milestone in Marathon history for the city of Chicago. It was the 40th running of the prestigious Bank of America Chicago Marathon. I was honored to get an entrance bib as part of team Determination. We were running to raise money for the American Cancer Society. I dedicated this marathon to my mom.
For anyone who has run or trained for a half or full marathon, you will hear that it’s more about the commitment to the cause than the actual miles that make or break the race. I believe it’s about the “why” that gives you the motivation to keep going. That’s definitely what keeps me going.

 

Quinn Densley, Branch Manager Las Vegas

As a teenager, I was very active and participated on both the cross country and track teams for my high school.   My weight was never a concern and I could easily gain or lose 30 pounds in a month without putting too much effort into it.

 

I graduated college and transitioned into an office job where I spent long hours and had very little physical activity. As I grew older that lack of activity caught up with me and I was no longer able to lose weight. I gained a lot of weight. By the end of 2014 I was approaching 400 pounds. I was miserable. I knew I needed to change and didn’t know where to start.

Then at the beginning of 2015 I was selected for GIC’s Leadership Mastery program.

The program was life-changing because it took a holistic approach to improving the mind and the body and demonstrated the importance of being healthy in all aspects of one’s life.

In the program we were assigned Accountability Partners to help each other accomplish our goals. My goal was to lose weight. I began eating right and exercising 6 days a week. My Accountability Partner and I established a weekly call to check in with each other. During these calls I provided an honest update on how I was doing with my commitment to weight loss.

 

18 months later I had lost over 100 pounds and felt better than I had since my college days. My back and knee problems went away, I felt and looked better and I was happy.

 

I took my healthy lifestyle goal to the next level when I made a New Year’s resolution to run a half marathon before the end of 2017.   I will never forget how incredible it was to cross the finish line.

 

Living a healthy lifestyle is not always easy. It takes dedication, determination, focus, planning, overcoming obstacles, and the help of others. I owe my success to the support of my amazing wife, family and friends. My mentors and accountability partners also supported me 100 percent. There is no magical cure for weight loss and a healthy lifestyle, but being healthy and happy is magical.

 

 

Brian Fabrizio, National Account Manager

 I grew up playing football. The game was perfect for my competitive nature. After college football, I felt a void so I took up mountain biking. I began to ride with groups every weekend. I was having a ball. Eventually, true to my competitive nature, I signed up for competitions and started winning.

 

Earlier this year I had an experience that changed the way I thought about why I ride.  My best friend’s cousin was killed. She was a biker and had recently completed a 150-mile bike ride for Multiple Sclerosis. After she passed away, her family and friends wanted to carry on her tradition of riding for a cause. They formed a team and invited me to ride on a 2-day trek from Boston to Cape Cod. This ride was different. Seeing her mom, in a wheelchair cheering us on at the finish line, was meaningful. It gave me a great sense of accomplishment. On top of that, we raised $46,000 and I signed up to participate in the same ride next year.

 

Riding keeps me fit. It keeps me from becoming complacent. It gives me a goal to strive towards. I’m more energetic and the endorphins released by exercising keep me mentally and physically in tune. I’m in a much better mood at work and able to stay focused.   It has also affected the relationship with my wife. We exercise together, she on her horse while I mountain bike beside her as she rides. “A family that exercises together …”

 

 

Kathy Crawford, Branch Manager Houston

It was 2011. I was sorting through pictures of a recent family reunion and didn’t like the way I looked. I went to the mirror and as I stared at my reflection, asked myself, “How had I let this happen?”

I had no energy and often did not feel well. This was not how I wanted things to be. I had allowed the stress of “life” to get to me. Something clicked and I made the decision then and there that I did not want to look or feel like this anymore. I needed to change.

 

I immediately altered the way I ate and switched to eating protein over carbs. I thought it would be really tough, but it wasn’t that hard once I had flipped the mental switch in my mind. My determination and competitive spirit quickly took over. Getting fit is not an overnight result, but I was determined. A year and a half later I had lost a total of 55 pounds! I had more energy and a newfound sense of confidence at work. I was more comfortable walking into a room and owning it, whether it was with a customer, vendor or employee.

Shortly after losing the weight, I was diagnosed with cancer. I believe the weight loss and added confidence helped me in my fight against this dreaded disease and I am happy to report that today I am in remission. I am so grateful I took the healthier road and am so much happier as a result.

 

 

Donna McCloskey, Accounts Payable Manager

My weight loss story begins the day I booked a trip to Disney World with my 3 grandchildren.   I wanted to lose weight prior to the trip to have the energy to keep up with them and have them be proud that they had a grandmother that was fit.

Although I’d been going to the gym for quite some time, I was not making the progress I wanted and knew my eating habits needed to change. I joined
weight watchers in July, the week after I booked the November Disney trip. My goal was to lose 20 pounds by Thanksgiving.

 

Though I haven’t met my goal, I am close. At a 14.6-pound loss I am determined, in the few weeks I have left, to lose more. I believe that when you set goals and have something that you are looking forward to it’s a huge inspiration! Here is my inspiration…

 

Katie Thibodeaux, Process Improvement Manager

 

I am a goal driven person, and having a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and exercise are goals I have continually strived for my entire life. When my youngest son was born, 2 ½ years ago, having time to exercise and prepare healthy meals became a challenge.

 

While I’ve always lived an active lifestyle, in July of 2014 I tried something new. I ran my first triathlon alongside my sister, brothers and my cousin. For those who have never participated in that kind of race, you must swim, bike and run to reach the finish line. I loved it! After the triathlon I continued running, but it was a while before I ran another race.

 

My friend Megan LeBeau called one day about 6 weeks prior to the Hyannis Triathlon and asked me to join her in this race. I knew I had to do it. I had already been training for a 7-mile road race, so I knew the running wouldn’t be a factor. I immediately started practicing swimming and biking, however, because I wasn’t as experienced in those areas. Megan was a big inspiration as we found the time to train together and support one another. Then, to my surprise and delight, my sister agreed to join us.

 

The day of the race we got there and noticed we were one of the few who were not wearing a wetsuit. It was a “warm” 50 degrees that morning, and we shivered in the cold. We committed to buying wetsuits before our next Tri!   Despite not having wetsuits the swim went well, especially since the water temperature was a lot warmer than the air. I did get a little anxious when I saw a jellyfish, but that just made me swim faster!

 

The bike was the biggest struggle for me. I get bored easily, but I managed to finish.  The run was great; it was a good route with the last half-mile all downhill! Getting to the finish line and seeing my 3 sons and husband cheering made it all worth it!

 

I started CrossFit 6 weeks ago, and the owner of the gym told me his triathlon time improved just from doing CrossFit, so I will be excited to see if it helps me through my next triathlon…stay tuned!

 

Megan Lebeau, Controller

I live a healthy lifestyle. My husband and I prepare all of our meals for the week on Sundays so that we are not tempted to buy our breakfast and lunch during the week.  I know that if I have to go out to a restaurant for lunch, I’m probably not going to make the healthiest choice.

 

I usually run the New Bedford Half Marathon every year in March, which keeps me active during the cold winter month, when otherwise I might just stay in and sit on the couch! I find that if I have committed to a race and already paid the entry fee, then I will be much more likely to stick with my training and do it. My husband and I, along with some friends, have a tradition of doing long runs on Sunday mornings January through March to get ready for the race.

I’d been thinking about doing a triathlon for years and bought a bike, but never felt ready to commit. I felt confident that I could complete the run and the swim, but for some reason, was scared of the biking portion. Finally, this summer, I decided to face my fear and sign up.
Race day was great. I was so glad that Katie and I did the race together and could coach each other through it. The worst part was definitely the swim. Swimming in a big group of people was tough and you had to watch out or else you might get kicked. The biking portion was not nearly as scary as I thought it would be. It felt great to finally run across the finish line and see my family waiting there and cheering me on. I definitely want to do another one. I loved how all of the racers supported and encouraged each other. Naturally, I want to improve my time.

 

Todd Moore, Sales / Project Estimating for Special Industrial Accounts

I’ve always been somewhat active lifting weights, playing basketball and running but without much consistency.  Throughout high school I enjoyed playing every sport I could – football, basketball and baseball. After college I mostly went to the gym to lift weights and occasionally run, but I was never much of a distance runner; it just wasn’t my “thing”.   About 3 years ago I discovered CrossFit. Since that day, exercise became less of a hobby and more of a daily lifestyle. I now work out 4-5 days a week.

 

When I officially started training with CrossFit, the element that got me hooked was the Olympic weightlifting. I liked doing something different every day and changing up my workouts.

 

I moved to Argentina with GIC several years ago and was excited to discover that Argentinians love to be outdoors. On a nice day you will find tons of people walking, running and biking all over the city. The thing I missed, however was my CrossFit facility. Since there was no actual CrossFit near my house at the time, I grabbed the dumbbells I had at home and made up my own workouts.
Within the last 2-3 years Crossfit exploded here and I can now find a CrossFit on every corner.  Lifting weights is not really part of the fitness culture in Argentina whereas in the U.S. the average active high school student that is involved in any sport typically is exposed to some type of lifting program starting at 13-14 years old.  It’s a totally different culture in that respect, however that’s slowing changing in Argentina and the Crossfit boom is partly responsible.

In 2015 I did my first Masters competition (for “old” people like me over 40).  You have to qualify to participate and I ended up 2nd out of 15 who were selected.

 

I wasn’t happy about second place but since I lost to a former Olympic weight lifter I guess that was ok! The event is called SouthFit and is open for all of South America, but I would say 80% of the participants are from Argentina.

 

In 2016 I entered the SouthFit competition with a Masters Team influenced by my brother-in-law who operates two CrossFit Gyms here in Argentina. I finished 800th in the world in the 40-44 age group and in the 2017 competition finished 900th.  I have a two-year goal to finish in the top 500 once I am in the 45 – 49 age group!

 

I’ve been competing for 3 years and may continue for another 3. After that I think I will just do it for fun and to stay in shape.    With 4 kids and their crazy sports schedules, it limits the time I have to train

 

Tomas “Tom” Delgado, Operations Manager Malden

 

I’ve been overweight pretty much all my life. Growing up as a Puerto Rican/American, we had red meat and pork at every meal, and I loved my red meat! By 2011, I had reached a weight of 360 pounds. I went on a diet and lost 32 pounds.

 

Four years ago I got married. My wife and I recently decided it was time to have a family. That got me to thinking about wanting to be around for my future child. I grew up without a father and I do not want that for my family.

 

I went on Google and learned about cleansing. I decided to try a 30 day cleanse. I figured I would lose weight, but I did not anticipate it sparking a real desire to become healthy. I cut out all carbs, meat and alcohol. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. The first weekend we went to a housewarming party and I ate my salad with feta cheese while watching everyone else feasting on ribs,

 

Faith is part of my life, so I asked God to help me. 30 days later I had lost 17 pounds without ever stepping into the gym. This initial 30 days has opened up my eyes to the benefits of being healthy. I have more energy and feel good. I used to drag myself out of bed to be at work at 6 a.m. and then depended on a couple of cups of coffee to get me going. Today I jump out of bed and get to work more energized. I’ve changed my eating habits. I went to the Celtics game recently and only had two beers as opposed to the five I would have had before. I also started cutting my meal portions in half when I eat out. So, to those that believe you have to eat red meat at every meal? I don’t think so, not anymore.

 

Now that I’ve discovered the benefits of eating right, I’m going to keep eating this way. I’m setting my goal to be less than 300 pounds by March of 2018. I want to thank Frankie Granara for motivating me and becoming my informal wellness coach. Cleansing my body sparked a huge change, and I want to keep it up.