Success Stories: MU

Roy Benson

Campus Facilities staffer stops smoking via QuitNet
Thirty years ago, at the ripe age of 22, Roy Benson took his first puff from a cigarette. Deeply inhaling the smoke, he knew he was hooked. It didn’t matter that he had asthma and it didn’t matter that his parents had both been smokers. He knew the risks, but decided he was bound to be a smoker. After all, it was cool.
Now, at the age of 52, Roy has given up the habit that’s been part of more than half of his life.
“Quitting was easy,” he said. “It’s the staying quit that’s not easy.”
He’s been without a cigarette for 120 days now. For those who are counting, that’s 2,400 cigarettes he’s done without—a pack a day.
“As I’ve grown older, the effects of smoking have increased to the point where I could no longer enjoy the things I once could,” Roy said. “Last year I received an e-mail from our medical insurance provider announcing a quit smoking program.”
He followed up with the Wellness program and then submitted the required information and started right away.
QuitNet is a free smoking cessation program offered to the UM Choice Health Care Program members and includes telephonic counseling sessions, web access and e-mail support. To enroll contact QuitNet at 1-866-577-8210 or www.coventrywellbeing.com.
“The process was very easy and additional help was easy to find,” he said.
Roy has worked at the University since the 1988 in Campus Facilities. He is a Building Control System Technician IV Lead with Campus Facilities Energy Management and leads the service group in maintaining and servicing the building automation systems on campus.
In the course of his day, he encounters lots of friends and coworkers who use tobacco. The temptation is great, but he says his determination to remain tobacco free is greater.
“What do I do now instead of taking a smoke break?” He asks, “Work. Keeping busy helps me not think about it. I still have cravings, but I have support now. I share my story with my smoking coworkers every chance I get. I’m hopeful they will finally make the decision to quit too.”
Not only is Roy healthier, he has more money in his pocket. After just 120 days, he’s saved more than $400 and after a year, it’s enough to pay for a vacation.
“Addictions are never easy to overcome,” he said. “My quit will be an ongoing process but I am confident that this will be my last.”
If you would like to stop using tobacco, you have options. Contact Healthy for Life’s Nurse Manager Armine Alioto, R.N., at AliotoA@umsystem.edu or (573) 884-1439 for more information.

Dr. Thomas Loew

Physician improves lifestyle by “Acting Healthy”
As the division director of the pediatric hematology/oncology at University Hospital, Dr. Thomas Loew takes care of lots of sick kids. They look to him for guidance on how to become healthier.
So last year when Dr. Loew decided he needed to take better care of himself, he looked to Healthy for Life for guidance. Working with his osteoarthritis, he’s limited to walking and cycling for exercise.
“I can’t run, but that doesn’t mean I can’t walk,” the pediatrician said.
For $15 he signed up for the Million Steps Pedometer Program and got moving. That was in June 2009. Nearly one year later, he’s racked up about 2 million steps, averaging 7,000 steps per day.
“I saw the Million Steps Pedometer Program as an incentive to promote my walking,” he said. “It gave me a daily reckoning of how many steps, which encouraged me to improve upon that number.”
The thought of enjoying retirement with his wife further motivated Dr. Loew to take his health to a higher level by enrolling in ACT Healthy, another Healthy for Life sponsored program.
ACT Healthy is a free, six-week course that encourages participants to set and achieve goals through peer support and weekly meetings.
Dr. Loew joined the group this spring and is working on reaching his health goals.
Like most people, he has struggles, but says ACT Healthy has provided him the tools he needed to reach his goals and stay in shape.
The class allows participants to share their personal stories, goals and accountability.
This was particularly helpful for Dr. Loew, who says it was nice to know he wasn’t alone in the common struggle to lead a healthy lifestyle.
“The most important thing to understand is the concept of breaking things down into simple steps,” Dr. Loew said. “Instead of saying ‘I’m going to run a marathon, one actually improves success by saying ‘I’m going to walk a mile first.’”
Through his experience with the Million Step Pedometer Program and ACT Healthy, Dr. Loew has started eating better and continually looks for ways to increase his daily step count. He finds himself choosing the stairs over the elevator throughout the course of his day and walking to deliver messages instead of phoning colleagues.
After seeing the difference that ACT Healthy and the pedometer program have made in his own life, Dr. Loew wants to see more faculty and staff take advantage of the diverse programs. He plans to continue his efforts for a healthy lifestyle for many years to come, so the dream of enjoying retirement can become a reality.
If you would like more information about the Million Steps Pedometer Program or ACT Healthy, visit the Healthy for Life website at wellness.umsystem.edu.

Tom Thomas

Exercise Counters Negative Effects of Weight Regain, MU Researchers Find
By: Emily Martin
With the obesity rate rising for American adults and children, health concerns such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease are a difficult reality. Although obesity itself is a major risk factor for disease, most of the threat may be associated with a cluster of risk factors called the metabolic syndrome (MetS).
Losing weight can improve health and reduce these risk factors, but many people have difficulty keeping the weight off. Now, University of Missouri researchers have found that exercise can maintain improvements in metabolic health and disease risk during weight regain.
In the study, individuals who didn’t exercise during weight regain experienced significant deterioration in metabolic health, while those who exercised maintained improvements in almost all areas. The MU study, led by Tom R. Thomas, professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology in the College of Human Environmental Sciences, is the first to examine the role of exercise in countering the negative effects of weight regain on MetS and overall health status.
“Although many people are successful at losing weight through diet and exercise, the majority of them will relapse and regain the weight,” Thomas said. “The findings of this study indicate that regaining weight is very detrimental; however, exercise can counter those negative effects. The findings support the recommendation to continue exercising after weight loss, even if weight is regained.”
In the study, overweight men and women with measured characteristics of MetS were given a diet and aerobic exercise plan that included supervised exercise five days a week, for 4-6 months. After losing weight, participants underwent programmed weight regain and were separated into two groups, one that exercised and one that didn’t. The non-exercise group experienced rapid deterioration in weight-loss induced benefits to metabolic health. The exercise group maintained improvements in almost all measures, including LDL and HDL cholesterol, oxygen consumption (VO2max), blood pressure and glucose. Exercise didn’t maintain blood cholesterol improvement and abdominal fat loss.
“It’s clear that the message to lose weight isn’t working because so many people regain weight; a new message is to keep exercising and maintain your weight to reduce disease risk and improve overall health,” Thomas said. “Don’t worry so much about losing weight, but focus on exercising and maintaining your current weight.”
The study, “Exercise and the Metabolic Syndrome with Weight Regain,” will be published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in April. Thomas, also an adjunct professor in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, completed the study in collaboration with MU researchers in the Department of Internal Medicine; the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology; the Harry S. Truman VA Medical Center; and the Department of Educational, School and Counseling Psychology.
To view the abstract, visit: http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/01361.2009v1
Reprinted with permission from University of Missouri News Bureau

Shankha Banerji

Stress Reduction class improves concentration and leadership skills
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a class designed to help change your relationship with stress and begin to live a more conscious life in order to make choices and engage in behaviors that increase your vitality, effectiveness and happiness. Since its inception, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programs have been used with groups around the world as diverse as corporate employees, CEOs, educators, students (grade school through college), attorneys, judges, correctional staff, prison inmates, health care professionals, members of the clergy and Olympic and professional athletes - including the world champion Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers basketball teams.
This class is taught each semester on the MU campus and has helped many people become more focused, develop better leadership abilities and just to enjoy their lives more.
Retired Professor Shankha Banerji is one of those people. He participated in the class last year with a friend. He had no idea what the class would entail, but he says being from India he was familiar with meditation and yoga, which are parts of the course. While familiar, he had never formally practiced either.
“I decided to learn about meditation,” he said. “After learning the simple breathing and other exercises, I started to enjoy them.”
He found that other parts of his life were improving throughout the course. Before starting, he had a minor case of sciatica, which affected his tennis game and even fast walking wasn’t an option for him.
“Dr. Rossy used particular yoga postures which were very beneficial to me,” he said.
“My sciatica was practically gone after a few weeks of practice. I still do these exercises and I can play tennis without pain.”
He has found that the meditation he learned to do in the class helped his concentration and he now does it at least once a week and would recommend this class to anyone interested in improving their concentration, leadership abilities or just their quality of life. If you would like more information about MBSR or a list of meditation locations, visit the Healthy for Life website at wellness.umsystem.edu.

Kathy Peters

Wellness Fairs spark 150 pound weight loss for MU employee

Meet Kathy Peters, an administrative associate in charge of the Accounts Payable Unit in the Acquisitions Department at Ellis Library. In 2007, she attended the wellness fair and found her body mass index was out of range. This prompted her to change her life. Read on to learn more about her dramatic changes.

Tell us a little about yourself.
When I’m not on campus, I work as a staff musician for Memorial Baptist Church playing the piano and keyboard. I have also enjoyed tickling the ivories for the Columbia Entertainment Company and for special events on campus and around town.

You attended the 2007 health fair. Did you have any screenings?
The main reason for attending was to take advantage of the cholesterol screenings. I’ve spent the past two years getting my cholesterol under control, so I wanted to check my progress. While I was there, I also took advantage of the glucose, blood pressure, and BMI screenings.

Of those, were any out of range?
My BMI was outside the healthy range, but it’s closer than it used to be. I was very pleased the other screenings looked good, though.

Why did you decide to change your habits?
In short, I started because my blood pressure was a little high, my cholesterol levels were off, and both of my brothers had recently been diagnosed as diabetic. I was advised that everything could be managed through diet and exercise. At the time, I weighed 326 pounds, was borderline for Stage 1 hypertension.
My good cholesterol was too low while my bad cholesterol was a little high, and I was the only person in my immediate family without diabetes.

Where did you start?
I started with just 10 minutes of walking every day. I also cleaned out my cabinets and replaced the foods with healthier options. I still have one can of Dr. Pepper that I left at the back of my fridge in June 2007 that serves as of today, I enjoy (yes, enjoy) walking 30 minutes every day. I also enjoy water aerobics, strength training, bicycling, swimming, and using the elliptical machine on a regular basis.

What challenges did you encounter?
Of course, every plateau is frustrating and different. You have to mix things up and it takes a lot of patience to get past them. As I’ve gotten closer to my ideal goal, the weight loss has slowed down considerably. I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not on a diet, I’m changing my lifestyle.

What successes have you experienced?
I’ve enjoyed so many successes that I’m not sure what to say. I celebrate every pound lost and every new clothing size I’ve reached. The biggest success is proving that many of the goals I’ve reached are permanent changes. With the information I’ve learned and the new habits that I’ve made,
I know that I will never weigh 326 pounds ever again. That makes me feel incredibly good.

How has this changed your health?
I’m happier than I’ve even been and I feel so much better. Fortunately, I’ve never had to take any medications and I’d like to keep it that way.

It’s obvious by the photos you’ve lost a lot of weight, care to share a number?
I have lost about 150 pounds now. Officially, I weigh 173 pounds. Of course, that number goes up and down as often as the weather changes, so I also look at how my clothes are fitting and my overall physical appearance.

Are you at your goal? If not, how do you plan to reach it?
My ideal goal is to be inside the healthy range for my height, but ultimately I just want to live a healthy lifestyle. Attitude is 90 percent of this process. It’s incredibly easy to get side-tracked when I’ve over-indulged or missed an exercise class, but I just have to let those moments pass by without guilt or shame and stay focused on what’s working. I will continue to do the exercises that I enjoy and keep finding healthy foods that I enjoy eating. Taking the time to review what I’ve done right on any given day helps keep me motivated.

Did you ever feel overwhelmed during this process? If so, how did you continue?
Of course, but I am surrounded by supportive friends who can sympathize with me and keep me going too.

Give me a rundown of a typical day for you before and one for now.
For breakfast, I get up early and eat breakfast. Before, I would have risen as late as possible and eaten fast food on my morning break. Now, I take a walk during my morning break followed by a snack. I still eat fast food for lunch, but I choose the healthiest options on the menu. Dinner has always been a challenge for me since I do not enjoy cooking, but I do enjoy dining with friends. Because of that, I still eat out a lot, but I make a concerted effort to choose the healthy items on the menu. I also enjoy party foods, but now I survey the snacks, choose that one item that I just have to try, and contribute at least one healthy snack, so I know I’ll have something I can really enjoy. Before I started, I would usually spend the evenings cross-stitching in front of the TV. Now, I try to exercise 30- 60 minutes every evening. The type of exercise depends on my schedule. Sometimes, I’m at home with an exercise DVD, and sometimes I’m at the gym. I try to exercise with friends as often as possible. It’s more fun to exercise with friends and I’m more likely to go.

What advice do you have to others wanting to lose weight and become healthier?
Take baby steps and advance at your own pace. The best way to break an old habit is to make a new one, so try setting one or two easy goals. When you’re meeting those goals, try adding one or two new goals. If you fall back on he first set of goals, it’s OK because you can always work on them again.

What advice do you have for those thinking about attending this month’s health fairs?
I would encourage everyone to take advantage of the free health screenings. They are an important tool for me to monitor my progress.

Connie Chapman

Wellness Ambassador takes charge of her health

Meet Connie Chapman. She’s a mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother, as well as Wellness Ambassador for Healthy for Life. Connie has worked for the University since 2004 and incorporates wellness in her daily life through program participation and daily exercise. Read more to learn about her experience.

What is that you do at Missouri Rehabilitation Center?
I have been employed by Missouri Rehabilitation Center’s (MRC) Vocational Rehabilitation Department as the Vocational Tester.

Why did you participate in the Million Step Pedometer Program?
I try to take advantage of all the wellness opportunities offered at MRC. I participated in the Million Step Pedometer Program because I viewed it as a personal challenge. When I set a goal for myself I become more determined and much more likely to complete what I have started. I loved the incentive of earning back the initial cost of my pedometer, keeping the pedometer and as a bonus, a free T-shirt and a Certificate of Completion. Once the first million was completed, I challenged myself to keep going until I reached the five million mark. That pedometer became my constant companion for a year.

How do you incorporate wellness into your daily life?
I’m continuing walking. I usually walk before coming to work, weather permitting. I have a “walking buddy” that
I walk with during work breaks. I utilize the gym facilities at MRC two to three times per week. I do circuit training and the elliptical machine. I enjoy riding bikes with my spouse.

What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness took on a whole new meaning this past November. After participating in the MRC Health Fair, co-sponsored by the Wellness Program, I received my results and some of my levels were out of the normal range. I was advised to do a follow-up consultation with my physician. With the recommendations from my physician and proper nutrition education through MRC, I have been able to bring those levels within the normal range and control them with diet and exercise. The two big bonuses have been the 23 pound weight reduction and learning that nothing tastes as good as being healthy! So to me wellness is not just about exercise. Wellness has to encompass the whole spectrum of my life; physically, mentally, nutritionally and spiritually. In order to promote and share the benefits of good health with others, I joined the Wellness Ambassadors at MRC.

Fran Welek

Aerobics instructor promotes healthy lifestyles

Meet Fran Welek. She is a nurse in the emergency department at Columbia Regional Hospital and an inspiration to many of her colleagues. Read on to learn more about how she incorporates wellness into her daily life.

I have taught aerobics for 27 years.  I started out at the first aerobic studio in Columbia called “BodyWorks.”  A friend of mine owned it and asked me to teach a class; I did and became hooked.  
Luckily, my parents were role models for my sisters and me. They both were active—walking, bike riding, handball and tennis.  It was unusual for people to exercise routinely in 1960s and 1970s. 
Parents need to serve as role models for their children. An active lifestyle is something that my husband and I passed on to our three sons.  They are frequent visitors to the gym, even after moving from home.  My 24 year-old who had a liver transplant in 1995 runs 50-60 miles a week. 
I currently teach at Wilson’s Total Fitness South three times a week, where I have taught since 1992. 
On the weekends I love to walk with friends as a way to catch up socially, which is much healthier way than going to lunch or out for a glass of wine.  But I also enjoy those activities!
My philosophy is that exercise needs to part of your daily regimen. Just as you would never think to skip taking a shower or brushing your teeth, nor should you skip exercise.       
I have worked at Columbia Regional Hospital since 1978, almost all of my years in the Emergency Department.  I have been known in down times to make a nurse do lunges or step up and down on our step stool. 
I actually taught aerobics class to Columbia Regional Hospital staff in the 1980s in a conference room.  I think to have group fitness classes very accessible in the workplace is a great benefit to staff. (Healthy for Life recently piloted body conditioning classes at Columbia Regional Hospital and offered two yoga classes this summer). 
Most people including me have a tough time leaving work and then driving to the gym.  Classes that are on campus where employees work are easier to attend and exercising with co-workers and friends is very motivating!

Kate Walker

Campus Facilities staffer encourages healthy behavior

Meet Kate Walker. She is a Training and Development Coordinator for Campus Facilities. Among her many duties, she also leads the annual planning of a health fair for more than 650 of her colleagues in Campus Facilities. Read more to learn about how she incorporates wellness into her personal and work life.

Kate has always had an interest in wellness from the age of 5 when she began dance lessons. As she grew older and continued dancing, her interest expanded into other areas of wellness leading her to earn college undergraduate degrees in dance and psychology and a master’s degree in social work.
After graduate school Kate was diagnosed with having arthritic knees, which required her stop dancing.
“That was crushing for me,” she said. “I gained weight and became semi-disabled. Although I enjoyed hiking and camping with my husband, even walking was difficult.”
She decided not to give up and began working with Dr. Tom LaFontaine, a former world-class weightlifter.
“Dr. LaFontaine worked with me in training sessions to help me reach goals of wellness and ability to use my legs,” Kate said. “Now I am a competitive weightlifter and have won national, state and regional competitions for my age and class. I even won best female lifter and at a national competition.”
Kate believed in herself and achieved her goals—she puts out the message that no matter what age you are, you can achieve wellbeing.

Why do you want to be a Wellness Ambassador?
“It is really what I do and who I am,” she said.
After working in the medical and psychiatric settings, and traveling in underdeveloped countries, she has seen people in very difficult circumstances and likes to encourage people to be healthy through exercise, nutrition and trying to the best they can.

You have planned health fairs for Campus Facilities for quite some time. Tell us more.
“Eight years ago, employees at Campus Facilities expressed an interest in receiving flu shots and wellness screenings,” she said. “Our management team was supportive and allowed volunteers to set up the fair. The volunteers were approved by the directors, but they volunteered on their own for the fairs. “
University Hospital and MU campus, as well as Boone County organizations agreed to provide screenings—vision, auditory, skin cancer, varicose veins, cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure, weight, BMI, osteoporosis, stress, flexibility, pain, arthritis, etc. Information about nutrition, exercise and mental health is also available. The fair has grown each year and the screenings have enabled a number of early detections of potentially serious medical issues.

How do you incorporate wellness in your daily life?
“I am an active yoga teacher, so I use flexibility and stress management techniques in my very busy life to keep me sane and healthy,” Kate said. “I pay attention to eating lots of fruits and vegetables. My husband and I grow an organic garden. I try to add things into my day that create laughter and relaxation. I go on walks and lift weights. “

Why do you think a Wellness program in the workplace is important?
The healthier and happier a person is, the more they want to contribute and the more productive they become. Having a balanced life enables you to live your own personal goals and values in life. If you have a story to share, let us know—you could be featured in our newsletter or on our website. 
E-mail wellness@umsystem.edu

Gretchen Roberts

Quarterdeck employees start healthy eating groups

Meet Gretchen Roberts. She works in Hospital Payroll at the Quarterdeck Building and is a Wellness Ambassador there. Gretchen believes in living a healthy life and creating opportunities for her colleagues. Read more to learn about her role in creating healthy eating groups in her work area.

Tell us more about yourself.
Ever since I turned 35, I have slowly been realizing that if I don’t start taking care of myself, I could pay for it later in life. Because of my son’s health needs, his parents need to stay healthy.

What is a healthy eating group? Several employees at the Quarterdeck wanted to lose weight but either didn’t have the money to pay for a well-known weight-loss program  or they just wanted to meet with other coworkers informally for support. Connie Grimshaw, Pam Schopflin and I got together and discussed how we could make these groups happen. Once the   e-mail was sent out, the responses poured in.

Why did you three start this group?
Healthy for Life staff member Armine Alioto met with several Wellness Ambassadors here to see what kind of needs and wants they felt the employees were seeking. (Wellness Ambassadors are Healthy for Life volunteers
who promote wellness in their work areas by forwarding e-mails, posting flyers, mentioning events at staff meetings and encouraging their co-workers to live healthier lives.) Weight-loss was one of the topics discussed. Connie, Pam and I volunteered to organize and facilitate the group meetings.

What are the benefits?
There are lots of benefits like weight-loss, understanding healthy choice making, meeting new people, creating friendships, receiving nutritional and exercise tips from other people, and making goals that are obtainable. We learn from others’ struggles and help them through it, plus encourage them to not give up on their goals.

How many people are involved in these groups? There are a total of 45 people currently in three groups at Quarterdeck building.

Does everyone use the same method to lose weight? Each group facilitator does things a little differently to best fit the needs of their group. The facilitators share information with each other and the groups decide the topics of discussion for the most part.
  
How much weight has the groups lost since the meetings began? As of week four the total weight loss for all three groups is 145.9 pounds. The session runs Apr. 7-June 9.

What advice would you give to others on campus wanting to start their own group? It helps to meet with Wellness Ambassadors in various departments so you can best meet the needs of employees in your area.

Do you have people asking for weight loss advice? If so, how do you handle it? At the very beginning of the session I advised everyone to check with their doctor before starting in any weight loss plan. Everyone in our group knows that we are a group of people sharing weight loss ideas informally. No one is held liable. When I give out weight loss information, I reference the source. Healthy for Life has been a great resource for information and support.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

The healthy eating groups happened because of the employees who wanted to find a way to get healthy. We as a group rely on each other to help us get through this life-changing experience. We all want to lose weight, but the ultimate goal is keeping it off and becoming healthier.

Jill Diener

MU Staffer wins community award for health

Jill, an academic advisor in the School of Health Professions, is one of this year’s recipients of the Mayor’s Council Award on Physical Fitness. Jill was nominated by friend and co-worker Jeneva Powell who was inspired by Jill’s commitment to losing weight and improve her health. While in graduate school Jill found herself turning to food for stress relief and comfort. After school, she returned to Missouri the heaviest she had ever been. Instead of feeling defeated, she joined Healthy for Life’s Weight Watchers at Work, the ARC and began walking on the Katy Trail. Through this combination she has shed more than 70 pounds and has maintained it for about six months. Jeneva said Jill has inspired not only her, but their colleagues and students as well. She has encouraged many others to participate in Healthy for Life’s Weight Watchers at Work so they can live longer and healthier lives.

Anne Heine

Nursing instructor sets healthy example for colleagues

Meet Anne Heine, she is a nurse at Columbia Regional Hospital and loves to spend time participating in physical activities, especially bicycling. Read more to learn how she balances work, home and exercise.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am 54 year-old, have seven siblings (have a twin sister [fraternal] in Corvallis, Ore.), come from St. Louis, am married to Paul for the past 30 years and have two children. My daughter, Kate, graduated from Journalism School at MU in 2004 and is getting married on May 23rd and my son, Kurt, is a junior at MU in Environmental Studies and Journalism.

What do you at the University?
I teach Nursing of Women and Newborns to undergraduate students at the MU Sinclair School of Nursing and have been doing this for the past 25+ years. I also work part-time at Columbia Regional Hospital on the Obstetrics, newborn and neonatal intensive care unit areas and enjoy teaching students and taking care of patients.  

What does wellness mean to you?
Being healthy in mind, body and spirit.

How do you incorporate it in your daily life? (Home & Work)
I commute to work on my bike approximately 15 miles per day and I ride for recreation with my biking buddies on the weekends and any other time I can make their rides. I also do all the other things you have to do to keep up a home: cooking, cleaning, shopping… I try to ride my bike to the store when able so it makes it more fun.
I also am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, so I attend monthly meetings and try to stay on track as much as possible. I attend church at Columbia United Church of Christ so enjoy being connected our wonderful congregation and taking time out of my busy life to listen, reflect and learn/think about how to be a better person.

Don Harter

Power Plant supervisor promotes wellness in workplace

Meet Don Harter! He’s a Wellness Ambassador and Power Plant Operations Supervisor who has worked at the University for 28 years.  Read on to learn how he promotes wellness in his work area.

Why did you want to become a Wellness Ambassador?
I think you can really improve the health of the people you work with in simple ways. We spend a lot of our waking day at work. Our peers can greatly impact us more than any media source. People talk to each other, and word-of-mouth can have a big influence on decisions you make regarding your health. The success stories from coworkers can really create a snowball effect by just hearing the success of the guy next to you who quit smoking or lost weight.
Why do you think bringing wellness to the workplace is important?
I have ridden my bicycle to work every day for the past 30 years. Something as simple as bicycling versus driving every day can make a big difference. The time spent sitting in traffic, parking, and walking to your office can take the same amount of time as riding a bike. As more people warm up to the idea of cycling, more will feel comfortable joining in on that effort. The effect will become more mainstream.  

What have you done at the power plant to promote wellness?
I post flyers about the wellness programs. We have gotten speakers here to present on back health and nurses have come to our facility to promote wellness. We have a lot of resources on workplace safety issues, but I feel like the most significant risks are from poor health.

How do you incorporate wellness into your daily life?
I ride my bicycle to work, church, the store, and to do most of my errands. I chose to live right in town specifically so I could commute to those locations. I only put gas in my car about every 6 weeks because most places I go to are within pedaling distance. I also enjoy fresh vegetables and fruits and have eaten an almost-vegetarian diet since I was 20. You get adjusted to different styles of eating, and I never grew up on fast food, so I have always been used to healthier eating. I mostly use the stairs at work despite the opportunity to use the elevator.

What vision do you have for the workplace wellness at the power plant?
My hope is that gradually over time I will see more people exhibiting good wellness practices. I would like to see more people taking advantage of smoking cessation programs and eating healthier meals and snacks. It will be a gradual awareness, but I am confident that overtime we can evolve to that.

Do you have any personal health goals?
Just to stay healthy! I have always enjoyed good health. Due to the fact that I am aging, I have been trying to cut back portions and half my sandwiches. You get used to eating certain portions and volumes, and as I age I am trying to be more aware of that.  The best way to keep the pounds off is to never put them on in the first place! Raw carrots, apples, and oranges fill me up with volume as opposed to fast food and high-carbohydrate snacks. It is easier to carry weight around as we age, and I am trying to prevent that.

Becky Reissing

ITS employee gets moving, loses weight with Pedometer Program
Rebecca Reissing is a great example of what incorporating physical activity into your life can do for your health. By joining the Million Step Pedometer Program, she’s shed more than 20 pounds and found an enjoyment in daily exercise. Read on for more of her story.

Tell me about yourself.
I’m a married mother of three—8-year-old twins and a baby. I have a very busy schedule with family activities, a full-time job and my hobbies.

What is it that you do at the University?
I’m a User Interface Designer… in other words I sit at a computer all day and design “web stuff.”

Why did you participate in the Million Step Pedometer Program?
A co-worker told us she was doing it and so another co-worker and I joined the program as well.

How has it affected your life?
I’m more aware of how active or inactive I am throughout the day. For example, if it is 3 p.m. and I notice my pedometer only has 5,000 steps, I boost my efforts to get some more steps in. Generally a co-worker and I walk during our break, and at home I try to get the rest of my 10,000 per day steps in on my elliptical machine.

So you’ve lost more than 20 pounds, how has this affected your health?
I have a lot more energy. My blood pressure has gone down. I don’t get winded climbing stairs. I just feel better overall and by the way, I’ve now lost 27 pounds!

What was the greatest challenge to the Million Step Pedometer Program? How did you overcome it?
This program has never really been a challenge for me. I think it is just the opposite! Before the program, I would sit for hours at my desk working without ever getting up. So all I’ve added to my day is a “social walk” with a co-worker and a short workout at night on my elliptical machine while I watch my favorite programs on TV. It couldn’t be any easier!

Have you continued to log your steps since reaching 1 million steps?
Yes.

How do you encourage those around you to live a healthy lifestyle?
At home, I make sure my kids get outside more. We play sports almost every evening when the weather is nice. Our family takes more walks— we’re just more active in general now.

Janice Perkins

First Extension employee to finish million steps nears second million

Janice Perkins was the first Extension employee to complete the Million Step Pedometer Program. She has worked at the University for13 years. Read on to learn how she includes wellness in her life.

Tell me about yourself.
My name is Janice Perkins. I am married and a mother of 3 children ages 11, 10, and 6. I coach soccer, teach Sunday school, volunteer in school activities, and taxi the children to afterschool activities and sports.

What do you do at the University?
I am an administrative associate in MU Extension. I support Extension work related to AA/EEO, Diversity, and Development.

Why did you participate in the Million Step Pedometer Program?
I participated in the Million Step Pedometer Program because I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and the pedometer is a great tool to use in achieving good health and making sure I get up and move/exercise enough daily.

How do you incorporate wellness into your daily life (at work and at home)?
With a busy life, I have to find small chunks of time to exercise. So I do 30 minutes of aerobics at home 3-5 mornings a week and I walk at lunch for 30 minutes 5 times a week. I find that it helps work out any stress or kinks from sitting and working at my desk for periods of time. In addition, I try to incorporate wellness into my family of picky eaters by eating a low fat diet and lots of vegetables.

What was the greatest challenge to completing the Million Step Pedometer Program?
The greatest challenge in completing the Million Step Program is remembering to put on the pedometer every day. I found that I was most successful when I would put it on as I dressed in the morning and remove it when it was time to find my pajamas at night. This allowed me to count all my steps throughout the day and notice when I was short.

Have you continued to log your steps since you reached 1 million?
Since I reached my 1st million steps I have not been as vigilant about logging my steps, but I have continued the habit of working out in the same pattern. With the new milestones Healthy for Life has set for those reaching 2, 3, and 4 million steps, I am again logging my steps and I am on my way to 2 million.

Do you have any advice to others thinking of joining the program?
Just try it. Set your goals according to your current activity level. Don’t get discouraged, just take it one day at a time, no guilt and move on.

Jean and Terry Miller

Couple loses weight together, avoids gastric bypass surgery

We are the Millers – Joe and Jean. We’ve lived in Columbia and have both worked at the University for just over 17 years. Prior to coming here we lived in Knob Noster, Missouri, and worked at a local community college. Joe works in the Academic Support Center as the Manager of Classroom Technology
Services and I work in the Department of Child Health as an Administrative Associate II.
Neither of us grew up having a “weight” problem. We both put on weight after we went to work, sitting
at a desk all day and eating out routinely.

Why did you join Weight Watchers?
We joined Weight Watchers because we know the program works. You can eat anything you want (in moderation) as long as you stay within your allocated Points, which are based on your weight and activity.

What other weight management “tools” have you tried prior to this?
We’ve tried losing the weight ourselves, increasing our exercise, and tracking our calories and carbohydrates. It worked for a while, but without anyone to be accountable to, we didn’t stick with it. We thought about gastric bypass or lap band surgery, but when we spoke with a doctor, we found that we would have to be in a weight loss program for six months to prove we could lose weight in order to qualify for the surgery. We felt if we had to lose weight anyway, why not lose it all without having surgery!

Not only has Jean decided against having gastric bypass surgery, but she’s inspired a friend to forgo the expensive operation. Jean says her friend told her because of Jean’s success, she’s opted to give Weight Watchers a try. Because of that conversation, Jean and Joe decided to share their story.
Has it worked for you?
Yes, we have both been very successful on Weight Watchers. So far, Joe has lost over 57 pounds and I have lost 90 pounds. We like attending the Weight Watchers meetings because it gives us a chance to be with others who have been successful on the program, and we have structured leadership and the tools to succeed. Our Weight Watchers leader, Brooksie, is great and she really motivates us. We like the accountability of the program, with weighing in each week. We also enjoy the camaraderie of meeting with others who have the same goals that we have!

What has been the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge has probably been increasing our exercise. We live in the country and generally head straight home after work. Since it gets dark now before we leave town, it makes it harder to get in exercise in the evening.

What has been the easiest part?
The easiest part has been keeping track of what we eat. The online e-tools program through Weight Watchers makes it very easy to track your food and it has a Recipe Builder that you can use to determine the points per serving in your own recipes.

Why do it together?
We find that it’s easier if we are both doing the same program because we generally eat the same foods, and that allows us to only prepare one meal. Also, it helps to have someone that you can talk to if you’re having a hard day, or someone who will give you that pep talk if you’re facing a challenging day.

How has this changed your life/health?
Our doctor is very pleased with the changes this has made in our blood pressure, cholesterol, and, for Joe, in his blood glucose, as he has type II diabetes. Joe has also been able to reduce his diabetes medication and maintain low blood sugars. We both have a lot more energy and we generally feel a lot better. It’s also meant that we’re wearing smaller clothes – which is a huge boost in our self-esteem.

What advice do you have to others in a similar situation?

Dr. James Spain

Health Fair leads to early detection for University leader

As a Wellness Program we get the opportunity to hear lots of success stories. We love to know that people are setting goals to improve their health. We must say, we particularly enjoy hearing stories from people like Dr. Jim Spain, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. Last fall he attended our annual health fair and received our screenings. When the results were out of the normal range for cholesterol and glucose, he went to see his physician. Read more to learn about his experience.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I have been at MU since 1990. I started as a State Extension specialist, working with dairy farmers to help them improve nutrition and management practices that enhanced profitability. My research has focused on providing solutions and improved management techniques for Missouri and US dairy farmers. My research is primarily conducted at the University Dairy farm.

Tell us about your job and what you do in the course of a day.
Since August 2007, I have served as Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. This involves mostly working with faculty and administrative leaders from across campus to do what we can to improve student learning and success. Support of faculty is key to the success of our students and we are making efforts to work with faculty leaders to address important issues that allow us to better support faculty in their teaching roles here at Mizzou.

What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness means taking care of one’s self. Doing the maintenance things so we can avoid long term wear and tear on our bodies which leads to poor quality of life later in life. Taking care of our “wellness” includes both physical as well as mental and spiritual aspects of living.

How do you incorporate wellness into your daily life?
I haven’t done a very good job of this-until recently when I became aware of health concerns that can be managed if I am proactive. So, now, I don’t skip lunch. If the weather permits, I walk around the historic quadrangle as part of lunch. If the weather doesn’t allow an outdoors walk, I walk the stairs in Jesse Hall.

How do you incorporate wellness into your personal life?
My wife and I take walks and I recently purchased an exercise bike to make more of an effort to get better aerobic exercise.

You attended this year’s health fair. Tell us a little about your experience.
I did the body mass index (BMI) and blood screening for cholesterol and glucose. I have a family history that makes monitoring these important indicators. In the past, my results have been normal, but this fall, the results were out of the normal range. As a result of these findings, I scheduled a follow-up appointment with my family physician. At the initial appointment my doctor confirmed a change in my health status. Because of the early detection, I have been able to start a course of treatment/management that will hopefully minimize the possible negative impacts high cholesterol and Type II diabetes can have on long term health and quality of life. The only reason I went to see my doctor, which led to the changes in diet and the beginning of an intentional exercise program, was because of the out of range reading I got while attending the health fair.

How do you see healthy lifestyles playing out at MU?
We leave it up to individuals to make choices that have positive and/or negative impacts on their wellness. I have colleagues who are devoted to their exercise activities (biking, running, swimming, basketball games at noon and weight training at MU’s world class Recreation Center). I do indeed think there is a growing awareness on our campus about wellness, diet, exercise and lifestyle.

What can others in positions of leadership do to promote a healthy workplace?
All members of the Mizzou community can be more active in promoting wellness. During the campus’s United Way campaign, I learned about a group within DoIT that offer “healthy snacks” for a donation. They support doing well with doing something good for others! A “culture” of wellness means everyone in the community promoting everyone making healthy choices. Since we spend most of our waking hours here at work, it is important that we are all involved-we can all lead by example!

Pat Ivey

Most people would agree that good managers encourage and empower their employees. Pat Ivey in the Athletics Department is one of those managers. He is promoting wellness in his area every day—to the students he trains, the staff he supervises and colleagues he meets. Below are some highlights from a recent interview with Ivey:

What do you do at the University? I oversee the Strength and Conditioning and Sports Nutrition Programs in the Athletics Department.

What do you like best about your job? Helping student athletes develop into responsible adults and mature competitors.

How do you incorporate wellness in your managerial role? I try to practice what I preach.

Why do you think this is important? In order for the student-athletes to buy into what we teach them, they have to believe that it is important to us.

How does your staff respond? Very well, as they understand we have an important and vital role.

What’s the largest challenge to incorporating wellness? I am a workaholic so I have to take vacations.

Do you think there are many other managers who encourage wellness in the workplace? Many managers may feel that is it none of their business and/or they may not practice wellness themselves.

Advice to other managers? Don’t be afraid to grow or change to be better. Find a way to educate yourself and form a support group to hold yourself accountable. I have seen a tremendous advantage to having a staff with high morale and function and it all starts with caring about people first.

If you are a manager and would like to have more information about incorporating wellness into your work, please contact Healthy for Life at (573) 884-1312 or at wellness@umsystem.edu.

15 tips from Pat Ivey

1. Stay hydrated with water
2. Eat breakfast every day; don’t skip meals
3. Practice good eating habits
4. Daily exercise-taking the stairs counts
5. Get enough rest each night and go to bed around the same time
6. Find 15 to 30 minutes during the day to rest, nap or meditate
7. Find time for your family during the day
8. Visit the doctor (dentist, physician, etc.)
9. Bring your family to work when possible
10. Leave the office during lunch
11. Use your weekends and nights to rest as much as possible
12. Communicate your issues, concerns and problems as soon as possible with the   appropriate person
13. Find a hobby
14. Take vacations and don’t bring your work with you
15. Get and stay organized—Take notes and use Outlook effectively

Million Step Competition

Accounting Fiscal Fast Feet

It all started in late May, when Wellness Ambassador Susan Fifer attended a Healthy for Life  presentation during Staff Recognition Week. She heard about the  Million Step Pedometer Program and how employees can benefit from counting their steps and increasing their  activity.
After the presentation, Susan returned to the Accounting Office and told her colleagues. They all purchased pedometers for $15 apiece and began an inter-office competition.

In the meantime, Dawn Moorehead of OSPA heard about the pedometer program at New Employee Orientation. She encouraged her colleagues to join the program with her, so their inter-office competition began.
Once Susan and Dawn heard about the others’ competition, Susan approached Dawn and the Jesse Hall competition began with a September 30 deadline. After a summer of walking everywhere they went, the Accounting Fiscal Fast Feet won the challenge.

“It has been a great opportunity to build friendships with another office and has also been a great opportunity to get active,” Susan said. “We had five participants walk over 1 million steps during the competition: Vasanthi Bhaskaran, Ananthalakshmi Gopalaratnam, Brandon Guffey, Lindsey Pitts, and myself.  The Office of Sponsored Programs have been great competitors.”

OSPA Number Runners

Dawn says it was a lot of fun, but the hardest part was remembering to put the pedometer on in the morning. It’s surprising how many steps are taken in the course of dressing and making breakfast.

The teams celebrated with a pot luck lunch,  in which the losers had to serve and clean up. 

Dawn was glad to participate in the Million Step Pedometer Program and the competition. She and the others received their $15 back from Healthy for Life, kept the pedometer and got a free T-shirt and certificate.

Those who continue on to 2, 3, 4 million will also receive prizes.

Challenge your co-workers to a friendly competition. Pedometers are only $15 and imagine the bragging rights you can have when you reach 1 million steps!

Jo Taylor

Meet Jo Taylor, nurse at Ellis Fischel Cancer Center and Wellness Ambassador.

Tell me a little about yourself.
I am married to Sean Hennessy and we have a daughter who is in the 7th grade at Smithton Middle School.

Why do you want to be a Wellness Ambassador?
I would like to help create an environment at work that encourages and supports healthy habits.

What do you hope the Wellness Program can do for your colleagues in your area?
It is great to have some of the programs and classes (weight management, stress reduction, physical activity and tobacco cessation) that are offered on campus here at Ellis Fischel.

How do you incorporate wellness into your daily life?
This is an ongoing struggle for me, as I’m sure it is for many people. I think it’s important to keep trying every day and to support each other in our efforts. I’m inspired by my co-workers who are trying yoga, riding their bikes or walking to work, climbing the stairs or going to Weight Watchers.

Why is the Wellness Program in the workplace important?
Most of us spend 8+ hours a day at work. Eight hours is too long to go without physical activity, good nutrition and a few slow deep breaths. The Wellness Program brings this to employees. 

How do I become a Wellness Ambassador?
E-mail Healthy for Life at Wellness@umsystem.edu. Ambassadors donate their time to spread the wellness word to their friends and colleagues.

Dennis Miller

Dennis Miller loves food—the smell, the taste, the texture. And food loves Dennis Miller. After years of knee problems, he found himself weighing more than he ever had in his entire life. He found his blood pressure elevated to an all-time high. And he found himself having to make a serious decision: lose the weight or face dire consequences. He had knee surgery to allow himself to exercise more. As for the weight, after discussing his options with his physician, Miller opted to join the Weight Watchers at Work program at University Hall. He lost 34 pounds during his 13-week series, bringing the group total to nearly 200 pounds!  Here’s a little more from a recent conversation with Miller…

Why did you join Weight Watchers? 
My weight had ballooned to an unacceptable level My blood pressure zoomed to 175 over 105. My knees were in bad shape. I had one of them replaced…I knew the major problem was my weight. I was getting desperate and was considering, rather seriously, some effective but radical approaches. One being Lap-band surgery. After speaking with his doctor, they decided to try Weight Watchers.

How have you benefitted from Weight Watchers?
My weight is down 34 pounds and my blood pressure got down to 134 over 85. He’s participating in the Million Step Program with ease, taking 10,000 steps a day without being winded.

What’s been the hardest part?
Change.

What’s been the easiest part?
The concept of WW makes the goals achievable. The whole points thing takes the work out of it. The camaraderie is a big help but the fact that I’ll be facing my peers who will invariably ask “how did you do”—I just don’t, won’t be in a position to either have to lie about weight loss that isn’t there or to say “I gained.”

What’s your advice to anyone interested in joining?
Give it a shot, do it. This is the most sensible weight loss program there is.

Jayme Cisco

Jayme Cisco has worked at Mizzou for a year. In that time, she not only has learned how the University works, but through Healthy for Life she’s learned more about how her body works.

Jayme had been actively participating in yoga classes and thought that joining Dr. Lynn Rossy’s Eat for Life class would help her give up feelings of guilt and negativity associated with eating and make peace with food.
“I was tired of going along with the dieting cycle that is so prevalent in our society,” Jayme said.

So she joined the Eat for Life class in the Heinkel Building, on the MU campus. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but found it to be a transformative experience. She was able to share and learn from her peers about their lifetime of experiences that led them to body image and eating issues.

“It was very eye-opening to read and hear from others how much we have in common in how we depend on external cues to tell us how, what and when to eat,” Jayme said. “I was astonished to realize how truly unkind we can be to ourselves.”

During the 10-week class, she began to give up control and realize that her biggest fear was not worth her worry.

“I was very afraid of losing control and gaining weight in the process,” Jayme said. “I was astonished in the end to find that my weight had hardly changed and I was happier than ever with myself.”

Eat for Life has been taught at the MU and UMKC campuses. It is a mindfulness-based approach to creating a healthy relationship with food, body and mind. Cost is $40, however, if you attend at least nine of the 10 classes you can receive a $20 refund. For more information contact Dr. Lynn Rossy at RossyL@umsystem.edu.

“The class is not just about eating though,” Jayme said. “It is about changing our lifestyles in such a way that we notice the little things in life and get the most enjoyment out of every moment.”

Melissa Birdsong

Why do you want to be an Ambassador?
Healthy living is important. I, like many people, did not take those words into my daily living for many years and have suffered several health issues as a consequence.

What do you hope the Wellness program can do for your colleagues in your area?
Give them a better understanding of key health issues, provide them with resources to help them if they are dealing with a health concern, and provide a venue where people can obtain great information on healthy living.

How do you incorporate wellness into your daily life?
I have really been trying to get my health under control. Living with high blood pressure and problems with my liver and pancreas has caused me to relook at what I eat and how I exercise. I am very anxious for warmer weather, as I love to garden and work in my yard or on my house, which is great exercise and very rewarding.  Winter time is difficult for everyone; it’s a great time for people to put aside their exercise goals and get lazy.  There are several here in the building that have started a walking group.  This is wonderful, as it provides an easy outlet to put some exercise in your day and you get to visit with your coworkers in a re