SMITHFIELD — Since childhood, Janet Langston has struggled with her weight. While fad diets sometimes helped her shed pounds, she often regained the weight once the restrictions ended.
“I love to eat,” she says. “But for most of my life, food has been off limits.”
Now, at age 75, Langston is four dress sizes smaller than a year ago, can hold a two-minute elbow plank, and can even get down on the floor to play with her granddaughter.
She credits her progress to WIN, the “Wellness Includes Nutrition” class held Tuesdays in the teaching kitchen at HealthQuest Fitness & Wellness Center. With each lesson, she says, she has become more thoughtful, knowledgeable and intentional about what she eats.
Terri Chapman, a registered dietitian, leads the class, covering a healthy-habit topic each week and giving students an at-home challenge. Participants practice what they learn, track results, and share with the group what worked and what didn’t.
All lessons include food facts, practical tips, straightforward advice and encouragement.
Langston says learning to read food labels and control portion sizes has been the most impactful. “In class, you get the tools you need to make your diet work for you, and to eat the foods you like,” she says. Tools include templates for goal setting and meal planning, and a 1-to-10 hunger scale to help recognize when you are hungry and full.
Along the way, Langston has tried new foods such as salmon and an ancient grain called farro, both of which she now enjoys. When she mentioned wanting to try tofu, Chapman cooked it in a stir-fry during class so everyone could taste it. The last Tuesday of each month, Chapman demonstrates a new recipe, such as roasted chickpeas, noting that a homemade version can be much cheaper than packaged alternatives.
Soda boundaries
Dana Turner of Princeton has also found success with WIN. The 54-year-old says the program helped her reduce a daily soda habit. She now drinks flavored water most days, saving her favorite soda for a weekly dinner with her husband.
Both Turner and Langston say the program taught them to set boundaries on “fun” foods rather than avoiding them completely. Chapman emphasizes that labeling foods as off-limits can lead to failure.
“Foods are not evil,” she says. “Calories aren’t the bad guys. Getting to know yourself may uncover that your relationship with food needs healing.”
Walking, step aerobics
As Langston began losing weight and feeling stronger, she increased her activity. Walking in the mall led to a line dance class, then a balance class, and most recently, step aerobics. She also works regularly with a personal trainer.
“When the workouts get too easy, I switch to something more challenging,” she says. “It’s my goal to build enough strength and mobility to get around and do the things I want when I’m 100.”
Since losing weight, Langston’s knees feel better, and her blood test results have improved. Turner, who now swims regularly at HealthQuest, has lost 40 pounds in the past year and says she feels healthier overall. Even her dentist noticed improvements in her teeth.
WIN is a rolling program. Students can enroll at any time for 12 or 24 weeks, and Langston and Turner sometimes return for new ideas or encouragement. Chapman finds it rewarding to see participants embrace healthy habits.
“When you know better, you can do better,” she says. “It’s a win.”
Want to eat like a registered dietician?
Terri Chapman also hosts monthly “eat with me” sessions in the HealthQuest teaching kitchen. Recently, she prepared chicken and vegetable burritos while participants watched, asked questions, and later served themselves. The $15 class emphasizes simple recipes and practical tips.
“Busy people need to figure out how to eat well,” Chapman says. “Use veggies such as sweet potatoes, kale and spinach everywhere you can. These high nutrient veggies don’t impart a strong flavor, and they will fill you up.”
For more information or to register for WIN, call 919-938-7581. Classes meet Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
