Calvert - County Times

The Calvert GazetteThursday, August 23, 2012 8STORYGazette Joins ‘Calvert Can:Eat Right and Move More’ InitiativeBy Corrin M. HoweStaff WriterA change in the culture and improvedhabits are goals for a county-wide movementto positively impact the lifestyle choices ofCalvert residents.Representatives from Calvert County’sHealth Impact Council want to be the catalystfor residents to improve overall health,according to Margaret Fowler, director ofCommunity Wellness at Calvert MemorialHospital.Calvert’s United Way formed the healthimpact council with representatives from thelocal government, businesses, schools andnon-profit agencies to address findings ofa 2010 Maryland Behavioral Risk SurveillanceSystem. According to the United Waypress release, the survey found that 73 percentof Calvert County adults are overweightor obese and 60 percent of county residentsdo not meet the daily recommended 30minutes of moderate exercise.The impact council’s goal is tospread the message throughout otheragencies and businesses that “CalvertCan: Eat Right and MoveMore.”The Calvert Gazettehas taken up thechallenge and willrun regular storiesabout the initiativestarting with thissummary of the genesisand the goals ofthe program.Calvert MemorialHospital, withlocal partners, receivedEAT RIGHTMOVE MOREGazetteCalverta grant to provide free and low-cost fitnessand nutrition programs to populations mostat risk, which will benefit an estimated 500residents.“We want our programs to be easy andaccessible so that ‘Calvert Can Eat Right,Move More’ becomes part of our culture,”Fowler said.Jennifer Moreland, director of UnitedWay Impact Councils, adds, “A lot of theseprograms already existed. We just neededsomeone to be able to pull them all togetherinto a resource center.”The grant requires tracking metrics toprove the program’s success in impacting theoverall trends during the next five years, saidMoreland. The trends should show loweringthe average weight of residents and increasingthe number of adults and children meetingthe daily minimum exercises levels.Calvert Can, an abbreviated name forthe campaign, is beginning to hit its stride asstaff work through obstacles and brainstormnew ways to “transform the county into aculture of wellness,” Fowler said.For example, the citizens can signupfor an online “interactive reportcard/food suggestions system poweredby Vitabot.” The programstates that “nutrition is muchmore than just counting calories.This patent-pendingsystem finds nutritional deficienciesin your daily mealplan,and then uses yourfavorite foods to helpyou correct them.”Fowler saidthat using the programhas provenoverwhelming for somebecause scientists and engineers for the astronautprogram developed it. So an idea formaking the program more accessible to theaverage citizen is to have the person writedown what they eat for 3 to 14 days and bringit into the Wellness Center. Someone will enterthe data and help the citizen learn how toinput their own meals.“Most people eat pretty much the samethings, so once we get it started, it should beeasier for them to maintain,” said Fowler.Another part of the program is to getresidents moving more. One piece is called“Walk Off Weight,” an eight-week challengewhich can begin at any time. Thoseinterested can download a 32-page PDF(www.calverthospital.org/body.cfm?id=729)of tips, sample stretches, a log and 13 suggestedwalking locations within the county.Call 410-535-8233 to find out where a localWOW station is nearby to weigh and recorddistances anonymously.Future ideas to involve the entire communityinclude talking to local restaurantsabout including a Calvert Can: Eat Right,Move More logo on healthy meal choices,mapping out “count your quarters” trails, andsponsoring a local Biggest Loser contest, accordingto Fowler.The first contest is tentatively scheduledto begin in the fall.Other programs include getting othersinvolved.“We’d like different sized businesses tohave “challenges” within their companies,making “wellness part of their business culture.”Fowler said.Fowler said they are hoping that localbusiness will be willing to donate money andin-kind gifts in the future since grant moneywill run out eventually. One way a companyLocal Man Loses 220 Poundscould help is to pay for the time and expenseof running the online meal suggestion program.Right now the program is free to Calvertcitizens, but in the future, the programmay be forced to charge a small fee to coverthe operating expenses.“Count Your Quarters” signs will beginpopping up all over the county soon. Thesesigns will mark quarter mile increments indesignated areas such as Town Centers.“The idea is that as someone is in thecenter buying groceries or eating dinner, theywill see the signs and remember they haven’twalked their 30 minutes yet. The route is alreadymapped out for them and they can walkby four signs and satisfy their daily exerciserequirement,” Fowler said.Businesses can donate these signsand even have areas around their businessmarked out.Churches, daycares, home-schoolgroups, non-profits and more are invited tocall and ask about Community Care Coordinatorsto come to their location and tell themmore. Fowler said at a community presentationabout the program, a Mom’s group approachedher about learning more.The primary way to address heart disease,diabetes and other health issues is totackle weight management and lack of exercise,according to Moreland.“Small steps make big changes. All youhave to do is take the first step,” said Fowler.Keep picking up the Calvert Gazette tolearn more about the county-wide initiative,including more programs available to thepublic, regular updates on progress and futuresuccess stories.corrin@somdpublishing.netBy Corrin M. HoweStaff WriterIn March 2012, Merrill “Monk” Wellsleft for the Biggest Loser Resort in Malibu,having won a month stay through a Facebook“Year of You” contest. During that five weekshe lost 67 pounds, and since he’s returned anadditional 50.From his heaviest point, Wells has lost220 pounds, but he still has 90 pounds to goto meet his goal.“Since I’ve been back, I’ve had myup days and down days. When I was at theBiggest Loser Resort I didn’t have to worryabout work, family or paying bills. But now Iremind myself to take one step at a time, oneday at a time,” Wells said.Wells was the top vote getter in the onlinecontest using his message, “FirefighterSaving Own Life.” About 20 months ago, hewent in for knee surgery and discovered hewas over 500 pounds. He didn’t know howmuch over because the scale only went to500. He decided to take control of his life forhis son Mason’s sake. He wanted to live longenough to watch Mason grow up.Since returning, Wells said he’s hadmany small accomplishments which makehim feel good about himself, in control of hislife and motivated to keep on working. Mostrecently he said he went to a ballgame anddidn’t have to worry about whether or nothe’d fit in the seat.“I know where I am going to fail. I loveto go to ballgames, but instead of eatingthere, I packed a lunch and water bottles andI didn’t feel hungry.”The highlight of his time away at theresort was to be able to focus on himself. Atypical day began at 4:35 a.m. when he wasrequired to work-out until 8 a.m. At that pointthe residents had to go on timed walks.“Straight up a mountain or on the beachuntil 11:30. We had 30 minutes to clean upand get to class which was more work-outson machines, like the treadmill, in the poolor aerobics.”Lunch was followed by sessions learninghow to eat, count calories and cook. Thenback to the machines,dinnerand lecturesuntil 8 p.m. Itwas that wayevery day exceptSaturdaywhere it wasthe same until1 p.m. “Thenwe’d get ourbutts kicked inMonk Wells and his son, Jason.obstacle coursesfor an hour and a half.”Sunday was weigh-in.Wells admits the last few weeks hehasn’t being hitting his program hard. He’sneither gained nor lost weight. He’s in theprocess of trying to juggle his work schedule,family and coaching football and make timefor exercise.The worst part about being away thosefive weeks was missing Mason. However,Wells said that Mason inspired him to keepgoing.“I had a picture of him on a key chainaround my neck all the time except for whenI was sleeping or showering. If I started to getdiscouraged, I’d look down at his face.”Wells said that he wants to support anyonestruggling to lose weight. He couldn’t doit without all the support he’s received. “I’llfriend anyone on Facebook who wants to talkto me about how I’m doing it.”He also has a blog at http://monkwells.blogspot.com/corrin@somdpublishing.net