You’re not too busy. Really.
Connecticut’s financial services industry took me away from my native Delaware. I came to Hartford alone, just a few years out of college as a young go-getter. Every ounce of energy went to work. Long hours? No problem. But I left my energy at the office. If it wasn’t work, it went by the wayside — exercise included. I was obese, and working 50-plus hours a week at a demanding job, I fell into the “I’m too busy” trap. My health suffered for it. But a three-day, 60-mile cancer walk changed my life.
 I had signed up to participate in the walk before relocating. I returned to Philadelphia for the event, and found that even with the pre-event training I’d done, it was a painful experience. But I did it. I walked 60 miles. When I crossed the finish line, I could not have imagined that two years later, there would be 85 pounds less of me, that I’d be teaching kickboxing, spinning, and Zumba at the YMCA, and that I would be an example to hundreds of Hartford residents looking to make the same kind of changes that I did.
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My Motivation
Though I’d struggled with weight all of my life, pushing through that walk gave me a new belief in what I could do, and here in Hartford, I found people who believed in me, too. I realized that “I’m too busy” was an excuse, and that my health and happiness depended on my own motivation and follow-through.
 I exercised faithfully, though not fanatically — and ate healthier. I didn’t need pills, I didn’t need surgery. All I needed was my own motivation, and the realization that I’m not too busy.
 Obesity is commonplace in the Hartford Metro area. Almost 60 percent of us are overweight or obese. In Hartford’s North End, where poverty is commonplace, the obesity rate is even higher.
 My own positive experience in making time to become healthy led me to leave my financial services career and begin a new one with the new Wilson-Gray YMCA Youth & Family Center, where I serve as senior director of membership and marketing. I’m finally using my experience in a career for which I have a great deal of passion. My blood pressure? Normal. Aches and pains associated with my weight? Gone. Nights spent in exhaustion? Over. I’m working more hours than ever before — and my energy level has never been higher. On a personal note, I’m a happy newlywed — just married in December.
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Weight Loss Story
Today I’m sharing my experience with others. I use my weight loss as a spring board to help families overcome their health issues. Many people seeking a healthier lifestyle simply don’t know where to start. They say they don’t have time. One look at my “before” picture lets them know that lifestyle changes will yield results.
 While I have a weight loss story to share, I know that there are other success stories out there too. Among Hartford’s professionals, there are men and women who struggled to pay for their educations. There are parents who at one time or another couldn’t find adequate care for their children. There are other people like me who found a way to overcome health or weight issues. The key to all of these success stories? Motivation, hard work, and time.
 Success stems from motivation and the belief in what you can do. Starting in January, we’ll be inviting volunteers to join our efforts at the YMCA. This New Year, resolve to make a difference in someone’s life — even your own. You’re not too busy.
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Susan Verrillo is senior director of membership and marketing at the Wilson-Gray YMCA Youth and Family Center in Hartford.
