What is your name, and what condition-specific team do you work on?
Name: Larry Pettaway Jr.
Team: Cardiometabolic Team 1
Background: Healthcare/Global Health
Why do you work at Pack Health? What’s your favorite part of your job? Where do you get your inspiration?
I work at Pack Health because It also allows me to stay health-conscious! My favorite part of the job is helping members achieve their goals! My inspiration comes from being in environments where health and wellness were not necessarily promoted, so to see the importance of taking care of yourself helps me stay motivated!
What’s your favorite healthy food and why? Share a recipe with us!
My favorite healthy food at the moment is cauliflower pizza! I love it because it proves that I don’t have to cut out the things I love, just find lower-calorie alternative ingredients to make it! This is one of my favorite recipes from Jo and Sue.
What’s your favorite way to stay active, and why?
My favorite way to stay active is to lift weights! Growing up, most of my free time was devoted to sports. Strength training is something that I stuck with.
How else do you practice self-care?
Deep tissue massage or hot yoga
What advice would you have for someone just starting the program?
Eat to live, don’t live to eat. Don’t wait until a life-threatening event occurs to make efforts towards lifestyle changes. We are making lifestyle changes, not trying out new temporary diets.
Share your favorite member story with us!
I have a ton, but my favorite member story is from a time I was engaging a member that was homeless. This member was on the verge of giving up on life because nothing seemed to be going their way. A few uplifting gestures and simply being present helped them build their confidence to choose to make healthy lifestyle changes. Resources were very low, but we managed to work through it. I was not going to allow them to use that as an excuse! No barrier is too big when it comes to choosing a healthier life and I was determined to help this person, whatever it took.
After a few weeks, we went from drinking 9 sodas and snack cakes a day, to incorporating water, fruits, and vegetables! We managed to shed 15 pounds that first month and drastically improve mental health! The most important accomplishment was lowing blood pressure and cholesterol. That just goes to show that all you need is determination to reach your goals, not fancy resources.
