A Healthy Lifestyle Works

The Contestants

Lisa Bourdeau

“I am turning 50 this year and I want to be healthy and active and take care of me before I have some real health issues.”

Lisa is 49 and a single mother of a 14 year old son. She lives in Newburyport and commutes to work in Burlington. While she grew up slim, that changed when she got older and now finds it tough to exercise because of her knees. She has done the dieting and training, and now wants a way to enjoy physical activity, eat healthy and reduce her stress with greater success, so she can have more energy and more fully enjoy her life.

Maureen Willey

“I’m excited about the possibility of learning how to incorporate healthy choices into my life so fully that I won’t revert to old unhealthy habits. I’ve tried many times, but never successfully made long-term change. I am ready and super motivated to finally change my life.”

Maureen is 54 and lives in Salisbury with her husband. She works in the healthcare field and knows the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, yet finds that it isn’t so easy to do. She’s done diets, had a trainer, and even had success with healthy eating, fitness and weight loss for periods of time. But then something happens that interrupts her new routines, and she finds herself inactive and turning to food. She’s ready to stop her life-long pattern of yo-yo dieting and stop-and-go exercise to be happier and healthier.

Sharon Clark

“I am now so aware of the quickening of my earthly time, I want to make drastic, yet slow and healthy lifestyle changes and stop the cycle of procrastination and failure.”

Sharon is 55 and lives with her college-age daughter in Amesbury. Sharon is getting to the age where she knows it is important to find a way to exercise regularly, eat healthier and create a healthier lifestyle. Yet she struggles to find enjoyment in cooking and exercise, and wishes there was an easier way to make healthier choices. What she looks forward to is walking long distances in the woods, feeling better physically and embracing self-care. She’s now ready to make a long-term lifestyle change.

Eric Hoover

“My wife is also participating in one of the other Healthy Lifestyle groups, which makes it much easier when planning meals and activities and going out to dinner. We are both now focused on a healthier lifestyle.”

Eric is 57 and lives with his wife in Newburyport. They have six adult kids, and are now enjoying the freedom of down-sizing and living in a vibrant, social community with lots of great restaurants and activities. He enjoys cooking, eating well and having his beer, and wants to find a way to better manage portions and make healthier choices. He also wants to get back into shape after having knee surgery, but figuring out how to fit exercise into his schedule and minimizing impact to his other bad knee is challenging. Now that he’s motivated to change, he is optimistic about what he can do.

Tim Lamprey

“I am looking forward to returning to a thinner and fitter version of myself.”

Tim is 58 and lives in Byfield with his girlfriend, now that his two grown kids have moved on. He owns a plant nursery and is on his feet most of the day, which is challenging with neuropathy and chronic knee pain. Skinny until his early 40s, he knows he would feel better if he lost some weight by eating healthier and being more consistent with exercising. He is also at risk for heart disease and diabetes, which further motivates him to make lifestyle changes. What he looks forward to is feeling motivated, healthier and energized. He’s tired of feeling tired.

Cheryl Morris

“For me, participating in this healthy lifestyle contest is right because both my blood sugars and blood pressure are up, and I want to correct this through proper eating and exercise.”

Cheryl is 50 and lives with her husband and daughter in Newburyport. She wants to be healthier, more active and be a positive role model for her 18 year old daughter. She now recognizes, after doing dozens of diets that the quick fix to weight loss won’t work. While she is somewhat limited by a neurological disorder, she knows it is possible to be active in a way she can tolerate and live with. She also is ready to gain control over her eating habits and emotional eating, while making herself more of a priority.

Michael O’Connell

“I have long called myself the “human yo-yo”, due to the many attempts at losing weight. Now I have come to realize that it’s not about the weight, but about living a healthy lifestyle, combining a healthy weight, fitness and care of my self. If it is to be, it’s up to me. And believe me, it is going to be!”

Michael is a married 52 year old father of 2 grown daughters in college. He runs a local business in Newburyport and, after 9/11 and again with the recession, he’s been dealing with a great deal of stress at work. He finds he turns to food and doesn’t find the time for exercise, which has taken a toll on his health and fitness. He longs to be healthy, have less pain and get back to being active as he once was. He looks forward to being in shape to run, hike and ski, getting a better handle on his food and dealing more effectively with the stresses of life. He’s ready to reclaim his life and well-being.

Debbie Tateosian

“The 2-year commitment of this contest is exactly what I need. I would love to finally lose weight permanently and live a healthy life so I can be a good role model for my kids.”

Debbie is a 39 year old mother of two young children and lives in Groveland. She has always struggled with her weight and now finds herself lacking enough energy and stamina to do all she wants to do. She wants to be healthy, feel great again, be active with her children and get back to playing sports, such as tennis. Her struggle is sticking with an exercise routine long enough to get back into shape and finding a way to prepare healthy foods and get a handle on managing portions.

The group is shy about being photographed understandably, but we are working on that.