"Lighten Up"

Views: 503
Added: Wed. Dec 16, 2009 4:17pm
Posted in: Fitness

• » print
• » report
• » email

Republican Linda Upmeyer, a nurse practitioner, introduced her fellow legislators and their staff to new fitness habits through a program called “Lighten Up.” She asked each Iowa official to weigh in publicly which met, as you can imagine, with some resistance. Undaunted, she asked the Department of Public Health to bring a huge cart scale into the Capitol for mass weigh-ins of 371 people, in groups of about 50, and added up the total: 18.7 tons (37,477 pounds). The lawmakers were then divided into teams and challenged to see who could lose the most weight during the busy legislative sessions.

Members also wore pedometers to inspire them to increase activity and use the stairs more often. Two treadmills at the back rooms of the chambers were kept busy by legislators all day.

“We saw many changes in the culture in response to the challenge,” Upmeyer reports and many members slimmed down. She’s eager for other legislators in other states to follow their example. (163)

 

Source: Consumer Reports on Health, Dec 06,”Lighten up, together,” p.2