With parents and grandparents who lived into their 90s, Roz Hutchinson should have a leg up on longevity.
As she neared 70, her physical condition told a different story.
“I had the genetics, but I didn’t have the lifestyle to do the same,” Hutchinson said.
She does now. Since the beginning of 2023, Hutchinson has shed 55 pounds, built muscle mass and cardiovascular capacity and generally transformed her body. She’s done it through exercise, eating better and paying careful attention to her health.
Hutchinson, a Wichita native, carved a successful career in the marketing and communications field that didn’t include much time for self-care. “It wasn’t my bosses or employers saying I couldn’t do that. It was me not making it a priority.”
Other things were beyond her control. During the first couple years of this decade, she lost three family members, saw her husband, Tom, diagnosed with cancer, and even managed to run over herself with her own car when it jumped out of gear.
At that point, she said, “I decided to control the things I could.”
Hutchinson had been neglecting her medication and blood sugar monitoring for Type 2 diabetes. Her first move was to meet with her physician and pharmacist regarding her blood sugar level, which hovered in the danger zone. “Together, we set some goals. I was going to get my A1C (average glucose level) down below 7 percent” — the point where blood vessel damage can start.
She began wearing a continuous glucose monitor, which gives real-time tracking of blood sugars, letting her see the impact of what she was eating. “At the same time I saw my blood sugar was coming down, so was my weight.”
Competitive by nature, Hutchinson set a new goal. “I decided to go to classes seven days a week. I was going to carve out one hour a day for self-care.”
At the time, Hutchinson was still working full-time. Her employer and co-workers were supportive. The Y classes, far from seeming like a chore to be gotten through, left her invigorated and with a phone full of new friends she was taking classes with. For nine months, she didn’t a miss a day at the Y before stomach flu briefly sidelined her.
Having already surpassed her weight-loss target, Hutchinson decided on a new goal: build more muscle mass by trying some of the Y’s land-based classes.
“The first time I did muscle pump class I thought I was going to die. But I stayed to the end. By the next time, I did a little more than survive. By the third or fourth time, I discovered I really liked it.”
Hutchinson believes adjusting her goals as she went along, rather than setting unrealistic ones in the beginning, has helped her succeed. She’s gone from being unable to do a single jumping jack to doing 25, from being unable to do a push-up to doing three sets of 10.
She’s now tried 28 different types of classes offered by the Y. She has “maybe six or seven favorite instructors” whose classes she’s a regular in.
“I do a lot of strength building and much more intensive cardio,” she said. “I’m doing step and boxing and pilates and lift classes and barre.”
Courtesy photo
Rather than set unrealistic goals at the start of her fitness journey, Roz Hutchinson gradually increased them as she progressed.
Hutchinson mostly works out at the downtown, west and east YMCAs and visits the Andover and south branches during the summer for their outdoor pools. She’s become involved in several passion projects since her retirement, so if there’s a conflict with one of them, a family obligation or social event, she consults the Y’s app to find a class at one of the other eight area locations.
Oh, and she walks her dogs twice a day. “Even my dogs have slimmed down,” she said.
Hutchinson said switching to one of the new diabetes medications at the beginning of her wellness journey undoubtedly helped “cut the food noise” that led to overeating. But, she added, eating healthier — such as ingesting more protein and fewer carbs — comes almost naturally with exercise. “You start listening to your body. Suddenly you just really have the desire to make better choices.”
Hutchinson’s most recent doctor’s visit showed an A1C level of 5.3, which is good for somebody who doesn’t have diabetes, and a note from her doctor saying “your labs are beautiful.”
This spring, she took a nine-day trip to Portugal, complete with “a lot of walking I never hvae been able to keep up wtih.” Then there are her six grandchildren to keep up with.
At the urging of Y staff, she’s working on getting certified to teach a SilverSneakers exercise class for older adults. And she won’t make the mistake of ignoring her own health again.
“It’s really about making a commitment to yourself, being very specific about what you’re going to do, and deciding that you deserve that self-care.”
About the YMCA
Each Greater Wichita YMCA offers more than 75 group exercise classes, which are free with the price of a membership. Membership price varies according to type; assistance is available based on income. Some health coverage plans cover the cost of a membership. Visit or call a YMCA for more information.
