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DVDs, Books Available Through Fitness Library

LIVE FOR LIFE Lending Library includes more than 400 titles

Diane Cox, administrative assistant for the Medical/Surgical Critical Care unit at Duke Hospital, reviews DVDs in the LIVE FOR LIFE Lending Library during a recent visit.
Diane Cox, administrative assistant for the Medical/Surgical Critical Care unit at Duke Hospital, reviews DVDs in the LIVE FOR LIFE Lending Library during a recent visit.

 

Diane Cox surveyed the fitness DVDs near the TV in her basement. 

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Pilates or aerobics?

Cox hesitated for a moment then slipped the Denise Austin aerobics DVD into a player and stepped side-to-side to warm up for her regular 40-minute exercise routine.

Cox, an administrative assistant for the Medical/Surgical Critical Care unit in Duke Hospital, prefers variety in her workouts. That's why she's a regular at the LIVE FOR LIFE Lending Library, borrowing three or four exercise DVDs every two to three weeks. 

With about 400 items available for loan, including 162 DVDs, the library offers Duke staff and faculty a convenient and free resource for experimenting with various styles and levels of exercise routines.

Launched in 1999, the library also includes books, audiobooks, magazines and CDs that can be borrowed for three weeks; up to four items can be checked out at one time. The library is in the Employee Health and Wellness office on the lower level (Red Zone) of the Duke Clinic building. 

Elizabeth Grabosky, fitness manager for LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke's employee wellness program, said the Lending Library regularly adds new books, magazines and videos. The goal is to make it possible for employees to easily find subject matter that fits their goals, whether losing weight, managing diabetes or preventing illness, she said.

Exercise videos are by far the most popular item to borrow. "P90X and Zumba are leading the pack," Grabosky said.

Cox began borrowing exercise DVDs a year ago to help her meet the fitness goals she set up through LIVE FOR LIFE's Steps to Health program. Since then, she's lost 15 pounds and slimmed down by five inches. She's tried a ballroom dance routine DVD that motivated her to take a few dance classes at the local library and also tested out a boot camp video. 

"The variety keeps the exercise more interesting," Cox said.  

During a recent visit to the library, Cox ran her finger across the long line of DVDs on the shelf in the lobby. "Oh, here's one I like," she said, pulling out a Debra Mazda "ShapelyGirl" low impact cardio DVD. 

"I keep telling people about this library," Cox said. "It's a great resource, and they even send you a reminder when the DVDs are due back."