Health Conscious

The company I work for is focusing on wellness programs this year. Ever the employee-oriented company, they believe that they'll save more (at least when it comes to HMO costs) by helping their employees stay healthy. Of course, this also helps employees become more productive.


This year, they're putting even more emphasis on staying healthy, espcially since annual physical exams for last year showed obesity as the number one health problem for our company. Because of this, a series of seminars and consultations with Intellicare doctors and Nestle nutritionists were conducted a few weeks ago. The seminars were real eye-openers for me, correcting a lot of the wrong notions I had about food and diet. We also have a month-long access to fitness classes for free.


In addition, they conducted blood tests to get our cholesterool levels and sugar counts. This was part of a contest the company's holding. It's called the Biggest Loser/Biggest Gainer, where employees who've lost (for overweights) or gained (for underweights) the most would win. There are cash prizes and even a trip for two for the winners. Nestle and Intellicare will be back in the middle of the year to check on everyone's progress.


This has introduced a new challenge for me, which is to eat healthy without starving myself. I need to lose only 7 Kgs., which is very doable, and I'm happy and excited to be seeing my progress week after week. I"ve been seeking a new challenge or a new project, and eating healthy makes for a very good project.


I will not diet just to lose weight; rather, my goal is to change my eating habits. So far, so good. I've realized that I don't have to limit myself to boring and tasteless food just to lose weight. I can still pretty much eat whatever I want but in moderation and by choosing healthier alternatives if possible.


I've quickly gotten into the habit of looking at labels and counting calories. I'm challenged to be creative with the food I eat, especially since I easily get tired of always eating the same food.


I just feel so lucky with the company I work for. Not only do they take care of our bank accouts; they also take care of our well-being. As FoodLover says, where else can we find a company that teaches and encourages us to be healthy and even reward us for it?