VSP Blog

I am not an athlete. I’m a nerd.

In elementary school, I failed the President’s Physical Fitness Test. In high school, the most time I spent on a court or field was in the stands, playing with the pep band. In my job as a technical communicator at VSP, the heaviest lifting I do involves right-clicking a mouse. The physical exertion my kids expend in one hour will exceed the average physical exertion I expend in two months. One of my nicknames is “Android.” How nerdy is that? I am not an athlete.

As an adult, I face an uphill battle trying to stay at my ideal weight, in my right size pants, and out of the doctor’s office.

That’s why I’m a willing participant in a wellness program at VSP called GetFIT.

What’s GetFIT?

For a 16-week period, VSP employees commit to report their weekly physical activity and weight loss (or gain) online. For some, the activity is recorded in minutes, for others, the activity is recorded in pedometer step counts.

We set personal goals, and take up long-desired hobbies or activities. One of my goals is to commute to work on bicycle two to three days a week. In goal-setting, we learn to publicize our goals, so others hold us accountable. So, there, I shared my goal with all of you readers. Yes, incredible timing; Sacramento’s summer heat wave has arrived.

GetFit Tips
Along the way, the VSP wellness coordinators and team captains keep the participants motivated with tips, resources, reminders, and words of encouragement. The resources are our own or developed in partnership with other reputable health and wellness organizations.
For instance, this tip appeared on our wellness site:

Eat 4-5 smaller meals rather than 2 or 3 big ones. Why? It helps stabilize blood sugar and helps control your appetite.

Although that tip seems like a no-brainer, several coworkers were honest with themselves and admitted to not following that practice, by skipping breakfast. By lunch or dinner, they’re starving, resulting in over-eating or making impulsive choices.

Who benefits?
We all benefit from our participation.

• If I and my teammates improve our health and wellness, we don’t call in sick as often or spend unnecessary hours in the doctor’s waiting rooms, and we don’t create stress on our coworkers’ productivity.
• If we don’t spend money in the doctor’s office or in the pharmacy, we don’t add to our company’s health care costs.
• If we exercise and eat right, we decrease the risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions that affect our eyes. Imagine the positive effect that will have on our families’ future.

Does it work?
Yes, this program works.
At the end of the 16 weeks, we tally the results and celebrate our victories, recognizing those teams and individuals with the most weight loss, most minutes of activity, or most pedometer step counts.

VSP employees just completed a 16-week session. 314 VSP employees recorded 854, 358 activity minutes and 22.9 million pedometer steps! We lost 1,131 pounds! One individual lost 40 pounds in the 16 weeks!

So what’s in it for you?
We’ve been so successful, that VSP has made the program available to you or anyone who visits the GetFIT page on vsp.com. We hope that our clients offer a GetFIT program to their employees, using these resources, weekly inspirations, 16-week activity tracking logs, tips, and links to other wellness sites.

I invite you to “get with the program.” GetFIT.

File under: diabetes, Get Fit | Tagged: getfit, health, vsp.com, weight, wellness