Coworkers Measure Wellness Together
Group fitness consultations bring free health information to employees
LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke's employee wellness program, is making it easier than ever for faculty and staff to get a snapshot of their health.
Along with seasonal offerings like Run/Walk Club and fitness programs like Take the Stairs, LIVE FOR LIFE provides on-site fitness consultations to faculty and staff. As part of the program, LIVE FOR LIFE staff will visit an office or department and walk employees through an eight-minute regimen to find a baseline of wellness.
Providing on-site group consultations is an easy way to help Duke employees who may not have time in their day to visit their offices, said Liz Grabosky, fitness manager with LIVE FOR LIFE.
"When we come to employees for fitness testing and consultations, we're making it easy to take advantage of this free, unique benefit," Grabosky said. "It also makes it easy for us to provide good information to start participants on a path to wellness."
The consultation process is easy - each employee participates in several tests at an area in their building or office. Stamina is tested with a step exercise, strength is measured with pushups and sit-ups and flexibility is measured with stretches. LIVE FOR LIFE also provides an estimate of a participant's body mass index.
Bridget Cherry recently took part in a group consultation when LIVE FOR LIFE visited the Duke Aesthetic Center. She said she only finds a few minutes a day for cardio or weight exercises and noted her test results gave her an idea for what she needs to work on to get in better shape.
"I wanted to find out my strengths and weaknesses because I knew I needed to do better," said Cherry, an ambulatory clinical nurse at the Aesthetics Center. "The tests proved to me that I needed some encouragement, especially with my sit-ups. I need to do more core work."
After a consultation, faculty and staff can work with LIVE FOR LIFE to form exercise and diet plans to better their health. Employees can also sign up for one-on-one nutrition and fitness consultations.
For more information about scheduling a group fitness consultation, call LIVE FOR LIFE at (919) 684-3136, option 1. Details about fitness consultations and other LIVE FOR LIFE programs are also available online.