RESHAPING COLES: PROGRAM AIMS TO SLOW THE RATE OF OBESITY AND ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Journal & Gazette Times-Courier
April 11, 2005
By Bonnie Clark, Features Writer

Bob O'Rourke of Arcola and Donna Coonce of Charleston are among area residents who are seeking a healthier lifestyle through a program called Reshaping Coles.

The program is the brainchild of trendbenders who are part of a process called Community Trendbending, introduced in the area in 2003.

Trendbenders were asked to identify a negative trend and then develop a long-term strategy to help "bend the trend in a more positive direction."

With Reshaping Coles, volunteer organizers hope to help slow the rate of obesity and help people make lifestyle changes through a Fit for Life program in cooperation with the American Cancer Society.

Teams from cooperating businesses, schools and organizations earn points and record them weekly on a Web site as a way to encourage physical activity, as well as the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Teams can earn extra points by attending health fairs and nutrition seminars. The program encourages participants to eat at least five fruits and vegetables, drink 64 ounces of water and walk 10,000 steps a day.

Both O'Rourke and Coonce participated in the first 10 weeks and are continuing in the program's second session.
O'Rourke, director of patient financial services at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, said he exercises after work on the treadmill at the METS lab during the winter months and runs outdoors in the mornings in nice weather.

"Being a part of the program makes it easier to stay motivated," he said. "I'd been trying to run anyway, but when you're on your own, it's too easy to say, ‘Oh well, I'm not going to put in the four miles today.

"Actually having to record your exercise seems to make it more likely you'll do it," he said. "At least that's how it works for me. And, I'm definitely more likely to eat fruits and vegetables."

Coonce, a parent services coordinator in Childcare Resource and Referral at Eastern Illinois University, said the staff there decided to participate as a morale booster, as well as for obvious health reasons.

"Competing with other teams at Eastern helped us stay motivated," she said. Coonce said she does several kinds of exercise, including walking and lifting weights. "I exercise anyway, so it was fun to put it down on paper and be able to see that I really do exercise 40 minutes a day."

O'Rourke said he notices a difference in his stress levels when he runs regularly. "It's a great stress reducer for me," he said, "and my energy level is also much higher. "It seems like it would be the opposite, but you're not as tired when you exercise regularly," he said. "That's another reason I like doing this."

O'Rourke said he wants to stay active so he can be involved in sports with his sons, ages 17, 14 and 10. "They're involved in basketball, football, soccer and track, and one of them plays baseball. I want to make sure I'm still able to do those things with them."

Another benefit of his participation, he said, is that he is more likely to get his sons to eat at least some of the fruits and vegetables.

"Working on improving your health and lifestyle is just something I want to do, and the benefits are good. I'd recommend other people take the time to get involved in the program."

The 10-week pilot program ran from October through December 2004 and involved 770 employees from EIU, First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust, Consolidated Communications, Lake Land College and SBLHC.

At the close of the pilot project, participants had recorded 1,425,854.89 points for physical activity and 119,366 points for fruits and vegetables. In addition, they had recorded 339,767 bonus points.