Calderdale service helps reduce figures at Provident Insurance
Local people who work for Provident Insurance in Halifax have been shaping up their figures after the Calderdale health improvement service helped the firm set up a healthy weight programme.
Following on from previous successes setting up a workplace health programme with the service, Provident sought the help of the team again to establish an in-house healthy weight programme.
The health improvement service, which is provided by South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, supports businesses to develop and promote a workplace health programme that encourages and assists colleagues to look after their health.
The programme promotes all health and wellbeing and covers topics such as healthy weight, emotional wellbeing and physical activity. It also provides opportunities to train staff to become a workplace health champion.
Stephan Chavrimootoo, who works at Provident, expressed an interest in running the programme at work and was helped by the health improvement service to undertake a nutrition and weight management course.
As part of his training Stephan, who has a strong interest in wellbeing, shadowed the service’s healthy weight clinics and was supported by staff to set up his own clinic, helping to build both his knowledge and confidence to help motivate colleagues to make health lifestyle changes.
With the help of the service Stephan was able to run his own three month healthy lifestyles course called ‘You can with Stephan’. The sessions were attended by 38 members of Provident staff and involved weigh ins and individual advice on how to improve wellbeing.
Of those who attended six achieved a weight loss of between 4% and 9% of their starting weight and combined the group lost 54.8 kilograms and 41 centimetres around the waist.
As well as significant weight loss 80% of the group said they are now eating more healthily as a result of the group and 59% are more active since attending the sessions. Other benefits recorded include improved motivation, self esteem and feeling happier.
Speaking about the programme Nicola Webster, a health improvement practitioner with the service who helped train Stephan, said, "We were thrilled to be able to help Stephan to deliver health lifestyle advice to his colleagues. He was able to share this knowledge at work and the results are great to see. In the future Stephan intends, in his own time, to also take advantage of other free programmes our service offers such as stopping smoking and emotional wellbeing to continue to help improve the overall wellbeing of himself and his colleagues."
Stephan added, "I already had a strong interest in healthy lifestyles, so this has been a chance to build on my existing knowledge. I have gained great enjoyment being able to help influence and change people’s lifestyles in a way that will hopefully help them continue to make healthy choices to live well and feel good! Seeing the staff smile and showing enthusiasm towards our wellbeing activities has been really rewarding."
To find out more about the workplace health programme and how it could help your business contact Nicola Webster on 01422 281562