Pleasant Grove Mother Wins 100-Day Heart Challenge

June 2 — PROVO — Barb Clarine, a 57-year-old mother from Pleasant Grove, has been known to drop out of a game if it looks like she won’t win. That same competitive spirit may be what took her to the top of the 2009 Intermountain Healthcare 100-Day Heart Challenge.

Clarine has been named the winner of this year’s Challenge, proving again that lifestyle changes can result in significant improvements in a person’s heart health. Not only did she improve in all the areas that are risk factors for heart disease, Clarine also lost 10 percent in her body fat and 27.5 pounds.
Fifteen women, age 30 and above, started the Intermountain-sponsored Challenge in the middle of February with the goal of improving each of the 12 factors that determine overall heart health. Personalized exercise and diet plans, weekly nutrition classes and weekly sessions with a trainer helped them achieve that goal.

At the beginning of the Challenge, Barb’s numbers looked like this (with preferred ranges listed in parenthesis):
Total cholesterol – 270 (< 180)
HDL – 67 (> 45)
LDL – 161 (< 100)
Triglycerides – 214 (< 150)
Chol/HDL – 4.1 (4.5 to 1 or less)
Glucose – 125 (<100)
Pulse – 88 (60 to 80)

Now, 100 days later, her numbers are much better:
Total cholesterol – 188
HDL – 56
LDL – 114
Triglycerides – 95
Chol/HDL – 3.4
Glucose – 105
Pulse – 61

“I’m just so thankful for this opportunity,” says Clarine, who happens to be neighbors with the winner of the 2008 100-Day Heart Challenge. “Shelly (last year’s winner) came by the morning the results were announced to wish me good luck. I guess it worked.”

Carma Beaumont, of Orem, took 2nd place in the Challenge, taking her total cholesterol from 259 to 144; triglycerides from 590 to 159; and her chol/HDL ratio from 10.8 to 5.4. Beaumont’s glucose also went from 334 to 144 and she also lost 4.5 inches around her waist, 3.7 percent in her body and 14.5 pounds. Several of the experts helping with the Challenge had many concerns about Beaumont’s health when she started and they’re glad to see she’s no longer “a walking heart attack.”

Mandy Swallow, of Provo, took 3rd place, lowering her total cholesterol from 191 to 161; LDL from 126 to 94; triglycerides from 134 to 90 and chol/HDL ratio from 4.9 to 3.3. She also lost 4.75 inches from her waist, 3.6 percent in her body fat and 24.5 pounds.

The other 12 women who took place in the Challenge include:

Sherry Casper – Orem 
Karen Tapahe – Orem
Terri Kurz – Orem
Cressant Page – Orem
Kathryn Bankhead – Provo
Joanne Hall – Orem
Shauna Kelly-Ward – Orem
Marcia Hilton – Spanish Fork
Sharlene Skidmore – Alpine
Lynda Monson – Pleasant Grove
Sandi Bennett – Orem
Dalene Hurst – Spanish Fork

For the first time since it began three years ago, there will be a second 100-Day Heart Challenge for employees of Intermountain Healthcare’s Urban South Region. The 14 women who were selected for this first Employee 100-Day Heart Challenge weighed in on Monday morning and will be participating throughout the summer. Their names are listed below:

Becky Hilliker – American
Esther Strong – Salem
Gudrun Seager – Provo 
Lorraine Beaumont – Provo 
Michelle Baum – Springville
Rebecca Johnson – Provo
Sherrie Roseman – Lehi 
Brooke Frost – Provo
Gena Sorensen – Orem
Karen Batty – Orem
Marilyn McLay – Springville
Monica Sage – Mona
Penny Park – American Fork
Sherry Berry – Spring City