June 1, 2017
PITTSBURGH – Our most recent Live Well Allegheny story comes from a county department that has made the commitment to supporting the health of their employees. The Department of Human Services (DHS) is taking steps to create a culture of workplace wellness. Most recently, DHS employees have been participating in a 12-week Biggest Loser competition! Twenty-nine employees participated in Season 1 of DHS Biggest Loser, which took place between January 3rd and March 24th. The participants collectively lost over 450 pounds (an average of sixteen pounds per participant), with four participants losing over thirty pounds each.
The top “loser” described his approach to shedding 49 pounds:
“Well, first I’ll say it is 100% mental. I started by finding out my recommended calorie intake per day. There are many free websites for this. I just Googled it and picked one. My recommended intake is around 2,100 calories per day. I try to stay at or below that each day. I also went from having minimal exercise throughout the week to doing an hour of cardio six days a week. I switch between the treadmill and the elliptical. I typically use it as an opportunity to catch up on sports, or watch a television show.”
In addition to being leaner, the participant also acknowledged being able to sleep better at night.
The program emphasizes the importance of healthy food choices and increased exercise. All participants are part of a private Office 365 group, where they can voluntarily share tips, recipes, and other resources and encouragement. In addition, the program seeks to foster a culture of wellness by sponsoring informational talks, tours of local gyms, and lunchtime walks. The opportunity to be part of this supportive community is one incentive to participate.
DHS Biggest Loser Season 2 began on April 18th. Over 40 employees are now participating and looking to build upon the success of Season 1!
Please take a moment to watch this video featuring the stories of a few Season 1 participants: https://vimeo.com/209764088
If you’d like more information about the Biggest Loser competition at DHS, please contact Eddy Jones at edward.jones@alleghenycounty.us.