Winston Salem WellnessWinston Salem Wellness – Winston Salem Health Promotion

With so many diet and exercise options out there it can be complex to decide on the best weight loss plan to use. Choosing a weight reduction program is no easy but you are able to make a sensible selection if you your goals and your lifestyle before jumping into what you may think is the best weight loss plan for you.

First of all you need to consider the core of your weight problem. Do you want to drop ten or twenty pounds? Are you fighting a life long obesity Is your size associated with a recent pregnancy? Does unhappiness or frame of mind negatively affect your weight? In order to find the finest weight loss option, it is crucial that you consider the basis of your problem.

Depression is a grave matter. Rather than trying to find the weight loss plans to use, a person who is depressed is better off to examine his or her condition. This person may find that once the depression is treated, the pounds melt away. Treating the depression itself is often the paramount weight loss plan available.

Someone who wants to drop some vanity pounds after giving birth would want to take a very different methodology than someone who needs to lose a lot of weight that she has been carrying around for a lengthy time. The best weight loss for one person might not be the best for another. The new mum could from taking on a four week fat burning exercise program while the lifelong heavy problem will need medical treatment. Speaking of medical intervention, be sure that you talk to your physician about the top weightloss program for you. You can save a lot of time and effort by simply asking your physician about which program would be best for you. Your physician can help you start off in the best direction. You physician can also suggest whether you should start and exercise program.

The best weight loss scheme for a lot of people is to simply start a rational exercise routine. You may find that you don’t really need to diet as long as you increase your activity. Others would not benefit from the exercise approach. Some people are not healthy enough to engage in many fitness programs while others can hurt to themselves if they engage in difficult activity. It is always a good idea to talk to your physician about the paramount weight loss package for your requirements and lifestyle.

A Workplace Health Promotion Program without objectives and goals is somewhat akin to taking a family trip without any planning; you won’t know where you’re going, how to get there, what you want to do once you have arrived, or even whether or not you have arrived!  The trip may end up ok, or it may end up disastrously.  Yet, with a bit of thoughtful planning, you increase your chances for a efficacious experience.  Clear objectives and goals are required to plan your wellness program in order to ensure success!

Wellness program objectives and goals are different from one business to another depending on the population, needs, interests and resources.  Still, well thought out objectives based on your company’s needs assessment will form the foundation of a efficacious wellness program!

Company Wellness Program Mission Statement

The first consideration is a mission statement for your Company Wellness Program. The mission statement is the overall expression of what the Company Wellness Program Committee wants to accomplish by launching a wellness program.  It is significant to consider how your Company Wellness Program fits in with the organization mission statement, contributes to the overall mission and supports the organization bottom line.  This will integrate your efforts throughout the organization operations.  

Here are some examples of Company Wellness Program mission statements:

“At XYZ Corporation, maintaining an environment that supports employee health and safety is our underlying value.  It is the mission of the Worksite Wellness Program to support  in planning Worksite Wellness Program services that fosters and upholds that value.”

“It is the mission of the XYZ Workplace Wellness Program Committee to advance healthier lifestyle choices to decrease health risk factors, better central wellbeing, and maintain a productive, active work force.”

Company Wellness Program Goals

The goals further define your mission and are based on your needs assessment.  Depending on the needs assessment, management expectations and employee interests, examples of goals can include:

The goal(s) of XYZ Workplace Wellness Program in year XXXX is to:  (one or more of the following examples)

• Reduce absenteeism by one day per employee
• Cut down on musculoskeletal injuries by 10 percent
• Decrease unnecessary emergency room visits
• Lower or contain medical care costs
• Improve dietary habits of employees
• Cut down on health risk factors  

Employee Health Promotion Program Objectives

Specific Employee Wellness Program objectives help meet your long-term objectives.  Both short term and long term objectives must be developed as the stepping stones to accomplish the objectives.  In addition to objectives for the expected participant outcomes, process objectives must also be developed for the program process itself.  For example, process objectives may include how many staff members you want to take part in the programs, how many sessions on a topic will be provided, the type of wellness sessions that will be implemented, etc.

Objectives need to be easily measurable within a set time frame.  Try using the SMART formula to establish both your long and short-term goals:

• Specific (one behavior or outcome)
• Measurable (one result that can be inspected or evaluated),
• Attainable (but also challenging),
• Realistic (do you have the resources to achieve?), and
• Time specific (within 3 months – up to 5 years)  

This is the who, what, when, where, why, and by how much method.  By way of example, the mission for a weight loss program that has an overriding objective of improving healthy eating and promoting a healthy weight is that:

Participants (who) will lose an average of .5 – 1 lbs per week (specific what that is measurable) at the end of the 12 week lunchtime program (time specific what, when and where) for a minimum of 6 lbs weight loss per participant (attainable and realistic).

Or:

Members (who) will go to 11 of the 12 sessions (specific what that is measurable) and name at least one healthier eating change at the end of the program (specific what, when, where)

An example of an intention for coaching workers with high cholesterol might be:

To lower the total cholesterol (specific what) of high risk workers with cholesterol over 240 mg/dl (specific who) to 200 mg/dl (measurable how much) through one-on-one counseling sessions provided at the worksite (where) by X date (ex, after 6 months) (attainable, realistic & time specific when) to lower the risk factor for heart disease (why).  

And one last example of a process objective for a smoking cessation program with an overall intention to assist  participants in committing to quit for life:

By the end of the 4-week smoking cessation program, ten% of the participants will have quit smoking.  Each attendant will be contacted at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months from the program’s end to determine quit status (process goal) and ten% of those who quit will still be tobacco-free after one year.

You have now completed Steps 1 through 4, including instituting your Corporate Health Promotion Program Committee.  It is now time to plan your wellness activities!

Getting fit is a lifestyle. And like any lifestyle, it comes with it’s own special set of social rules and folkways. to be certain you are being as courteous to your fellow exercisers as possible while you are working out at the gym, here are several of the basics of gym etiquette.

1. Clean Up After Yourself

Working out it sweaty business, and no one expects your sweat to magically avoid the bench when you are doing sets of incline presses. So when you are done with any machine, be certain to wipe down any traces of your sweat afterwards. This is why it’s crucial to always come to the gym with a clean, dry towel.

2. Everything in its right place

Just because you are able to do a ton of weight on the leg press, doesn’t mean that the next person will be able to. Be sure to always put weights back where you found them, and reset the settings on any machine you use.

3. Be Extra Aware During Busy Hours

Ideally, you ought to try to go to gym when it’s less jam packed, but if an individual schedule simply does not allow for this, try to be extra courteous to your extra gym goers. If you are using a machine, let others do a set in-between your sets. Of course, this isn’t always possible, especially if you use a different weight than the next person in line, but do it when you can. You should also avoid using an elliptical, stationary bike, or treadmill for additional than twenty minutes. Indeed, some gyms have time limits on using cardio machines during summit hours to make certain everyone gets a turn.

4. Don’t Be Too Loud

The gym can be a fairly rustling place by itself. Sometimes weights are clanging together, music is pumping through the speakers, TVs are blaring in front of treadmills, and an aerobics instructor barks orders in some out of the way room. Still, some people find ways to make themselves heard above the white noise, usually in the form of grunting loudly or speaking on your cell phone. If you have to make noises like a boar going in for a kill, maybe you are lifting too much weight. There’s nothing wrong with straining yourself on those last couple of reps, ( in fact, depending upon your fitness goals, that actually might be ideal) but grunting loudly on every rep is distracting and will make you the gym pariah very quickly. There’ s also nothing wrong with having a conversation, but a lot of people scream into their cell phone to try and be heard above the din. Take your call outside that way the person on the phone can hear you and your fellow exercisers can’t.

5. Cover Up In the Locker Room

When you’re done showering, make certain to cover up with a towel. Some people think that because they’re only among their own gender, they have license to walk around naked freely. But for the sake of the comfort of everyone else, it’s best to just wrap a towel around yourself when you can.

Before you start drafting your Company Health Promotion Program you need to know where you are now and then decide where you want to go.  Completing a thorough needs assessment is vital to the performance of your wellness program for two reasons:  First it ensures that your Company Health Promotion Program activities will be targeted to meet your company’s specific needs so that outcomes have the potential to be achieved.  Secondly the needs assessment supplies the information you will need to evaluate the effectiveness of your wellness program.

It is often tempting to rush the assessment – especially when time is short or those with experience already have an idea of needs.  Do not give in to this temptation!  It is vital that you know what your business needs are, what upper management expects, and what employees want as well as expect, before you create a Workplace Health Promotion Program.  

Consider and gather data on:

• Employee Demographic Information
• Employee Health Risk Factors
• Medical Claims
• Injury Rates & Causes
• Workers’ Compensation Claims
• Short and Long Term Disability Claims
• Absenteeism
• Corporation Culture Audits
• Employee perceived needs and health risks
• Senior Leadership’s expectations or desired outcomes

There are many ways to evaluate this information.  Although some of data gathering process may be time consuming, remember that it is nonetheless critical to plan programs that target specific problems.  This information will be critical to set objectives and goals and for evaluating program effectiveness.  How else can you know if outcomes have been achieved?

Options to help gather the information:

• Confidential Health Risk Appraisals (HRAs) with a Company Group Summary Report
• Wellness Screenings such as cholesterol, Blood Pressure and blood glucose click here for additional information on health screenings.
• Employee Needs and Interest Surveys
• Suggestion boxes placed around the organization
• Focus Groups or hosting a luncheon meeting as a focus group
• Sending out a confidential email questionnaire
• Review records and databases including OSHA logs, first aid reports, insurance expenditures  

Once your needs assessment is complete, the Employee Wellness Program Committee can review the outcome and begin organizing and prioritizing program options.  Beginning ought to be based on goals and objectives and identified outcomes, Step 4 of the seven step process!

Who am I? This age old question is a pending thought for all of us. When one considers losing weight, there are many self-sabotaging reasons that stop us from having the body we want. One of the main reasons that people don’t have the body they want is because of identity; they simply don’t know who they’d be in the new body.

Imagine this. You go to the physician and he asks you to open your mouth. He puts a few drops of fluid under your tongue and within 1 minute you morph into a different ethnic group. For example, if you were Caucasian you would turn Afro American; if you were Asian, you become Caucasian. What’d that be like? You leave the physician’s office and you have a different mind set, culture and would be viewed differently. Who would you be? What’d you do to try to fit into society in this new body?

If you lose 50 lbs of fat or more, your body will dramatically change and in the same way as the example above, you would need to learn to accept the new body and way of being. This helps us understand that identity development is necessary in the process of weight loss.

One way to find out who you are, deep down, is to consider who you were at age 5. What did you do? What was your personality like? As you look at yourself at age 5, notice that “being” and “doing” were very separate at that time. Ponder that thought for a moment.

As we become adults, we lose that separateness of “being” and “doing.” Take a moment now to realize that who you are is NOT what you do. When you can separate these in your mind, develop a list of who you are, independent of doing; examples include: love, compassion, kindness, helpfulness, loyalty and more. Focus on these internal qualities; no matter what you look like, you are a gorgeous person.

When you focus on your internally beautiful qualities you are then free to look thin and fit.

Organizing an active Workplace Wellness Program Committee provides opportunities for both senior staff and employee participation in the program.  The Committee ought to be a team of workers and managers who formally meet to plan activities to encourage healthier employee lifestyles.

Typical Functions of a Worksite Wellness Program Committee:

• Evaluating needs & interests
• Brainstorming program ideas
• Beginning activities
• Implementing communication plans
• Promoting programs to co-workers
• Serving as champions of the Corporate Health Promotion Programs
• Assisting with evaluation  

Your Workplace Health Promotion Program Committee should be representative of all echelons of the business.  Consider all sections of the workforce – multiple sites, shift staff members, diversity (race, gender, ethnicity), and departments.   It’s also valuable to consider who will chair or co-chair the Workplace Health Promotion Program Committee and whether or not there are the finances to support a Workplace Health Promotion Program manager or occupational health professional, even on a part-time or contractual basis.  Click here for more information on the benefits of a health professional.  

Depending on your employer size and resources, if you already have a employer Safety Committee you may want to think about making it the Safety & Employee Wellness Program Committee.  You have the potential to request volunteers or invite employees to take part.  

The number of Worksite Wellness Program Committee members depends on the size of your employer; however, you need a sufficient number of members to get the work done and yet not too many to keep it manageable, usually at least 4 members and maximum of 12 to 15 members.  It’s valuable to include skeptics of wellness as well and not just those employees already practicing healthy lifestyles.  

Depending on your workplace, consider representatives from the following areas:

• Employee representatives from a cross section of different departments,
• Senior Management
• Health and safety professional(s),
• Human Resources (HR) professional(s),
• Employee benefits representative or someone from finance,
• Your Employee Assistance Program(EAP) provider (if applicable), Click here for more information on EAPs
• Occupational health employee (if applicable).

Establish a strong Workplace Wellness Program Committee!  The Workplace Wellness Program Committee should meet regularly with a planned agenda and action items.  Effective Wellness Committees have a shared mission, vision and objectives and goals.  Members need to believe that their participation is worthwhile and appreciated, that their work is significant, benefits the organization and co-workers, and they are appreciated for their contributions. Refer to the NC Workplace Programs section for examples of what other companies have implemented.

Most people should hire a Fitness Trainer at some point during their fitness quest. A good trainer will help motivate and will educate the individual on the proper form and the proper use of various exercises. The trainer will help you make good decisions and help you make progress that you could not make on your own.

The trick is to hire a Personal Trainer that “fits” you and that knows how to motivate and how to teach. The easiest way to find certified trainers is to ask around the gyms and places and get recommendations from your friends and other exercisers. Most trainers will give you one free consult and some will even give a free workout so that you can see how they work with you, whether they are punctual, whether they handle themselves specialistly etc.

Most trainers today are qualified through one of many certification agencies. You will see trainers qualified by ACE, ASCM, ASM, ISSA, NAHF and a long list of others. All certifications and all agencies are not created equal. Some agencies will certify anyone that pays the fee, most require at least a written test, and some even require a practical test. There are however some excellent trainers out there that have never been qualified so don’t let the fact that a personal trainer is not qualified eliminate them completely.

Make sure to look at their references talk to past and current clients if possible. Ask them if they mind. If they’re good at what they do they will very likely give you the names of some satisfied clients that you can speak with. Many trainers work off almost total referrals and make a decent living from that. I’ve several people that I’ve trained or assisted at times and they have volunteered to be my references, I usually don’t even have to ask.

You should look for a trainer with quality training. Usually trainers with quality advanced education like college; technical school, military etc are the better trainers. You will also find that most of these people will attend advance training seminars and never stop their learning so they get better all the time. Personally I attended Ohio State University taking Course in Biology and Western New Mexico University taking course in Business. I also took courses through the National Academy for Health and Fitness, where I am certified as a Personal Trainer, Aerobics Instructor, and Medical Exer-Therapist. Not only that but I have attended numerous seminars and continuing education courses in Advance weight training, medicine and fitness and much more. Completed all the coursework for my ND (Doctorate of Naturopathy) form Clayton College of Natural Healing and spent 14 years in the Army National Guard as a Field Medic. I have trained soldiers and housewives.

You ought to try to find a trainer who is certified in both CPR and First Aid. Personally I was a Corpsman in the Navy and a field medic with the Army National Guard. I trained for the EFMB (Specialist Field Medical Badge) but the state ran out of funds before we could take out test that year due to a major flood. I am certified in both CPR and First Aid.

You ought to see if the trainer gives his clients the proper attention, you might ask if you could watch him or her train another client. Some people want the trainer that barks orders like the proverbial Marine Drill Sergeant. Others like the more subtle “I know YOU can do this” type of motivation. If you are able to watch the trainer train someone else do not interrupt just watch, be invisible. Ask questions after the session when you and the trainer are alone.

You should probably ask the trainer for some examples of the software he or she uses to track progress for the client. As the trainer to explain any of the terminology that you don’t understand, ask them about the type of exercises and how progress is checked, what type of testing they do and if they require or work with physicians.

The last thing you should check out is the “personality” of the trainer. You may want to meet with them once or twice before signing on as a client; you might even want to pay for 1 or 2 sessions on the basis that if you like the service after the first couple of sessions then You will purchase a package of 10 or more sessions. Most trainers sell their services in packages. I sell my service in brief courses.

You want to make sure that you and your chosen trainer are compatible. You also want to verify that you can work together without either of you getting upset or bored. The trainer should be able to keep you motivated and make the training enjoyable. He ought to help you learn proper form so that you don’t injure yourself and be available to assist you with any difficult exercises. Most trainers thoroughly enjoy their work. I know that I would train people for free if I may afford to. In fact I have trained people for free many times.

As with any program, the two critical elements for the success of your wellness program are management backing & employee participation.  Senior Leadership sets the vision and provides the resources from which action plans flow.  Genuine backing from senior personnel also lends credibility to the wellness program.  It is key that management be visible supporters and role models for your Employee Wellness Program.

employees need to be involved on several echelons so that they feel ownership of the wellness program.  Staff Members are the program stakeholders!  All employees must have an opportunity to offer input and feedback through needs & interest surveys and program assessment tools.  The information gathered must be used to plan programs that target those needs and interests to ensure participation, buy-in, and backing.

There are several methods to identify employee needs and interests such as:

• Having Employee Focus Groups
• Discovering Wellness Interests During Department gatherings
• Distributing and Evaluating a Needs & Interest Survey
• (Including|Allowing for|Making sure to include} a Time to Give Recommendations on Each Assessment Tool  

Any one or combination of several techniques will make sure that the wellness program meets what workers want.

Step 3 provides additional information on determining wellness program needs.  But first, adopting a Company Health Promotion Program Committee can help you involve management & workers, determine need, and plan your wellness program.

Are you fat in places you wish that you were not? Would you like to know the safe way to lose weight quick? I have been a certified aerobics instructor for sixteen years and a fitness trainer for a short time as well, and I have seen all the tricks, all the gimmicks and all the trials. Here are five tips on how to lose weight quickly and safely. Start with a mental attitude of “take no prisoners” for the natural tendency is for us to excuse ourselves. This is not the time to pamper yourself. This means war, against bad, old habits of indulging yourself. If you don’t like the way that sounds, go look in the mirror. If you don’t like what you see, keep reading.

Examine why you put that everything into your mouth

A mental attitude is the starting step here. Why are you eating everything in sight? Is it because you are hungry or could it be perhaps that you are using food as a consoler, to pamper yourself, to comfort you? If so, it is only a temporary fix and will wind up on your backside iin about three to four days. Ask yourself, is it worth it? Is it worth developing diabetes or losing my self-esteem each time I go to my closet to dress? The answer to that is no! Be kind to yourself and tell yourself that there is no food that tastes so good or that looks better than a smaller size pants/dress size or bathing suit when the warm weather rolls around. Be tough, but be wise and eat healthy. Some think that it is smart to lose weight weight by starving. This is dead wrong. The only thing you lose by starving yourself is muscle, especially if you are not exercising. You can risk serious health issues and you won’t look good or healthy. Thin, saggy muscles are not your goal. Eat healthy, eat often, and eat little amounts throughout the day. This is the key. This is the secret. Eat small, be small but eat raw, healthy vegetables and fruits and a good portion of protein from chicken, fish and some beef.

Examine everything you put in your mouth

First, purchase a cheap calendar at the dollar store or choose a steno pad and write down everything, and I mean each and every item of food and drink that you consume every day for at least eight weeks. You will be amazed, no, probably dismayed at the amount of food/calories that you are eating, even if you don’t know how to count calories! Snacking, especially, makes one forget just how much you are taking in the form of a “quick fix” when you are mindlessly eating that bag of chips or candy. Even too many dry pretzels are empty calories and full of starch and carbohydrates that can pack on the pounds on the hips, thighs and buttocks. So, first, be aware of what you are doing and how much. I think this first step will be an eye-opener.

Examine when you put that everything into your mouth

Now, that you know what you are eating, then examine when you are eating. You need to eat a breakfast, lunch and early dinner, preferably before 7:00 p.m .After that time, most of what you eat will go straight into storage and that storage bin is called “fat” and that is not what you are seeking. If your family eats later, have an understanding that if Mommy or Daddy are going to live longer and feel more like doing those fun things on the weekend, this is part of that process. You can do this in a kind way and if the family eats late, you can sit and sip water with lemon/lemon juice with them to be sociable. Most experts agree that a healthy snack in between meals is good as well, especially at first, until your stomach “shrinks” and you no longer have such a raging appetite 24/7. Snacks should include fresh or dried fruit, yogurt, or a low-fat nut. Low-fat is the key. Watch the labels of everything you buy before you buy and your calories will begin to reduce as a whole with these little subtle changes.

Make sure to get moving

You need to exercise at least three times a week just to maintain your fitness levels, so if you are really serious about seeing those pounds drop off, exercise five days a week. Don’t go all out and overdo. Start gradually to walk for 20 – 30 minutes a day. Don’t start jogging, or You will most definitely encounter shin splints. Once your legs are accustomed to walking, begin jogging a little at first and then gradually increase the time and distance. After the first couple of weeks of soreness, You will be amazed at how your body adapts. Go to a gym and work out on the machines at least twice a week, ask someone in the gym to show you what to do. Don’t allow those machines to intimidate you!

Stop cheating

Find a way to reward yourself when you meet your short-term goals during this eight week period. If you love ice cream, once you have lost ten pounds, reward yourself. I follow the 80/20 rule. Most of the time I eat what I should and then there are those rare occasions where I treat myself. Otherwise, you might wind up feeling so sorry for yourself that you gorge. So, do all of this in moderation and be persistent. Over time, You will be successful, guaranteed.

A key to a successful Corporate Wellness Program requires management responsibility and employee involvement.

Employee Wellness Program Step 2: Create a Employee Wellness Program Committee

An active Worksite Health Promotion Program Committee ensures employee participation, supplies buy-in, management support, and maintains a crew that is ready to take action to integrate wellness programs.

Employee Health Promotion Program Step 3: Gather Data to Identify Key Needs and Expectations

The next critical step is to base the Corporate Wellness Program on the needs and interests of your company and its staff members.

Workplace Health Promotion Program Step 4: Create Goals and Objectives

Goals and objectives constitute the road maps to guide you where your program needs to go.   These are the foundation for planning and evaluating activities to see to it that your wellness program will meet your unique needs.

Company Health Promotion Program Step 5: Establish a Detailed Action Plan

There is no such thing as too much planning!  The best of intentions can get lost, overstepped, or forgotten withoutadequate planning, and then it would be all for naught.

Employee Wellness Program Step 6: Select and Launch a Plan

Armed with the needs assessment information, a Worksite Wellness Program Committee, objectives and goals it’s now time to start your plan!

Corporate Wellness Program Step 7: Oversee and Assess Your Corporate Wellness Program

Assessment is a necessary step to keep a program focused, as well as to see that the program is reaching its objectives and goals or achieving favorable outcome.

In Summary

These Seven Steps outline considerations for a comprehensive approach to designing and launching an effective wellness program.  Would you be able to start components of wellness activities without following these steps?  Certainly, but you may not have the sustainability or ability to see desired outcomes.  Following the Seven Steps need not be difficult or burdensome.  A very simple approach can achieve a efficacious wellness program!

Therefore, to ensure a successful wellness program consider the key components as you plan your program or improve your current program:

• Senior Management Support & Employee Participation
• Active Employee Health Promotion Program Committee
• Workplace Wellness Program is Based on Employee Needs & Interests
• Worksite Health Promotion Program Goals and Objectives are Established
• Detailed Corporate Wellness Program Action Plan Based on Resources & Budget
• Corporate Health Promotion Program Implementation & Internal Marketing
• Assessment of Company Wellness Program Outcomes