Name: Donna Wilson
Corporation: VANOC
Title/ Role: Executive Vice President – Human Resources, Sustainability and International Client Services

LWHS: Have you always been a fitness enthusiast?
DW: Yes, I’ve always been involved in sports and fitness.

LWHS: What benefits do you feel regular exercise gives you?
DW: For me it gives me more energy – it helps reduce stress. I just generally feel more energetic throughout my day. Also as I get older it’s become more and more important – it keeps me feeling young – more flexible, stronger.

LWHS: When did you start working with a trainer and why?
DW: I only started working with a Personal Trainer in the last 2 years. While I’d always been in active, mostly with self-initiated programs (gyms, running) I had periods where I was falling in and out of it. When I first started in this role- I didn’t have any time for a regimented program. I was walking in the evenings with my husband, but my program had no rigor. I was bored of just going for a run and I wanted to do something that helped me target areas. I had noticed that my core strength wasn’t good and it was impacting running and shoulders – and I needed to strengthen my upper body. Hiring a Personal Trainer gave me the motivation to add strength training to my program and gave me assurance that I was doing it right.

LWHS: What is the experience of being trained like?
DW: Since starting to work with Personal Trainers, I’ve had good trainers and “not so good” trainers. What I’ve found separates the good ones is that they focus on a goal that really suits you. Working with a trainer is really rewarding - seeing that you are getting stronger makes you feel like you are taking care of yourself. It’s quite a privilege to take time to take care of yourself.

LWHS: Why do you continue to work with a trainer?
DW: For me it has a lot to do with getting older- as you get older you really need to work at keeping your body healthy and strong! It’s really important to me to keep fit –not to be super athlete but just to feel good. It not only helps my physical body be strong and flexible, but it also helps my psychological well being. Training regularly helps all of my systems- from mental systems to physical systems. And as we age it takes less time to lose it – so it’s important to stay on track!

LWHS: On a personal note, how have you enjoyed working with LWHS fitness/wellness professionals and practitioners?
DW: I’ve enjoyed it a lot – I find that all of the staff are very professional. My trainer has set a program in place and monitors my progress. She watches closely so she can modify as needed. I also find that they are really flexible. I had one week where I had a back problem and she was flexible to change the plan of what we needed to do that day. And they’re also flexible to work out at different times in the day –which is a saving grace for my schedule!

LWHS: On a corporate note, what do you enjoy about working with LifeWorks?
DW: They really believe that regardless of your fitness experience you can only ensure safety if everyone takes the orientation. What this highlights is what level of importance LifeWorks places on safety. They also make sure that the equipment is always clean and working well. You don’t have things running down- everything is kept top notch. LifeWorks is also very responsive to employee needs. Whether its requests for equipment or classes – they respond. All the feedback I receive is really great!

LWHS: What does LifeWorks bring to your VANOC Wellness Program?
DW: The program isn’t just about fitness; it’s about the whole person – exercise component but also all of the additional services (Nutrition, Chiropractic, Massage, In Chair Massage, etc). This is great because it’s convenient and accessible – which is especially great for employees who are new to town. In addition, LifeWorks makes sure that the people providing the services work at a high standard.

LWHS: What does wellness mean to you?
DW: Wellness is about the whole person – it’s how your feeling physically, and emotionally. It’s about feeling fulfilled in what you’re doing at work. Wellness is all encompassing.

LWHS: What does wellness mean to VANOC as a corporation?
DW: We have employees working on a lot of demanding projects- sometimes long hours and weekends – with that in mind we want to give the employees the sense that VANOC will help them maintain that pace so that they can healthy for themselves and their families. We think about a variety of ways to ensure the well being of our employees. We make available opportunities to volunteer, nutrition, fun experiences for getting more exercise –from volleyball games, riding your bike to work, lunch and learns on nutrition, the full circle.

LWHS: What inspires you to lead a balanced life?
DW: I have a desire to be able to do a lot in life and remain healthy for a long, long time. The way I define balance is that my energy is there for me when I need it to be. Different people have different descriptions of balance. I don’t want to limit my possibilities before my time and that means I need to be healthy, strong and flexible.

LWHS: What is your best piece of wellness advice?
DW: Three things for me - pay attention to what you eat, exercise and challenge your mind. You can’t pay attention to one and not the others. Balance your mind with your body and keep both of them fuelled.