The biggest struggles with any corporate wellness program is getting employees involved, keeping them involved and creating behavioral changes that last after the program ends. In fact implementation and motivation begins with a CEO, Owner, Supervisor, or fellow employee who embarrasses anyone of these work-site health facts :

• Attract good workers in a competitive market
• Improve productivity (reducing absenteeism and lost work time due to illness and disability)
• Improve on the job performance and time utilization (reduce “presentee-ism”)
• Improve employee morale and foster organizational commitment
• Reduce conflict and build goodwill toward management
• Reduce employee turnover
• Reduce health care costs

Rational for Promoting a Wellness Program

Source: National Business Group on Health and Pricewaterhouse Coopers. 2006

Glo with My Healthy Strides

Corporate wellness becomes an exciting expedition with H-E-A-L-T-H TREK (Helping Employees Achieve Learning the Habits of Health), a 12 week wellness journey geared for small corporations and municipalities. Employees take a step by step journey on the path to living a longer, healthier life, supported by certified health coaches and personal trainers who act as trail guides for safe passage. Employees are equipped with all the gear they need for the trail, “campfire sessions” where they learn about the process of healthy nutrition, healthy movement, healthy sleep and de-stressing, along with individual guidance and support to help them achieve their health goals.

HEALTH TREK is a highly interactive and highly personal program that engages participants over a 12 week period that involves goal setting, personalized nutrition plans, exercise workshops/walking programs, and educational challenges that help make changes in thought patterns, behaviors, and physique to create better health.  The event culminates with a grand finale Walk/Nordic Walk/Run Celebration Event called THE MOUNT EVER-BEST 5K– because employees now have the knowledge and skills to live ever at their best!

Contact Glo at glo@myhealthystrides.com

www.meetup.com the proven best existing online tool to help others get together for virtually anything. I have beta tested for many months with great results. Now I am recommending and rolling this great tool out to our Balance Walking Coaches and Walk Leaders as best practice.  To Start or Join a Balance Walking Group is so easy; to Promote, to Invite and to Grow. And, yes the site is user friendly. You will see the Balance Walking Wave popping up every area of the country.

Glo Winters a Master Coach in Georgia dropped me a note the other day -

“Terry, since I wanted to Balance Walk for my own health and fitness, I started a walking group on Meet Up and now have a regular walking schedule and friends to join me every day!  I enjoy introducing Balance Walking to others so they can experience the great benefits of this superior exercise, and, have more friends to walk with.  This year I plan to walk the Atlanta 3 Day with a couple of friends and, of course, we will be training for and walking the entire event with our beautiful pink SGK poles!

I would recommend for anyone looking to get started to jump in, and if you need help give me a shout or of course send a note on to Terry to help you get started. My Balance Walking Group is in the Cummings, Georgia area. (www.meetup.com/balancewalking-cumming )”

And, of course, shoot me an email at tkennedy@balancewalking.com or a call to 770-916-5996 if you are ready to get started.

You will love the Pink Poles and make loads of new friends

Yes!
Where? Worldwide! When? Everyday! Why? Breast Cancer! Who? You and You and You!

Yes!
Let’s get your Pink Poles! We have alternate colors, too!

Yes!
They’re grabbing the Pink Poles in Atlanta, too Walking Talking doing what they love, to help be part of the Cure for Breast Cancer living a life grounded in Health & Prevention. Many of our walkers have been impacted by breast cancer and Balance Walking is a great way to help a survivor lead a more active life.

Yes!
They even personalized their group with the name – CHICKS WITH STICKS 3-Day team. Come be part of their team by contacting Glo Winters, glo@myhealthystrides.com .

Yes!
You want to start your own team, then contact Terry Kennedy, the Director Worldwide at tkennedy@balancewalking.com .

Glo Winters, Deanna Elzey, Betty Ewing

Here is their story

Our team captain, Betty Ewing, knows what it means to hear the words “breast cancer” and to experience it firsthand. From her courage in facing this vicious foe our team was formed to walk by her side, in her honor and in honor of many other strangers, acquaintances, friends, best friends, relatives and family members who have also had to fight this battle. We walk for those in the future who will face this enemy. This is our 2nd walk for the cure and we hope that our passion, efforts and commitment to raise money to join the 3 Day 60 Mile Walk again in October will provide not only the funds but the answers, research and the cure to defeat this terrible disease once and for all. Our prayer is that no more wives, mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters, friends or best friends will be lost or suffer from breast cancer ever again.

We walk with pink Balance Walking poles because not only do we desire a cure but we want to promote prevention. It is important for everyone to make a health focused lifestyle a priority. We believe in creating healthy habits – one of which is consistent exercise. Please help our team by purchasing a fundraiser card and if you are interested in Pink Pole Balance Walking you can help us even more. With each set of Pink Poles you purchase Foot Solutions will donate $5 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® with a minimum donation of $100,000 by 2011. You want poles; please contact Glo Winters glo@myhealthystrides.com

Yes We will wait for you and will have loaner poles for you to try,
Betty Deanna – Glo