The Center for Health Education and Wellness and Be Well, the university’s employee wellness initiative, recently concluded the inaugural Be Well Lifestyle Program. The program was developed through a grant from the Knox County Health Department and the Tennessee Department of Health.
Participants in the six-week series focused on creating healthy lifestyles through making simple daily choices. Program slots were filled within two hours of the initial recruitment e-mail, and employees across campus are already looking forward to the next offering.
Participants attended weekly sessions that covered topics like energy balance, proper nutrition, and stress management. Yusof Al-Wadei, employee wellness coordinator, and Amanda Cofer, a master’s candidate in public health, led the weekly sessions. Participants were given a Fitbit to wear during the program to track progress toward their individual fitness goals.
By the end of the program, participants on average increased their daily step count by nearly 2,000 steps. The group walked almost 1.5 million steps, over 700 miles, in six weeks. Participants also report a decrease in their sedentary times while at work and more confidence in their abilities to set and meet their own health goals.
The next lifestyle program will launch this summer. For more information, visit wellness.utk.edu or contact Yusof Al-Wadei at yalwadei@utk.edu.