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Unshakable Belief in Vitality Wellness Program Keeps

Champ Willie Cortez Inspiring Fellow Teammates

When the Vitality wellness program soda, and sweets.” He also started run-
was first offered to HCP teammates ning twice a week to increase his physi-
five years ago, Willie Cortez, De- cal activity.
partment Assistant, HCP Los Ange-
les, co-led efforts at his site to At the end of January of this year, he
encourage teammates to join the made a re-commitment to taking care of
program. About a year ago Cortez his health. As of February, he had lost 25
began to serve as lead Vitality pounds, and for the first time in his jour-
champ, and his passion for the pro- ney with Vitality, he reached Platinum
gram speaks volumes. status this year.

In addition to the annual health fair The positives he has gained from the
kick-off event, Cortez organizes raf- program are what he wants to help oth-
fles, a twice a year walk/hike at ers achieve. “If I can reach one person in
Legg Lake, and has initiated Weight Willie Cortez with his wife Mary and their sons one week, or in one month, I take that
Jeremy and Nathan at the Walk Now for
A Minute, a group fitness weight as a small victory,” Cortez said. One of
Autism 5K at the Rose Bowl this past April.
training class at his site. When try- the main things he tries to encourage is
ing to reach the 70% Vitality Health Review (VHR) comple- for fellow teammates to complete the VHR, an online
tion goal in the recent Got Points challenge, Cortez health assessment that helps set you on your path to bet-
promised he would do 25 pushups on the spot when any- ter health. “Doing this every year, you see where you are
one completed the VHR (he kept his word and did this and your health results; it’s a great tool to open your eyes.
three times). At lunch time, he and about five other team- It drove me to be more consistent,” Cortez said.
mates regularly engage in some kind of physical fitness ac-
tivity—cardio, core training, abs, weight training, or a run. Others notice and appreciate his dedicated efforts. “Willie
is an excellent Vitality Champion. He leads by example and
Dedication and involvement in the Vitality program has follows through on his commitments,” said Haik Janoian,
been a personal journey for Cortez. When he first started Administrator, HCP Los Angeles. "He promotes exercise
with Vitality years ago, his cholesterol was off, his weight classes, neighborhood runs, and healthy living at the site. I
could have been better, and his blood pressure was a little have seen him finishing his runs at 6:30 a.m. as I drive in to
bit high. At the time, he was playing softball on the week- the parking lot. He has changed his diet by focusing on
ends but that was the extent of his physical activity. By portion control. He is a good motivator and is treasured
starting on the Vitality program, he became more aware of by all teammates.”
what he could do to improve his health.
Recent eligibility changes to the Vitality program stipu-
“I started eating better; this is one of the things that first lated that teammates must be enrolled in a 2015 com-
changes with Vitality,” recalled Cortez, who has been with pany-sponsored medical plan to participate in the
HCP for nine years. “I started packing my own lunch, program. Cortez fell into this category. However, he be-
adding more fruits and vegetables, and I cut out fast food, lieves so strongly in the program and its merits that he