March 11, 2005

Be Fit: Human Resources team gets fit for different reasons

Cheryl Coss of MGH Human Resources (HR) doesn't look like she needs to lose weight. At 5 foot 9 inches with a slender frame, Coss looks like she doesn't need to watch the grams of fat, keep track of carbohydrates or monitor her sugar intake in every meal she eats. But Coss takes her eating habits very seriously, not for weight loss or fitness reasons but because she has type 1 diabetes — an illness she has had for 17 years.

Everything Coss eats affects how much insulin she has to self-inject every day, making each meal a carefully calculated event. Taking better control of her diabetes is the main reason Coss joined a new pilot program at the hospital called Be Fit. Sponsored by MGH Nutrition and Food Services and the Clubs at Charles River Park, the program features six teams of employees competing against each other to eat better and exercise for a 12-week period. With the guidance of registered dietitians from MGH Nutrition and Food Services and exercise tips from personal trainers from the Clubs, the ultimate goal of the team participants is to lead healthier lifestyles. Coss is a part of the HR team, which has 20 members competing with Buildings and Grounds, Materials Management, Environmental Services, Nutrition and Food Services and a team of MGHers who belong to the Clubs.

"It's great for me to have access to a nutritionist as part of the program," says Coss. "I've learned more about portion control and balancing different foods. The Be Fit nutrition plan is an ideal diet for diabetics because proper nutrition is so important when you have this illness. Also the camaraderie of our team is great. We all support each other, and it is nice to have the group meetings to remind ourselves to keep on track."

Susan Horan, manager of the Bulfinch Temporary Service, also has her reasons for joining the program. She took an interest not necessarily to lose weight but to learn more about nutrition and develop a healthy exercise routine to fit her busy schedule. As captain for the HR team, Horan coordinates the team's weekly weigh-ins, gives the team members their weekly workout and Nutralert meal passes, and provides weekly encouragement to the team through e-mail correspondence. So far, the HR team has lost a group total of 31 pounds, consumed 56 Nutralert meals offered in the Eat Street Café and has worked out a combined 191 times – making the team second in the number of trips to the gym.

The HR team has two cheerleaders encouraging them every week. Suzanne Landry, RD, MS, is the registered dietitian who gives weekly tips about topics such as fat intake, portion control and eating healthier foods. Joe Dankese is the team's personal trainer from the Clubs who gives workout advice such as stretching tips, ways to monitor heart rate and exercises to work on specific areas of the body. He also meets individually with team members to give more personalized fitness counseling.

"Our group has done a great job so far, says Horan. "Everyone has developed a greater awareness of proper nutrition and overall fitness. This program provides a central resource of information about how to live a healthier life. And it's inspiring to hear everyone's stories and the progress they are making."

Now in the fifth week of the program, all six teams have lost a total of 425 pounds and have worked out 971 times combined.

Members of the HR Be Fit team