April 06, 2004

By: Haily Bishop
Website: http://www.1st-in-wellness.com

Eight Weeks to Wellness is All About You - Program Emphasizes Support, Point-System as Key to Fitness Success

In an organized effort to reach out to those individuals who have yet to make healthy changes in lifestyle, the YMCA has adopted a Total Health Initiative. The official launch of the Total Health program will begin in January 2002, however a main component of Total Health, Eight Weeks to Wellness will start in earnest in October.

Total Health is a fitness philosophy which empowers individuals to tailor their own path to a healthier lifestyle by choosing how they will accomplish their health and wellness goals.

Eight Weeks to Wellness is based on a support system made up of weekly meetings, adopting a health buddy, and one on-one guidance from a wellness coach, who is variously part social worker, librarian and outreach coordinator who can assist members along their path to Total Health. Weekly themes offer participants short-term goals such as eating breakfast each morning, avoiding self-criticism, and wearing a seat belt every time you drive and other simple ideas participants can incorporate into their daily routines. It is designed for those who haven't had or reached their wellness goals, but would like to.

The YMCA is offering people something they never had when trying to get into shape: choices, said Tracy Muckey, Total Health Coordinator for the YMCA of Santa Clara Valley. With Eight Weeks to Wellness, people incorporate things like healthy eating, meditation, exercise and support in a way that feels comfortable to them.

The Fundamentals of Eight Weeks To start Eight Weeks to Wellness, individuals first choose how they want to participate - either in groups or individually with a health buddy. Then members are asked to select two personal wellness goals such as to lose weight, quit smoking, limit television viewing, drinking six to eight glasses of water a day, spending 20 to 30 minutes each day developing their spiritual heath by meditating, contemplating, studying or reading and other ideas that they want to focus on over the next eight weeks.

Members are also asked to recruit a health buddy that can be a friend or family member, to offer support and daily encouragement. Weekly meetings offer more support and the opportunity to interact with others who are also making healthy lifestyle changes. Homework is assigned during the weekly meeting that reinforces health management with reading and worksheets.

Making it a Point to Track Progress Participants complete a Personal Wellness Log each day for the eight-week period, tracking progress using a system of wellness points, earned by performing 15 minutes of physical activity (2 points) and getting adequate sleep for example. Starting with a reasonable goal of achieving 75 to 100 points per week, Eight Weeks participants progress to an idea goal of 120 to 130 points per week. The goal is to accumulate 800 to 1,000 points over the eight-week period.

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle Finally, Eight Weeks to Wellness participants are encouraged to keep working toward good health by utilizing the tools and support provided to them by the YMCA.

The YMCA Total Health Initiative includes a total health orientation, Eight Weeks to Wellness, and the 12-Week Personal Fitness Program, a program for those new or returning to exercise.

About The Author:

Haily Bishop is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-wellness.com.  Obtaining and keeping good health through healthy living, natural healing, great mental health and healthy finances.