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From left to right: Florilla Cosby, Annette Dunnegan, Jane Walz, Vickie Schaffer, Donna Kirsch |
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LIVE FOR LIFE Helps Employees Reach Personal Wellness Goals
For Jane Walz, a medical technologist at the Duke Rapid Response laboratory, each day is about improving productivity and ensuring fast and reliable test results. Off the job, she is also improving her own productivity and personal test results for health and wellness.
Walz has been active with LIVE FOR LIFE since she came to work at Duke 10 years ago. She takes charge of her health by getting her cholesterol and blood pressure checked each year at a HealthCheck, borrowing books and tapes on health from the LIFE FOR LIFE lending library, and participating in weight loss programs, such as "New You in 2002" and "New Me in 2003" that were offered the past two years by LIVE FOR LIFE.
To support employees like Walz in their effort to lose weight and improve nutritional and fitness habits, LIVE FOR LIFE is offering a new program, "Lose More in 2004," that will begin in January. Employees can register to participate in the 12-week online wellness program, which includes motivation, team support, and weekly information and tips. The program will also feature luncheon walks and a 5-A-Day luncheon.
Walz discovered that the coaching and group support features of the previous programs were the successful ingredients for her. During the "New You in 2002" weight loss program, she lost six pounds by modifying recipes to reduce her calories and resizing her meal portions.
Since January 2003, when she began the "New Me in 2003" program, Walz has lost 19 pounds and her body mass index, a measure that estimates relative risk of disease compared to normal weight, dropped from a high risk level of 32 to a low risk level of 23.
Walz knew that to keep her weight off she needed to maintain a level of group support, so she joined a group in her local community called "TOPS" (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly). As part of her daily routine, she strives to be a "natural eater," eating only for nourishment and to the point when she feels full. In addition, Walz teaches water aerobics at a local YMCA to keep her body strong and manage symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
By watching her diet, finding group support, and teaching water aerobics, Walz has put it all together in an effective strategy to manage her weight and create the best results for her.
If you are interested in participating in "Lose More in 2004," registration for the program will begin in January. For more information, please look for a future article in the January issue of Dialgoue/INSIDE, visit
the Lose More in 2004 Web Site or call 684-3136 (option 1).
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