The Fitness and Wellness Certification

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2010

In August 2009, Henrico County implemented a new fitness and wellness initiative, entitled “The Fitness and Wellness Certification Program.” This comprehensive program lays the path for improved health by exposing employees to, and encouraging participation in daily fitness and wellness activities. Employees are assigned to Fitness Trainers who work individually with employees to set goals and design a personal fitness plan. Weekly nutrition classes address healthy eating recommendations such as eating a variety of foods daily, watching portion sizes, choosing nutrient dense foods, tacking food intake and checking body weight weekly. The results of this initiative were exceptional. In seventeen weeks, a select group of 72 employees lost a total of 580 pounds, 780 body inches, experienced a 14 percent decrease in heart rate, a 27 percent increase in muscular strength, a 35 percent increase in muscular endurance, a 9 percent increase in flexibility and a 34 percent improvement in HDL cholesterol. This initiative is yet another example of Henrico County’s commitment to make a difference in the health and well being of its employees and the workplace by changing individual behaviors and creating effective partnerships to promote a culture of fitness and wellness.