Wellness classes offered to staff
By Crystal Forester
Staff Reporter

The Unity Wellness Program, which began this summer, is designed to increase overall health for the faculty, staff and their spouses, said coordinator Amy Goodson.

“Fitness and wellness has become a trend in the national realm and our goal is to decrease health cost,” Goodson said.

Rippit fitness program instructor Rachel Julian said the demand for wellness classes and the national trend toward better health started the idea for the wellness program.

“It’s about time TCU jumped on the bandwagon with the wellness program,” Julian said.
Faculty and staff interested in the program can sign up on Mondays and Thursdays in the University Recreation Center. Members of the Recreation Center pay $20 for the basic assessment program, non-members $40.

When participants complete the program and meet their goals they receive a $20 reimbursement and a free one-year membership to the Recreation Center, Goodson said.

Participants must fill out a profile of about 50 multiple choice questions to look at health symptoms, nutrition, stress and current medical conditions to evaluate the health of that person, Goodson said. After the profile is complete, a consultation is set up for the beginning and end of the program with a health professional, she said.

“A computer program prints out information for the person to tell them where they rank in basic health,” Goodson said. “At the consultation members go over the printout to give them ways and what to improve with their health.”

Goodson said program participants must pick three goals from a list that includes decreasing blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate and weight to meet by the end of the16-week program.

“We give them 10 or 12 goals so they can pick from a wide range,” she said.
Julian said the Strength Rippit, one of the aerobics courses offered, is designed to work out the entire body with the latest equipment.

Berta McLemore, a member of the wellness program, said she would enjoy taking a Rippit class but has not found the time. She said she uses the Recreation Center three or four times a week to help meet her goals in the program.

McLemore said since she has started the wellness program, she has become more conscious of the food that she and her family are eating.

“I’ve cleaned out our refrigerator,” McLemore said. “We’ve even gotten our kids eating healthy too.”

Crystal Forester