Active Living Program News
On the Move with Purdue University
Rebecca Goetz and Marti Worden began their journeys to lead more active lifestyles through the highly successful Purdue University WorkLife Programs. Although each woman’s story has a different beginning, the result is clear. Active Living Every Day has given these participants the confidence and the goal-setting tools they need to make lifelong changes—long after class is dismissed.
When 48-year-old Rebecca Goetz picked up the latest issue of Hope Health Letter, the college's WorkLife Programs newsletter, she decided it was time to get back into the game after sitting on the sidelines because of illness the previous year. The newsletter’s spotlight on Active Living Every Day caught Rebecca’s eye, and Purdue’s $50 incentive bonus to participate in the program gave her the extra push she needed to take that first step.
Rebecca immediately recognized the benefits of Active Living Every Day’s group meetings, which gave her and fellow classmates the support system needed to keep going. She also learned how to set realistic goals for herself and how much exercise it takes to stay fit. “I set walking goals—30 minutes a day, five days a week at first, then 10,000 steps a day for 6 days a week after I got my pedometer,” she explains.
Increasing her physical activity has not only made her feel better physically and emotionally, but it has also had a positive effect on her family. “When I walk with members of my family—-sometimes one, sometimes all—we have some good conversations.”
One of the keys to success, Rebecca believes, is the support she and her fellow classmates received from instructor Amber Simons. “She helped us get motivated, encouraged us, rewarded us, but didn't criticize when we didn't meet goals.”
Classmate Marti Worden concurs that the right instructor makes all the difference in getting participants motivated and keeping them on track. “Amber was able to present the lectures with confidence, adding personal interests or aids to help us understand. She was our own personal cheerleader!”
Marti learned of Active Living Every Day through a friend. The 60-year-old’s primary motives for joining included learning how to exercise consistently and setting goals. “One of my goals was to walk at least 10,000 steps each day. I have been able to do this and have now added a short walk during one of my breaks. I am motivated to continue this and add more steps as a short-range goal,” she says. “I think goal setting is one of the most important things to learn.”
Active Living Every Day’s individualized approach allows participants to make activities they enjoy part of their fitness plan. In turn, they are more likely to stick with the program on a long-term basis. Marti has found a way to incorporate one of her favorite activities, cross-country skiing, into her exercise regimen. After relocating to the Midwest, the former resident of upstate New York found that her pastime of choice was no longer an option. So, she acquired a ski machine that she now uses at least four times a week.
Feeling better physically and mentally has kept Marti and her contemporaries on target to achieve their respective goals. “I have lost some weight, firmed up some muscles, and even been able to get into some of my favorite clothes that I kept in my closet for several years, as well as purchase some new ones,” Marti proclaims.
Through Purdue University WorkLife Programs, Active Living Every Day has had positive effects on the lives of 125 participants and counting. There have even been waiting lists of people who have heard the rave reviews and witnessed the changes in Rebecca, Marti, and their fellow Active Living Every Day grads. “I think this program is one of the best ones that Purdue University has offered,” says Marti. “It is up to us to maintain what we've learned and continue working toward the goals we've set for ourselves. It is a realistic program and is definitely a win–win class.”
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