Surevest 6-Week Health Initiative

For the past six weeks, I have had the pleasure of working with the SureVest Insurance group on their company health initiative. 

In today's workplace it is not uncommon for employees to be at their desks for many hours of the day. This problem can lead to a very unhealthy lifestyle. Poor posture, sore joints and muscles, even poor circulation of blood through our limbs can be some of the negative side effects. 

This is where Owner of SureVest, Chris Clark, comes into play. He realized that a healthier staff can lead to better moods, higher energy levels, and a common goal between employee and employer. All of these result in a higher productivity at work. To see how we set up the program and the results of our work, click on the link below to read more. 

Frequency was important for SureVest. Chris Clark knew from his own experience that the more you do something, the easier it becomes to form a habit. 

We structured the weekly calendar so that I was at the office Tuesdays and Fridays for a 30-45 minute low intensity training session to give the staff a break in the day. We used the park outside the office as much as we could, weather permitting. We used exercises like lunges, squats and a high volume of upper body band work to give their bodies a boost to finish out the day. When weather forced us to be inside, we used a conference room for ab work, foam rolling and corrective exercises. Rarely did the ladies in the office break a sweat, but not all exercise has to be intense, especially when your background in lifting is very minimal. 

We used a lot of exercises at the office that would have a high rate of transfer into the movements I planned for them on the two other days I got to see them. That's where their gym time comes in. We all know that low intensity movements and ab work are good, but are best when paired with full body bar movements. So the staff came to me twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays to accomplish that. This is where we learned the movement patterns of squats, deadlifts, bench, rows etc. The group started slow, but they progressed quickly in the 6 weeks I worked with them.

Studies show that even 10 minutes a day at the office can show a reduction in fat mass, in a body composition test. Many companies have got on board with providing a gym on-site or services like myself. According to Roy Shephard, PhD, professor emeritus of applied physiology on the University of Toronto's faculty of physical education and health, "work-site exercise and health programs are widely believed to be a way to keep employees healthy, thereby increasing a company's productivity while controlling health insurance costs."

On top of the current workout schedule we had, we had a group message board on Facebook to help me evaluate their meal choices. We didn't "count macros" or even work with a caloric goal. We simply set out with the goal to have three solid full meals: 1 serving protein, 1 serving fat, 1 serving carb, and a ton of greens; and two high protein snacks during the day. This was a great way to bring light to their food composition. It was a great teaching tool.  

The results were great! We had five women complete the program. On average they lost 5 pounds in body weight. 1.33 inches from their hips, 1.25 inches from their waists, and .5 inches in their arms. Remember these are the AVERAGES! Some did even better!

These results speak for themselves. The whole office was on board, even to the point that I was smuggling cookies and donuts out of the office when clients would bring them for lunch. With all the employees engaged, I noticed a big shift in mindset . Staff outings were done with activity in mind, instead of visiting the local bar. Staff lunches were well thought out and ordered with health and nutrition in mind.  SureVest sets a great example when identifying healthy office habits!

I am happy that most of these ladies have stayed on and are continuing to train with me. I can't wait to post some more information about their progress in the future!

If you're looking for cooperate wellness programs or would like to learn more information please reach out in any form: social media or via my contact info on the website!


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2248785/

Journal: "The Physician and Sportsmedicine" February 1999 article, "Do Work-Site Exercise and Health Programs Work?"