Looking to Get In Shape for the New Year?
Staff /Faculty Wellness Program Offers Help Sticking to New Year’s Resolutions

By Heather Holliday I December 20, 2004

Michelle Carson participated in the recreation department's Staff/Faculty Wellness Program to help adopt healthy habits.

With the holidays upon us, it’s time to start thinking about New Year resolutions. If you’re like a lot of people, you may resolve to eat better and exercise more. And, if you are like a lot of people, you’ll stick to it for a month, a week or maybe a day. There is another option, though – and it’s one that might help you keep your resolutions throughout the year. The recreation department’s quarterly Staff/Faculty Wellness Program is beginning a new session January 10. Running for eight weeks, the free program introduces small groups – about five people – to personalized weight training, nutrition counseling and stress reduction exercises, among other topics.

Making it a habit

Michelle Carson, a staff member in human resources, had a history of eating right and exercising, then slacking off, then eating right and exercising, then slacking off, and so on. Last August, she was just beginning to get back to an eating-right-and-exercising episode, when she heard about the program. She signed up and started the program in September, hoping it would help her really adopt healthy habits.

She said it was a great success. “The program helped me entrench this into my lifestyle,” Carson said. “I don’t have to think, ‘I should go to the gym; I should eat this.’ I just do it.”

Carson also achieved other goals. She started to lose weight; she increased her upper-body strength; with one-on-one attention, she learned the correct way to lift weights; and she learned what a correct portion size is.

“[Plus], it helped me in my job,” she said. “I think more clearly. And I have more energy throughout the day. It made me a better employee.” In fact, she said, she gained so much energy that she started looking for a more personally fulfilling position. And, starting in January, she will start her new job in the Office of Graduate Studies and Research. “Without this program, I never would have had the energy to make this change,” she said.

How it Works

Groups meet with an instructor weekly for one hour. On the first day, each person is tested for their baseline fitness, testing things like resting blood pressure, heart rate, flexibility, endurance and body fat. Then, each week the group covers a different topic, including cardiovascular machines, circuit weights and core strength. At the end of the eight weeks, each person’s baseline fitness is retested to measure achievement. Finally, there is a one-on-one consult with the instructor when personalized guidelines are created, based on each person’s needs, likes and dislikes.

According to Terri Dowie, wellness director, many people who participate in the program are either intimidated by the gym or have been meaning to get to the gym, but just haven’t. The program helps demystify the process and offers an extra push to get going.

“There are few opportunities like this on campus to get such one-on-one attention,” said Dowie. “[Plus,] it doesn’t matter what level of fitness you have. We have such a small group, that you can really diversify within the group.”

The program, which has been around for five years, has seen many successes, added Dowie. People have lost up to 25 pounds; many people have gained a great stress outlet; and a number of people have lowered their blood pressure.

This program is available to all UCSD staff and faculty who are current Recreation Card holders. The program is accepting applications for the Winter quarter. To enroll, contact Dowie at (858) 822-3123 or email tdowie@ucsd.edu.