While some participants in the Health Education Center's Fall Weight Loss Challenge are losing inches and shedding pounds, graduate student Sunny Gong hasn't lost weight yet. But while the changes she's making are less physical, they are just as noticeable.
"I went back to China [last summer] to visit my parents, and they were really surprised," she said. "It wasn't like they said ‘you look thinner,' it was like ‘you have more confidence, you look healthier.'"
This year will be Gong's second year in the program. She liked what she learned the first time so much, she decided to participate again. She said one of the most important changes from the program is how much more self-confidence she has, which she believes will help her future career.
Gong believes this will really benefit her as an educational psychologist because she will be attending conferences and making presentations. Having a better self-image will make her more confident and respected in her field, she said.
The first time in the program, Gong lost a few pounds, but this year she hasn't really focused on losing weight. She said what's more important is feeling good about yourself, because having a positive view of yourself lasts a lifetime.
"The reason I am in the program is because I want to be healthy, not just look good," she said.
For Gong, many of the lifestyle changes were less dramatic and more gradual. The program made her realize she needed to start incorporating exercise into her routine and become more aware of what she's eating. Now, when she takes the shuttle to campus, she will get off early and further from her destination to get in a few minutes of walking, she said. She also takes the stairs instead of elevators and stays away from junk food when she goes grocery shopping.
While many of the topics of the program are the same, Gong said there are many ways in which her experience this year is different. She said that this year there is a close bond within the members, and different people have presented the main topics, putting a different spin on them.
Gong said she knows most of the information; she just needed a reminder of what is important. And, even in her second year, she still has misconceptions about what is considered a balanced diet. Julie Sturek, the registered dietician running the program, has helped Gong change some of her unhealthy habits, Gong said.
"In the one-on-one sessions, Julie challenges me," she said. "I was thinking I had a healthy, balanced diet because I paid attention to my sugar intake, but sometimes I overestimated things."
The stresses of being a student can cause the formation of unhealthy eating habits, which is why Gong thinks the program is so helpful.
"The aim of the program is not to lose weight ... it's more like a counseling program," she said. "Some people don't think they need counseling, but everyone has misconceptions about their lives, weight and relationships. There are some programs that make life better and this is one."
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