Millions of people struggle with weight and digestive issues like heartburn every single day—and these problems can feel overwhelming. However, access to proper gut-health guidance can make a tremendous difference by providing accountability and support to develop healthy habits.
In this blog, one of our GIThrive members shares her relatable story of how her health improved by working closely with our experienced Care Team.
Meet Lizette
Like most success stories, Lizette’s story started because she had a clear desire to reach a specific target. About one year ago, Lizette decided to become a GIThrive member because she had a personal goal: She wanted to establish healthy habits before her 30th birthday.
Prior to making a decision to take control of her wellness, Lizette’s normal routine included eating fast food and takeout almost every day. As time went on she felt the effects of her less-than-ideal eating habits. “I had gained a significant amount of weight. I was tired of feeling lethargic and always being woken up at night because of my acid reflux,” she says.
After learning of GIThrive through her employer and signing up, Lizette connected with GIThrive Care Team members to get a baseline understanding of her challenges and overall goals. Before long she met with GIThrive dietitian Megan, who helped her develop small goals to get started on her journey.
“First, it was cutting down on the amount of times I would go out to eat. Megan also taught me how to be more aware of restaurant menus and how to pick healthier options,” says Lizette. She began cooking at home more often and bringing her lunch to work. Megan also helped her identify specific foods that would trigger her acid reflux, and how to avoid them in her diet.
“Integrating small goals has made a huge impact on my life. I did not feel overwhelmed because they were so small and very attainable. Before I knew it, those small goals made positive change in my life.”
Feeling Healthy, Inside and Out
Over the past year, Lizette says she’s taken full advantage of GIThrive’s health and nutrition coaching to make changes, learn more about her own health and ultimately feel better overall. “I finally feel like I can accomplish anything I want in life. I did not realize how my health impacted the rest of my life. Accomplishing these goals has made me more confident, and that confidence has transferred outside of my physical health.”
On top of that, Lizette says GIThrive “catapulted” her weight loss. “The weekly check-ins that I schedule with Megan have made me accountable and held me to my word,” she says. “Now that I’ve lost about 40 pounds, I feel like I can do anything that I set my mind to. I already have some ideas as to what hobbies I want to start participating in. I’m really excited.”
One piece of advice Lizette has for anyone with a digestive condition or who struggles to make difficult health/lifestyle changes: be patient–especially with yourself. “Change takes time and is very gradual. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself. So make small changes that are sustainable and that will be a part of your life forever,” she says.
Why GIThrive Made a Difference
Most adults are at least vaguely aware of health and wellness recommendations to help manage health conditions and feel better: eat well, be more active, and develop healthy habits like getting enough sleep and managing stress. Where most people run into issues is in actually implementing those recommendations.
Modern life is hectic, busy, stressful and even full of anxiety and uncertainty. Just the notion of changing familiar habits—even if those habits are less than healthy—can be overwhelming and unclear. There’s no shortage of digestive and nutrition products, supplements, exercise messaging and trending diets.
With GIThrive, people can cut through the noise and get individualized support for what they need to cultivate improved gut health. GIThrive provides education, resources and one-on-one guidance to its members. And that new knowledge is what Lizette says really made a difference.
“Before GIThrive, I had no idea how to eat properly to nurture my body. Every week that I speak with Megan, I gain a little more knowledge and skills to live a healthier life,” she says.
“These are tools that I will use for the rest of my life. I am very grateful for this program and so happy that I joined. I encourage everyone to take advantage of it and join. I guarantee there will be no regret!”
Everyday, members like Lizette log in to GIThrive thanks to their employers and find resources and support to improve their painful, expensive and difficult digestive health conditions. For more information on how it works and why it works, click below.
