Every year, many of us talk about making an effort to lead healthier lives. Sometimes, we actually make progress (especially around New Years), but statistically most of us start slipping and we revert to our old ways. To help support healthy lifestyles, Reston Hospital Center is re-committing to stepping up this effort. We will be rolling out a wellness program in the coming months that, in addition to the things below, will provide you with the resources you need to live better. However, it will only make a difference if you personally decide to take an active role. Inevitably this change will make a difference both in your personal life and your professional life. The change will require a lot of focused effort until it becomes part of your routine.
Reston Hospital Center’s commitment to healthy living:
- Cafeteria food: Every day in the cafeteria we will be offering more heart-healthy meals that will be highlighted with icons that provide easy references for making better food choices. Some examples of icons include a “Calorie Counter” for both under 500 and 300 calorie meals. Weight Watchers points will also be offered on items in the café when available.
- Reston Therapy and Fitness Center on the second floor of the Pavilion will be offering free gym memberships to employees starting March 1st. A fitness assessment is required for new members. More information will be provided in the coming weeks.
- Healthy cooking classes: The culinary and nutrition team will periodically offer free cooking classes with a particular emphasis on healthy entrees.
- Health profile screenings: Employees can get a free, one time annual health screening that includes cholesterol, Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure, bone density and health risk assessment. Through our H2U assessments and wellness program, employees can also earn up to $500 credit towards a health savings account.
- Weight Watchers: A 16-week program with weekly meetings held on the hospital campus, includes weigh-ins and food plans. We will reimburse 50% of the cost for employees who actively participate.
- Nutrition classes: Our staff of certified clinical dieticians will be offering a free one-to-one personal assessment for employees.
- Charity walks: Participate in one of the many charity walks that the employees or the hospital support.
- Educational Series: Based on employee interest, the hospital may offer educational programs on coping with stress, diabetes management, and other health topics
- Walking trail: We will create a loop with mileage markers around the campus.
- On-Line Health Coaching: Personal, confidential, convenient, and non-judgmental, constructs automated counseling sessions around your personal issues and needs. Visit www.HCARewards.com/h2u to get started.
Your health and wellness is important to us. What else can we offer to promote good health?
Our Take. Your Hospital. 
I have a couple of suggestions to increase staff’s fitness levels:
• Have a weekly or monthly 10 question fitness/nutrition quiz. If ts turned in same day then employees could redeem a free healthy drink or something small from the cafeteria
• Encourage staff to us the stairs more by leaving coupons taped to the wall or goodies (granola bars) in one stairwell (rotate stairwells) once a month
• Department could do a fitness or weigh loss challenge amongst each other by joining on an-online free site that tracks success and provides assistance, such as http://weightlosswars.com/
• Offer a monthly free yoga class—local gyms and instructors would be willing to do a free class if they think it will help them recruit clients
• The YMCA (a block from the hospital) has a free Teen Center where teens can play with computers, games, and mostly basket ball games-encourage staff to take their teens while they walk the trails behind the YMCA
• The YMCA does a lot of activities charity and fund raisers. They would join efforts with the hospital if someone reached out to them
• If we really want to promote fitness and heath have each department or the weight watcher group host a fun run/walk on the trails by the hospital (two Saturday a month). Everyone could meet there and split the start times. Another place that would work is behind the garage. On the weekends there is a lot of open space to walk or jog there.
• We used to have a coed softball team (Reston Hospital Center) and we still have many players here- Rich from engineering, Don -radiology, me, and others. Start the team up again. Fairfax has a team and we have beaten them before. I was really surprised how many staff members came out to play or watch. Don Bauer and is wife are really good players.
• Have a skate night once a month. Employees could pay their own way, and with admin support staff will participant – Reston Town Center or Skate-quest in Reston. They are really close
• Have a bowling night or weekend day (monthly) – departments can have fun while challenge each other and burning calories. In the past, Ann from accounting hosted bowling events as fund raising activities. A lot of staff working here bowl and enjoyed the activities. Everyone can pay his or her way and have fun burning calories.
Holly has some great ideas! I think I got healthier just by reading her suggestions! Thanks Tim for making real efforts to improve our health!
Holly, you are a genius! I especially like the skate night idea. My kids’ school does a skate night at SkateQuest and I always end up with sore leg muscles but feeling great afterwards. The bowling alley serves food, so I’m not sure that one would be a net calorie loss for me. I got weighed at the doctor’s office yesterday and wasn’t thrilled with the number on the scale. I told the nurse my shoes weigh 15 lbs. Not sure if she believed me!
I LOVE Hollys idea about Yoga, its proven that Yoga improves ones overall health, RHC would get some amazing relaxed and productive staff.
I was just getting ready to go over and check out our Reston Fitness center and join. I am so excited that this will be a new benefit!! I can’t wait to get started and end or begin my day with a workout. Having a workout facility available where you work is so exciting.
Thank you for adding this benefit.
Holly, your input was amazing! I feel so inspired!
One thing I’d like to add that’s easy and relatively inexpensive to incorporate into our daily lives is increasing the amount of water we drink.
Hydration is key to good health.
When will the Weight Watchers program begin and where will the meetings be held? I would like to attend.
The Weight Watchers program is currently underway. If you are interested in joining, please contact LuAnn Koetter at x9273.