Posted on April 12: Taking steps toward a healthier lifestyle

More McMaster employees are putting their best foot forward for developing a healthier, more active lifestyle over the lunch hour, thanks to programming provided by Employee Health and Wellness.

Debra Earl, employee health educator, says for many employees, after-work demands such as family and home care often bump exercise to the bottom of the priority list. But with health professionals encouraging Canadians to get a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity per day, more people are taking the leap towards fitness.

“For many people, the lunch hour is the only hour of the day that's not taken up by other commitments,” says Earl. “All of our employee health programs are offered at lunch, and people are expressing a lot of interest in the programs we offer.”

Earl recently wrapped up a five-week Employee Health initiative, Fitness First, which saw more than 90 McMaster employees take the step toward a healthier lifestyle. The program offered access to personal trainer Mary Jung, free resistance training, and encouragement to walk at lunch hour and to record exercise in a daily log.

“I think a lot of people are intimidated by a personal trainer because they aren't hoping to run a marathon right away, they just want to put a little exercise into their lives,” says Earl. “Fitness First gave them the opportunity to ask questions and receive professional advice from someone who's trained to do so, and coming together as a group was also beneficial.”

More than 95 employees registered for Fitness First and about half completed the five-week challenge. Earl says that is a typical drop-off rate for any exercise program, and she considers the program a tremendous success. Prizes were awarded to the participants who reported the most daily physical activity, including teams of coworkers who encouraged each other. Each participant who completed the program received a second exercise Thera-band to help them continue with their resistance training.

“The hardest thing about exercise is getting started,” says Earl. “I tell people if they are having problems getting motivated, just try it for 10 minutes. You can do anything for 10 minutes, and often you'll keep going after that.”

Employee Health's current initiative is lunchtime yoga in April. More than 90 participants registered to fill the classes quickly. Next up will be a walking group that will begin in May. Watch for registration information later this month. Inquiries about Employee Health programming can be sent to ehealth@mcmaster.ca.