Getting Fit for Life

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David Zheng
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La --  Barksdale's Health and Wellness Center started its 12 week Get Fit program to help people get in shape. The program is free and open to anyone who has access to the base.

The Get Fit program is similar to the Biggest Loser. Attendees compete to see who can lose the most body fat or weight and receives prizes at the end of the program.

Prizes include gift certificates, gym memberships, heart rate monitors, and more.

People who take the program will receive an initial screening, which includes a body fat and weight measurement.

After the screening they are given opportunities to attend several educational classes such as: Shop smart, eat smart; How to exercise at home; Fad diets: do they work; Carbs, who needs them; and Developing a gym routine.

"This year we're promoting lifestyle changes," said Jennifer Barnhart, Get Fit instructor. "The goal of the classes is to teach people skills that they can take after the challenge is over. Short term their going to see that they can lose weight just by making small changes and long term it's going to lead to healthier lives."

Benefits of a healthier lifestyle include more energy and reducing the risk for health-related issues such as heart disease, diabetes and bad cholesterol. Currently over 60 percent of American are overweight and 30 percent are obese.

"A big issue right now is preventative medicine," said Mrs. Barnhart. "Instead of treating people with diabetes we want to teach people how to prevent themselves from getting diabetes. We spend a lot of money in healthcare and the more servicemembers we have getting healthy then the more family members we have getting healthy and we'll see a better base community overall."
There are several pitfalls facing people looking to get fit. One is setting one large, hard to obtain goal instead of taking it one step at a time. The HAWK recommends setting several small goals on the way to getting fit.

"Little things you can do on a day to day basis added up over a life period are going to greatly diminish your risks for health related issues." said Byron Hardy, exercise physiologist.

Another pitfall facing people looking to lose weight is not seeing what they expect to see on the scale or a splurging on their diet.

"Don't give up," said Mrs. Barnhart. "We see that a lot people have one bad day or they don't' lose weight during the week and they just give up and don't come back. One day of debauchery won't ruin what we're trying to teach people here for the long term. Don't' give up because you ate an extra slice of pizza."

Becoming a healthier person isn't a 6 month or one year process. Instead it's a lifetime commitment.

"Getting fit is basically a lifestyle," said Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Aure, 2d Operations Group Intelligence Get Fit attendee. "You have to say you want to change. If you really want to do something then you have to make the effort."

Anyone interested in the Get Fit Challenge can still sign up by visiting the HAWK during regular business hours.

"If someone is interested in this program or interested in getting help the HAWK is the perfect place to get it," said Sergeant Aure. "Just come to the class and maybe something will spark."