REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Employees with the Aviation and Missile Command are taking aim at weight loss.
During the next few months, participants in AMCOM's Scale Back Alabama initiative will team up with a partner, chart out a weight loss strategy and take on the challenge of losing weight.
It's all about working to build a healthier and stronger workforce.
"This is important to our entire AMCOM team," said Command Sgt. Maj. Glen Vela, who is leading the effort. "It's a good opportunity to jump start 2016 weight loss goals. It's a good way to work toward being more fit for the long-run.
"It's been shown that employees who are more physically fit have more energy, are more focused and are better at managing physical challenges that can be part of our work environment. But the best thing is that being more physically fit helps you to feel better about yourself, and helps you to live longer and stronger."
This year Scale Back Alabama teams will consist of two people each. Teams must register online at www.scalebackalabama.com or with AMCOM coordinator Sgt. First Class Jonathan Grover. They then must weigh-in at an official Scale Back Alabama weigh-in site this week and then weigh out at the official site the week of April 11-17.
At AMCOM, the official weigh-in site is at the Sparkman Center's building 5300 on the 4th floor in the Legal Library. Weigh-ins are being conducted every day this week from 8 to 9 a.m. If that time isn't convenient, then AMCOM teams can also weigh-in at Fox Army Health Center's Wellness Center today until 4 p.m., Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Besides being winners by losing weight, participants will also be eligible to win cash prizes. Each two-person team where each member loses 10 pounds in 10 weeks will be entered in a state-wide drawing for a chance to win up to $1,000 per team member. On April 29, three first place teams will be drawn for $1,000 per team member, three second place teams will be drawn for $500 per team member and three third place teams will be drawn for $250 per team member. Forty individual prizes of $100 each will be drawn from those participants who completed the 10-week contest and lost at least 10 pounds, regardless whether their team member lost 10 pounds.
In years past, Scale Back Alabama teams have come up with creative team names to describe the challenge they are undertaking. Grover hopes to see some of that creativity again this year among the AMOCM teams.
"This is a fun way to lose weight together. We hope our teams view it as a fun, yet serious challenge," Grover said.
"It's a way for us to promote healthy habits while enjoying ourselves and building better working relationships among our team members and between teams. I hope to see many teams over the next few months working out in the Sparkman gym or walking the Sparkman hall together as they try to lose those pounds."
The Scale Back Alabama website outlines the rules and procedures of the program. Participants can only register with one team and they can't switch their team members once they are registered. Team mates must be present and weigh-in at the same time and location. At the weigh-ins, participants should wear their normal work attire for that day. Items such as overcoats, purses, work boots, etc. will need to be removed before the weigh-in.
"When choosing your team mate, make sure you pick someone who has similar health goals as your own. The two of you should be able to motivate each other. You should be able to work together to make sure each of you is exercising regularly and watching your diet, and generally doing things that keep you moving and active. If you do those things, you should have success," Grover said.
AMCOM employees with questions about the program should contact Grover at jonathan.d.grover.mil@mail.mil or 955-6530.
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