Beastly’ program generates strong results
Who says employees have to gain weight during the holidays? In a Thanksgiving-Christmas weight maintenance program implemented by MediFit Corporate Services, a Florham Park, NJ-based work site health promotion fitness management firm, 45% of the participants lost at least half a pound.
The program, "Feast Beast," required participants to record their weight once a week for seven weeks. The employees were provided with educational materials and recipes that highlighted low-fat, low-calorie options to encourage them to make better choices during the holiday season.
Other program components included:
• educating participants on the importance of consistent exercise by providing abbreviated workout sessions;
• educating participants about outside activity options that would help them maintain their fitness levels;
• encouraging participants to make healthy promises (resolutions) at the beginning of the new year;
• educating participants on ways to manage and reduce holiday stress.
Here are some of the key program outcomes:
• 172 fitness center members signed up for the program (29% of 595).
• 152 of the participants completed the program (88%).
• 69 participants (45%) lost at least .5 pounds.
• 64 participants (42%) either stayed the same or gained no more than two pounds.
• 13 participants (9%) gained over two pounds.
• Six participants gained over two pounds but lost a considerable amount of percent body fat (weight increase could be attributed to muscle gain).
Program evaluation results included the following:
• 100% agreed or strongly agreed that the program was well organized.
• 100% said they would participate in the program again.
• 98% agreed or strongly agreed that the weigh-ins were helpful incentives to maintain their weight.
• 88% were able to maintain their weight within two pounds of the initial weigh-in.
• 81% agreed or strongly agreed that the information posted in the fitness center was useful.
• 81% agreed or strongly agreed that the e-mail and phone calls were helpful reminders.
• 78% agreed or strongly agreed that they were able to record their weight every week.
• 75% thought the length of the program was just right.
• 61% said they would like to continue weighing in.
Keep realistic expectations
Having realistic expectations for your holiday wellness programming will increase your chances for success, notes Lewis Schiffman, president of Atlanta Health Systems.
"Teach employees to be realistic in their expectations of other people, too," he advises. "Give them this message: It’s your holiday. Celebrate it in a way that’s meaningful to you and your family, even if that means creating new traditions."
Here are some of Schiffman’s "recommendations for realism:"
• Exercise: "Exercise is exceedingly important during this time period," says Schiffman. "The trap here is that people often assume if they can’t get in their normal time and intensity in their workout, then it’s not worth doing it at all. This is both an erroneous and destructive belief. A little of something is better than a lot of nothing. If you can’t make it to the gym, go for a short run and do some calisthenics at home."
• Don’t beat yourself up if you slip: After being self-indulgent at a holiday meal, take the family and friends and go for a walk. And put the leftover food away so that you don’t spend the whole day grazing.
• Find easy alternatives: Instead of meeting your friends and family for drinks or big meals, meet them for a hike or at the gym, or go for a bike ride and a reasonable snack afterwards. You’ll find that conversations without alcohol, sugar, and fat are often more meaningful.
As for wellness coordinators, distribute healthy recipes to your employees; and for office gatherings, encourage people to use healthier ingredients in what they prepare.
"Finally, urge people to create their holiday in a way that’s comfortable and meaningful for them without feeling an obligation to adhere to someone else’s holiday rules," advises Schiffman.
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