On the path to a healthy lifestyle

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Mariah Tolbert
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  An Air Force program recently started here to encourage and teach Airmen and their families how to make a lifestyle change, Oct. 17.

The Air Force weight management program "Better Body, Better Life," is a five-week program, designed to help individuals seeking to lose or maintain weight, and enjoy an overall healthier lifestyle.

The "Better Body, Better Life," program is specifically meant to target weight measurement, said Tiffany Harrison, 4th Aerospace Medicine Squadron registered dietician. In addition, it also assists participants with building good nutritional awareness, helping them get closer to a healthier lifestyle.

Each Wednesday for five weeks from 2 to 4 p.m. participants go through different learning modules discovering aspects of living a healthy lifestyle through lectures and hands on activities.

"The program consists of nutritional, behavioral and physical activity components," Harrison said. "Also, the exercise physiologist helps the participants get comfortable with moving, finding their heart rate, proper stretching and the equipment in the gym."

On top of learning and getting comfortable with these lifestyle changes, participants receive encouragement from others in the group and learn how to facilitate behavioral changes to get on the right path to a healthy lifestyle.

The Air Force implemented this program not only to help out those who failed a physical fitness test, but also because of an epidemic that has been seen during the past year, said Staff Sgt. Donald Byrd, 4th AMDS NCO in charge of the Health and Wellness Center.

According to Air Force statistics, nearly 60 percent of active duty members at Seymour Johnson are either overweight or obese, which is a common trend throughout the Air Force.

"The obesity epidemic is at an all time high, so that's one of the targets of this program, to decrease obesity and to give people the knowledge of living a healthy lifestyle," Byrd said. "People think that just dieting will help them, but it's a combination of eating healthy and exercise that will get someone living healthy. This program pulls a lifestyle together to make changes that could last for a while."

The HAWC staff encourages anyone who wants to make a change for the better to sign up for the next class, which begins Nov. 21.

For more information or to sign up, contact the HAWC at 919-722-0407.