Savings Times 2

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County competition yields 1,500 pounds of weight loss

Savings times 2

Wallet & waistline

“We are two months into the competition and seeing terrific results. These nearly 200 people have collectively lost 1,519 pounds and 226 inches in their waists. Heart rates and blood pressure also are moving into a healthier range for many folks.”

In our last issue, I wrote about health and wellness trends and teaching our children about staying active and healthy eating. This time, I want to introduce you to a group of people that are leading our young people that will benefit all the employees, not just those participating in this competition. There is one county that is looking into utilizing some — and all of us — by example.

We have a group of almost 200 county government employees that have taken on the challenge of creating a healthy lifestyle for themselves. You could call them “big losers,” and they probably wouldn’t take offense at all. Becky Comet Our “losers” have teamed up for a weight loss competition. AAC Member Benefits Manager But this isn’t just any weight loss competition. We are not just interested in that number on the scale. We also have incorporated blood pressure, heart rate and waist circumference. Furthermore, we have made this a sixmonth commitment. This extended time frame gives people time to break old habits and create some new, healthier ones. This is about lifestyle changes, not a diet. The word diet implies that there is an end at some point, and then we can go back to whatever we did before. Well, whatever we did before got us where we are now. This group of “losers” wants to make those long-term changes that will have a positive impact on their health and well-being for many years to come.

At this writing, we are two months into the competition and seeing terrific results. These nearly 200 people have collectively lost 1,519 pounds and 226 inches in their waists. Heart rates and blood pressure also are moving into a healthier range for many folks. One beautiful young lady told me that she was diagnosed with diabetes last year. She has been trying to change habits and lose weight but having a difficult time. She says her support group of “losers” has been just the source of encouragement that she needed. She’s doing so well that recently her doctor took her off her oral medication for diabetes. She is controlling it with healthy eating and exercise. AMAZING!

In an effort to step things up a little, we were able to purchase pedometers for all our participants with a grant from the Arkansas Blue & You Foundation. Starting in May, we will have a “losers” step competition. The team with the highest average number of steps for a month will win a traveling trophy in May, June and July.

Our county folks are thinking about making changes unused space for an exercise room, much like Pulaski County did a few years ago. Another county has turned a very small, almost closet-like space into a workout area with a small exercise trampoline and some elastic bands. A little bit of space, some donated or low-cost used equipment, and you have a way for people to increase their activity before, after and even during the workday using their break times. People are thinking outside of the box to help their employees and coworkers become healthier. Statistics show a healthier workforce leads to a happier work environment, more productive offices and lowered health care costs. Arkansas is ranked the third most obese state in the country behind Mississippi and Louisiana. Obesity and obesity-related diseases are a huge concern in this state and, therefore, in our counties. However, the goal of this “competition” from the beginning has been much more than weight loss. This is not about losing a few pounds so you have the bragging rights of winning. This is about making the healthy lifestyle a habit. At this point, our teams are set, and the competition is in full swing. However, if you are not on a team you can still participate. Your numbers will not count for your team, but they will count for you. Find out who is on the “loser” team in your county and join them. The camaraderie and encouragement of a group is so important to the process. You may be thinking, “I’m just not ready to starve myself and sweat my rear end off in the gym.” To that let me say that learning to make the healthy choices 80 to 90 percent of the time will make a big difference. Drink more water. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Take a walk. A 15- to 30-minute walk is just as productive as a mile run, physically and mentally. You can do this. It is not going to happen overnight. This is a marathon, not a sprint. The important thing is to do something ... for the health of it.