These are the facts. I will also attempt to post weekly physical activity logs. At present I do weekly weigh-ins every Sunday.
Details to Follow
SBT
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Tales From the Scales: Thomas' Promises
University of Pittsburgh
University Times February 7, 2008 40(11)
by Kimberly K. Barlow
“We’ve got some work to do,” Rosalie Jones said with a sigh as she learned her weight at last week’s initial weigh in. Jones and fellow Center for Minority Health staffer Tiffany Kinney faced the numbers together as members of the CMH-based team Thomas’s Promises.
They, along with Vikki Garner, Angela Hicks, Angela Howze, Karen Reddick and team captain Mario Browne have joined forces as members of the team named for CMH director Stephen Thomas.
Kinney noted that having the team for support is a benefit. “You don’t want to be the slacker,” she admitted. She and Jones joked that anyone who wanted to stop for a hamburger on the way to the weigh-in might risk being kicked off the team.
Team members haven’t devised a detailed strategy, but for now are focused on getting moving. Their plan is to alternate between walking the stairs in Crabtree and Parran halls and exercising along with CMH Healthy Black Family Project participants in classes such as yoga and body toning at the Kingsley Association in East Liberty.
“We want to consume our own product,” team captain Browne said, noting that the CMH staff work on the Healthy Black Family Project, which aims to help participants avoid diabetes and high blood pressure.
“We are the people that we serve,” he said. “We experience the same issues, the same time challenges, the same stress with family and work.” And, like anyone, they also struggle with getting and staying motivated, keeping active and eating well. “We decided to unite as staff and support one of our own products,” he said.
While Jones and Kinney each hope to lose 25 pounds, the number of pounds the team hopes to lose as a group hasn’t yet been tallied, Browne said.
In addition to the official weight race team members, other CMH faculty and staff are encouraged to move along with the group. Browne said the CMH office members will support each other regardless of their official team status.
Faculty member James Butler didn’t sign up as a team member, but he’s not letting that dissuade him. He plans on walking with the group, adding that his goal is more to tone up and maintain rather than lose substantial amounts of weight. “Maybe five pounds,” he said.
He’s looking forward to an extended cruise with his wife this summer. “And I want to be cruise-worthy,” Butler said.
Browne said communication among group members will be through email and word-of-mouth since the office is small and staffers see one another frequently. He said he would like the weight race activities to add another aspect to their interaction. “We don’t want it to be just like what we already do together, which is work,” he said. Rather, he wants the team to have an opportunity to take a break from work and lower stress levels, in turn giving team members more energy to do work tasks together.
Browne said he’s noticed that participants on “The Biggest Loser” often don’t have a well-developed game plan at the start. “They just want to be on the show and lose weight,” he said. As the weeks go on, he said, they evolve and develop a strategy. “I suspect that’s how our team will be,” he said, adding he’s interested in seeing what works or doesn’t work for his team. —
Kimberly K. Barlow
University Times
http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-lay=a&-format=d.html&storyid=7936&-Find
University Times February 7, 2008 40(11)
by Kimberly K. Barlow
“We’ve got some work to do,” Rosalie Jones said with a sigh as she learned her weight at last week’s initial weigh in. Jones and fellow Center for Minority Health staffer Tiffany Kinney faced the numbers together as members of the CMH-based team Thomas’s Promises.
They, along with Vikki Garner, Angela Hicks, Angela Howze, Karen Reddick and team captain Mario Browne have joined forces as members of the team named for CMH director Stephen Thomas.
Kinney noted that having the team for support is a benefit. “You don’t want to be the slacker,” she admitted. She and Jones joked that anyone who wanted to stop for a hamburger on the way to the weigh-in might risk being kicked off the team.
Team members haven’t devised a detailed strategy, but for now are focused on getting moving. Their plan is to alternate between walking the stairs in Crabtree and Parran halls and exercising along with CMH Healthy Black Family Project participants in classes such as yoga and body toning at the Kingsley Association in East Liberty.
“We want to consume our own product,” team captain Browne said, noting that the CMH staff work on the Healthy Black Family Project, which aims to help participants avoid diabetes and high blood pressure.
“We are the people that we serve,” he said. “We experience the same issues, the same time challenges, the same stress with family and work.” And, like anyone, they also struggle with getting and staying motivated, keeping active and eating well. “We decided to unite as staff and support one of our own products,” he said.
While Jones and Kinney each hope to lose 25 pounds, the number of pounds the team hopes to lose as a group hasn’t yet been tallied, Browne said.
In addition to the official weight race team members, other CMH faculty and staff are encouraged to move along with the group. Browne said the CMH office members will support each other regardless of their official team status.
Faculty member James Butler didn’t sign up as a team member, but he’s not letting that dissuade him. He plans on walking with the group, adding that his goal is more to tone up and maintain rather than lose substantial amounts of weight. “Maybe five pounds,” he said.
He’s looking forward to an extended cruise with his wife this summer. “And I want to be cruise-worthy,” Butler said.
Browne said communication among group members will be through email and word-of-mouth since the office is small and staffers see one another frequently. He said he would like the weight race activities to add another aspect to their interaction. “We don’t want it to be just like what we already do together, which is work,” he said. Rather, he wants the team to have an opportunity to take a break from work and lower stress levels, in turn giving team members more energy to do work tasks together.
Browne said he’s noticed that participants on “The Biggest Loser” often don’t have a well-developed game plan at the start. “They just want to be on the show and lose weight,” he said. As the weeks go on, he said, they evolve and develop a strategy. “I suspect that’s how our team will be,” he said, adding he’s interested in seeing what works or doesn’t work for his team. —
Kimberly K. Barlow
University Times
http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-lay=a&-format=d.html&storyid=7936&-Find
Tales From the Scales: 12-week weight race launched
Tales From the Scales: 12-week weight race launched
The techniques differ, but 1,300+ Pitt employees are aiming for better health, fewer pounds in University-wide race weight-loss race.
And they’re off!Have you noticed more walkers out at lunchtime? A proliferation of pedometers around campus? Fewer treats in your office’s break room? No more pizza deliveries to your department? More colleagues carrying gym bags to work?Credit the MyHealth Weight Race.
CLICK BELOW FOR FULL STORY AND SUMMARY OF ALL TEAMS BEING TRACKED:
http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-lay=a&-format=d.html&storyid=7935&-Find
The techniques differ, but 1,300+ Pitt employees are aiming for better health, fewer pounds in University-wide race weight-loss race.
And they’re off!Have you noticed more walkers out at lunchtime? A proliferation of pedometers around campus? Fewer treats in your office’s break room? No more pizza deliveries to your department? More colleagues carrying gym bags to work?Credit the MyHealth Weight Race.
CLICK BELOW FOR FULL STORY AND SUMMARY OF ALL TEAMS BEING TRACKED:
http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-lay=a&-format=d.html&storyid=7935&-Find
Truth Telling: Thomas' Promises
I was born 55 years ago, 1953 in Columbus, Ohio. Yes, today is my birthday. I know far too many people I grew up with who died many years ago.
Yesterday my staff surprised me with a Birthday party. Complete with cake, ice cream and YouTube blasting Stevie Wonder's rendition of "Happy Birthday" crafted for Dr. King. This was followed by the Beetles version of the traditional birthday song.
I was indeed surprised, and reluctantly told them I was 53. Then my wife came to join us and I told them was 54 (technically correct since it was Feb. 8th). Finally, I publically acknowledged that I was indeed 55.
What is the problem with AGE ... considering the alternative. Today I received phone calls from my sisters and they begin the phone call with the Stevie Wonder version of Happy Birthday. I shared the story above and learned that the sensitivity with AGE can be traced back to my grandmother, Mable Cradle. My sisters reminded me that not of us really know the ages of our uncles, aunts and even my mother and father spoke little of their actual age ... especially my mother. In fact, my aunt "B" considered it the height of "insult" to even ask about her age.
Now, what is that all about! So, talking with my sister LaDonna I agreed to BREAK THE SILENCE ON AGE... and tell the truth.
So, why stop there. This blog "Thomas' Promises" is dedicated to the CMH staff who have accepted the challenge of losing weight in response to the University of Pittsburgh's Great Race. This theme is based on the GREATEST LOOSER TV show and more than 1,300 UPITT staff have signed up.
The Thomas' Promises Team, led by Mario Browne, is being tracked by the University Times newspaper along with a few other teams. The first story can be found at the link below.
http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-lay=a&-format=d.html&storyid=7936&-Find
I am encouraging the Thomas' Promises Team to contribute to this Blog as we all come to grips with the challenges and opportunities we face to promote health and prevent disease in our personal lives and in our family.
Dr. T
Yesterday my staff surprised me with a Birthday party. Complete with cake, ice cream and YouTube blasting Stevie Wonder's rendition of "Happy Birthday" crafted for Dr. King. This was followed by the Beetles version of the traditional birthday song.
I was indeed surprised, and reluctantly told them I was 53. Then my wife came to join us and I told them was 54 (technically correct since it was Feb. 8th). Finally, I publically acknowledged that I was indeed 55.
What is the problem with AGE ... considering the alternative. Today I received phone calls from my sisters and they begin the phone call with the Stevie Wonder version of Happy Birthday. I shared the story above and learned that the sensitivity with AGE can be traced back to my grandmother, Mable Cradle. My sisters reminded me that not of us really know the ages of our uncles, aunts and even my mother and father spoke little of their actual age ... especially my mother. In fact, my aunt "B" considered it the height of "insult" to even ask about her age.
Now, what is that all about! So, talking with my sister LaDonna I agreed to BREAK THE SILENCE ON AGE... and tell the truth.
So, why stop there. This blog "Thomas' Promises" is dedicated to the CMH staff who have accepted the challenge of losing weight in response to the University of Pittsburgh's Great Race. This theme is based on the GREATEST LOOSER TV show and more than 1,300 UPITT staff have signed up.
The Thomas' Promises Team, led by Mario Browne, is being tracked by the University Times newspaper along with a few other teams. The first story can be found at the link below.
http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-lay=a&-format=d.html&storyid=7936&-Find
I am encouraging the Thomas' Promises Team to contribute to this Blog as we all come to grips with the challenges and opportunities we face to promote health and prevent disease in our personal lives and in our family.
Dr. T
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