RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The Randolph Health and Wellness Center is seeking "crews" from all over the base to top last year's medal-winning level of participation in a challenge that focuses on proper nutrition, healthy fluid intake and physical activity.
Crews Into Shape, an event sponsored by the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, is an opportunity for teams throughout the Department of Defense to dedicate themselves to wellness while competing for prizes. Registration deadline is Feb. 28 and the challenge will run from March 1-28.
"We're hoping to get more teams than we did last year," said Jennifer Sides, HAWC registered dietitian, who is helping to promote Crews Into Shape. "Randolph - along with the USS Harry Truman - had 41 teams, the most teams DoD-wide. We were surprised, because we recruited at the last minute."
Lori Tibbetts, HAWC health education program manager, called it one of the best programs because "it's about doing what you're doing every day - eating right, drinking fluids and exercising."
"We picked it because everybody can participate," she said. "We did really well last year. We'd like to see even more participation this year."
Ms. Sides said she likes Crews Into Shape because it's not specific to weight management though people may set weight-loss goals. The recommended weight loss is no more than eight pounds during the four-week period.
"It's just promoting healthy behaviors," she said. "Nutrition, fluid intake and physical activity are all areas we can work on."
Ms. Sides also said participation is easy because submitting information to the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center is all Web-based.
In the challenge, crews consisting of two to 10 members earn points for meeting daily goals of eating five servings of fruits and/or vegetables, drinking 64 ounces of water and other healthy fluids, exercising 30 minutes and achieving a weight-loss goal.
Members also earn extra points for participating in a weekly crew activity, registering at
www.mypyramid.gov, turning in a weekly worksheet to their crew leader on time and completing a survey at the end of the challenge. Crew leaders are responsible for submitting worksheets online to the public health center.
Ms. Sides said examples of crew activities are walking around the base and listening to fitness and nutrition presentations.
"Teams have the freedom to decide what to do," she said.
Top-scoring teams receive T-shirts from the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center in Portsmouth, Va. Randolph participants will receive free water bottles from the HAWC for enrolling in the event.
Last year 2,570 crew members belonging to 374 crews - composed of Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Soldiers, Coast Guardsmen, civilians, contractors and family members - competed in the challenge, now in its ninth year. Randolph teams participated for the third year.
A survey completed at the end of last year's event indicated that more than 80 percent of respondents improved their daily habits regarding fruit and vegetable consumption, healthy fluid intake and exercise.
Ms. Sides said participating in the challenge for four weeks helps people continue on that road to healthy living.
"It does make you think for the rest of the year," she said. "It really sticks with you. The goal is to jump-start people into being more aware and to make permanent improvements."
(For more information, call Jennifer Sides at 652-2300 or visit www.nehc.med.navy.mil and follow the index link to Crews Into Shape.)