Lorraine Bailey knew she had health problems. We spoke with her about her decision to get help, how she lost weight and gaining confidence in living a healthier lifestyle...
Lorraine Bailey works for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in East Harlem as a Public Health Assistant. Her family history of diabetes motivated her to take steps to become healthier. When she learned about project HEAL (Healthy Eating, Active Lifestyles) from co-workers, she decided it was time to get on track to a more healthy way of life.
Q: Why did you join HEAL?
A: A co-worker told me about it and I started going to the meetings. I needed to learn how to eat right and how to read nutrition labels so that I could choose better food. Diabetes runs in my family so I wanted to get on track with my health so that would not develop it. I am scared to get diabetes and eating right is also good for blood pressure and cholesterol, which were high for me.
Q: What did you learn in the workshops?
A: We learned a lot about portion sizes and easy ways to exercise. For portion sizes, we were given paper plates that were divided to show us how much we should eat at our meals. Half of the plate was for vegetables and the other half was split into two quarters for starches, like rice, and protein, like chicken. We were also given a ½ cup to measure a proper portion size of cooked rice. I also learned to take every opportunity to move my body and exercise. We practiced marching in place and even yoga-type exercises we can do sitting in a chair so there was no excuse not to find some way to exercise, even at the office.
Q: What changes have you made to your daily activities since participating in the program?
A: I eat less fried food and go for a salad instead. I have also cut down on the amount of rice I eat because the starch turns to sugar. I am also more conscious about my portion sizes so I can take one big meal and split it into two meals. I drink a lot more water at work, at least 32 ounces, and even more water when I get home.
About Project HEAL
Project HEAL (Healthy Eating, Active Lifestyles) is a 10 week workshop program that teaches participants about ways to get healthy by eating right and exercising. The program was developed to help Harlem residents lose weight in a comfortable environment where group leaders also try to lose weight. Project HEAL is sponsored by Harlem-based community organizations such as Mount Sinai School of Medicine, North General Hospital and the East Harlem Diabetes Center of Excellence.
