MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) — More than one-third of the Mid-South battles obesity, putting residents at higher risk for heart disease, cancer and other life-threatening conditions, according to Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare’s most recent Community Health Needs Assessment.
It’s a challenge Methodist wants to meet head-on through its Healthier 901 initiative. And for a third year in a row, one East Memphis chef is proving change is possible — because she’s living it herself.
At Perch 74 Bistro, Chef Ragan Phillips has spent years feeding the city one plate at a time. But if you saw her Healthier 901 story a year ago, you’ll notice something different about her today.
“I was not in a healthy space physically or mentally because of the amount of weight that was on me,” Phillips said.
The wake-up call came in January, during a physical at a routine doctor’s visit.
“They said, ‘We can’t let you do this test. Your blood pressure is too high,’” Phillips said. “I was afraid that my heart was going to stop. I was scared.”
That scare became a turning point. Phillips hired a personal trainer, leaned on her doctor’s guidance, and began losing weight — not quickly, but deliberately.
“Gosh, I am at 43 pounds. 43 pounds down, and I can’t believe it,” Phillips said.
Chef Ragan Phillips(Action News 5)
But she says the number on the scale was never really the point.
“I can’t be a hypocrite,” Phillips said. “I want to make sure that when I’m on that stage and I’m telling you about how you can make small changes to yield big impact, that I’m doing the same thing that I’m asking you to do.”
Phillips says the biggest mistake people make when chasing a healthier lifestyle is expecting overnight results. Instead, she’s built her own success on small, sustainable changes — the same ones she’ll share with the Mid-South at this year’s Healthier 901 Fest.
It’s a lesson she says she learned the hard way.
“We’re in a microwave world,” Phillips said. “I need to be skinny this weekend — that’s the world we live in. You got to stop it. You got to cool it.”
Phillips will bring that message back to Shelby Farms Park on Saturday, when Methodist Le Bonheur hosts the fourth annual Healthier 901 Fest. The event is free, and so is parking.
“Free is always good in this economy, but it’s also fun,” Phillips said.
This year’s Fest also features a non-competitive one-mile walk and a timed 4K run, alongside cooking demos, fitness activities and health screenings.
“How can you beat Shelby Farms on a Saturday morning? It’s the most beautiful backdrop of this city,” Phillips said. “So come out, bring your family.”
For Chef Ragan, it’s a mission that started in her own kitchen — and one she hopes spreads across the Mid-South.
You can catch Chef Ragan’s cooking demo in the air-conditioned Kroger tent during Healthier 901 Fest. To find the full schedule, and register for the walk or run, click here.
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