Going for Bold: Meritus employee loses 40 pounds

In late 2023, Sandy Alton realized she had a problem.

“My health started declining,” said the community navigator with Meritus Health. “I was gaining a lot of weight. My energy level was bottoming out.”

But things became clear to her in the fall when she and her husband, Greg, got photos taken in Williamsport.

“When I saw those pictures, it made me hit rock bottom,” she recalled. “Had I really gained that much weight?”

Feeling sorry for herself and not knowing what to do, she turned to a program she’d actually been sharing with patients and co-workers: Go for Bold.

“Why not use if for myself?” she asked.

What is Go for Bold?

The Go for Bold initiative was started by Healthy Washington County, a coalition of public and private organizations, including Meritus, with a mission to strengthen the health and wellness of our community and residents.

The initiative was sparked after a Community Health Needs Assessment found Washington County residents had high rates of chronic illness, such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, among others.

The goal of the initiative is to lose 1 million pounds as a community by 2030 by encouraging activity, healthy diet and accountability. So far, more than 163,000 pounds have been lost, according to the program’s online weight tracker.

Hub City Nutrition offers free classes

Alton started by clicking on the link for fitness classes, which advertised a free fit camp held twice a week.

“It was free, and I thought I didn’t have anything to lose,” she said. “I figured if I don’t like it, I just won’t go back.”

Greg Alton, who has had heart surgery himself and needed to get into better shape, agreed to join his wife.

It was at the fitness classes where they met Sheriff “Reef” Taiwo and Jetaine “Jet” Hart who operate Hub City Nutrition.

The couple partnered with Healthy Washington County to offer the free community workouts about two years ago.

“It aligned with our vision of making Hagerstown healthy,” Hart said. “It aligned with our mission and bigger purpose.”

Taiwo and Hart left Prince George’s County for Hagerstown with the goal of making the community healthier. Using statistics compiled by the state, they learned that Washington County was at the bottom of most Maryland counties’ lists when it came to health.

Hub City Nutrition also provides nutrition and wellness coaching. For example, they have a 21-day challenge that is meant to provide accountability along with nutrition coaching by offering meal guides, prizes and workouts. It all fits in with Go for Bold.

‘She has abs at 60’

Hub City Nutrition recently started hosting monthly wellness workshops. This not only offers meal and workout advice, but participants get on the scale to track their progress.

“A lot of people are seeing amazing results,” she said, noting Sandy Alton’s transformation. “She has abs at 60!”

When the Altons took their first class in November 2023, they were amazed.

“We said, ‘We have no idea what the heck we just did, but it was awesome,’” Sandy Alton said. “I’ve lost 40 pounds and my energy is through the roof. I can’t say enough about the good things it’s done for my life.”

To learn more about Go for Bold, visit healthywashingtoncounty.com/goforbold.