Challenge aims to get participants movin,' losin'

Nevada Daily Mail

The Movin' & Losin' Corporate Challenge kicks off Monday, Feb. 15, and runs through May 9.

Healthy Nevada's Rachel Hansen and Katie Bones gave those at the Nevada Vernon County Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon an overview of the program at the Healthy Nevada Innovation Center and the goals for 2016.

The three-month challenge encourages participants to log their miles of activity and/or lose weight, with the latter done by percentage, said Hansen.

A free wellness account will help those taking part keep up with their progress. It will also offer a variety of features, said Bones.

"We've got 24 businesses and organizations signed up so far," said Hansen. "And there's still time to register."

Bones provided a look at the wellness account, the A of the ABCs for Healthy Nevada for 2016.

The B stands for biometrics and screenings, she said. Through a partnership with Nevada Regional Medical Center, 10 different screenings will be offered during this period, at a low cost.

The next screenings will be March 1 and March 10 at the Healthy Nevada office.

The C stands for classes and challenges, including this one, as well as classes that include "Wellness on a shoestring," "Heart healthy eating," "Diabetes self-management," "Wellbeing 101," "Heart healthy fitness," "Cooking matters," and "Heart health."

Bones provided a look at the wellness account, which will provide reminders and help track this information, as well as offering various wellness topics.

As an example, she showed a screen that listed results from a screening, then showed where the account "will even give you your risk," such as the risk factor of a stroke, as well as more information, with the account providing the definition of a stroke and offering additional details.

"There are even recipes," Bones added, for healthy cooking options.

And there is also a feature that will put the user in contact with a dietitian or with a licensed trainer.

"It's all customized and private, and is compliant with HIPAA," the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that was passed by Congress in 1996.

"There's a lot of wellness education on this. We have a symptom checker and a health library as well."

In addition to online access, there is also an app for the account for smart phones.

And for those with no Internet, kiosks will be available at a variety of locations, including NRMC, the Osage Prairie YMCA and the community center.

Additional information can be found not only on the Healthy Nevada website but also on Facebook. Informational kiosks can be found at Walmart and Woods.