Hope’s Healthy Options (H20) Program is designed
to
promote healthy lifestyle behaviors.
The goals are to provide health education, increase opportunities
for healthy living, and reward those who demonstrate healthy
behaviors.
Rewards will be given for:
- Regular online tracking of physical activity, dietary intake (one food group / month) and "positive living behaviors" (promoting mental health). Participants are eligible for up to $25/month (~ $1/day, details below)
- Participating in contests and/or incentive campaigns
- i.e., 1,000,000 pedometer step contest, WALKTOBER campaign
- Completing a health risk appraisal (once/year, win
one of fifty $50 prizes)
- Attending educational seminars (door prizes)
Tobacco-free living will not be rewarded; H2O will provide
copays for prescription medications. See tobacco cessation
ON-LINE BEHAVIOR TRACKING: $0.50 - $1/DAY
GUIDELINES:
- To earn $0.50 - $1/day, participants must track on-line behaviors (Physical activity + positive living + dietary intake) for 25 days or more each month. Behaviors that are not performed daily should be marked with a zero. If no zero is entered, it is assumed that the behavior was not tracked that day. Zeros are NOT necessary for dietary items that are not in focus each month (starred item). For example, whole grain ingestion is required for October, and will be the only category viewed to determine dietary tracking eligibility for October.
- You may choose to track offline. You will need to print out the monthly tracking calendar and return the completed calendar to Sue Beckman, Dow Center, at the end of each month. Offline tracking calendars must be received by the 3rd of the following month, i.e. September's completed calendar must be received by October 3rd for you to be eligible for the tracking incentive.
- Currently, participants do NOT need to meet standard or individual goals to be eligible for rewards, although we hope employees will strive to make improvements over time.
- Rewards will be given at the end of the fall semester (September - December prizes will be awarded in January). Each employee who tracks behavior for 25 days or more each month will receive $12.50/month (max $50/semester) as an automatic addition to his/her next paycheck. An additional $12.50/month (max $50/semester) will be added to his/her paycheck following the submission (and approval) of a receipt for products/services that positively affect health (i.e. payment for group exercise class, walking/running shoes/equipment, event entry fees, weight watchers, etc). Receipts can be dated between September 1, 2009 & December 31, 2009 to be eligible. No receipts are necessary for participation in Hope group classes. Food purchases will not be accepted.
- OPT-OUT OPTION FOR EMPLOYEES WHO REGULARLY MEET AND/OR EXCEED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RECOMMENDATIONS: To learn how many employees there are at Hope who already meet/exceed the physical activity guidelines (10,000+ steps/day OR 30 minutes moderate exercise 5 days/week OR 20 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 days/week), we ask that these employees track their behavior (only physical activity is required for the "opt-out" program, but employees are welcome to track dietary intake and mental health) for ONE MONTH. If the guidelines are met/exceeded, these employees will be rewarded $50 and will not be encouraged/required to track behaviors again for one year.
- Daily email reminders to track behavior will be available by request.
Behavior Tracking Details:
1. Physical Activity
Track your daily physical activity. You DO NOT need to meet the recommended daily
goals to be eligible for rewards. Just track your regular physical activity
using pedometer steps or minutes of activity (as described
below).
You can track physical activity in three different ways:
Daily Pedometer steps ONLY
Number of
steps/day
Work toward goal of 10,000 steps daily
Daily minutes of
moderate* and/or vigorous* activity
Number of
moderate activity minutes/day
Work toward goal of 30 minutes moderate activity 5 days/week
Number of vigorous activity minutes
Work toward goal of 20 minutes/day, 3 days/week (~10 min/day)
Daily Pedometer steps + daily minutes of moderate
and/or vigorous activity
Number of pedometer steps/day
+ minutes of moderate or vigorous activity/day. If you use this method (steps + minutes) to track physical activity, pleae do not wear your pedometer during your minutes of moderate or vigorous activity.
*For definitions
of moderate & vigorous activity,
see RESOURCES: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY For examples of moderate & vigorous activity,
see ACTIVITY EXAMPLES
Precise step conversions are also available. If you convert other activities to steps, you will NOT be eligible for pedometer step contests.
See the Step Conversion
Chart (pdf)
PERSONAL GOALS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
2. Positive Living Behaviors
WHAT IS A POSITIVE LIVING BEHAVIOR?
Any non-screen-based behavior that has the ability to reduce
stress.
Behaviors have been divided into “daily” behaviors
(activities you participate in on a regular basis) and “non-daily” (non-regular)
behaviors. Some behaviors fit into both categories. Tracking
requires counting total behaviors each day. A good goal to shoot for would be 14
behaviors/week. Examples of behaviors are given
on the “My Progress” page under “info”.
3. Dietary Intake
Each month (September - December) you are eligible for prizes
by keeping track of ONE SPECIFIC ASPECT of your diet.
We understand that tracking everything you eat can be exhausting,
so while it is possible for you to track everything you
eat each day on our website, we will only focus on one aspect
of your diet each month for incentives.
USDA Daily requirements for food intake are based on age
and gender. The dietary guidelines that are specific to
YOU are on your “My Wellness” page.
CONTESTS:
1 million Step Contest
We are offering another 1 million step contest! We will begin September 1, 2009 with a contest to reach 1,000,000 pedometer steps. The 1st faculty member, 1st staff member and 1st member of the physical plant to reach 1 million steps will each win $100. Individuals who won cash prizes in our previous competitions will be recognized during this competition, but will not be eligible for cash awards. All individuals to reach 1 million pedometer steps within 100 DAYS (between September 1 and December 9) will receive a "H2O million step club" prize. New prizes for repeat winners!
To be eligible for the contest, participants must count pedometer steps. If you would like to "jog" or "run" to count steps, you must still wear your pedometer. The pedometer will likely underestimate running steps (programmed for accuracy with walking), but we cannot accept step conversions toward the million step total. Contact wellness@hope.edu with any questions. Pedometers can be obtained from HR.
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Hope College Employee Wellness Program | 141
East 12th Street | PO Box 9000 | Holland, Michigan 49422
email: wellness@hope.edu |
