February 11, 2005

MGHers commit to Be Fit

At a recent visit to his doctor's office for a routine exam, Ridwan Himawan, of MGH Nutrition and Food Services, was told — much to his surprise — that he needed to lose 20 pounds. "I was shocked, but I knew that he was right," says Himawan. "I told him that it will be very tough for me to do since I work around food all the time in my job."

Thanks to a new pilot program called Be Fit, Himawan and 103 other MGH employees are getting support from the hospital to lose the weight and live a healthier lifestyle. Sponsored by The Clubs at Charles River Park and MGH Nutrition and Food Services, the program features six teams of employees from different departments. The teams compete against each other to eat better, exercise more and ultimately shed a few pounds in the process with the help of registered dietitians from MGH Nutrition and Food Services and personal trainers from the Clubs. Above, Kate Brill-Daley, director of the Clubs, stands with a life-sized poster of herself and Jeff Davis, senior vice president for Human Resources

Himawan is the leader of the Nutrition and Food Services team that is competing against Environmental Services, Materials Management, Buildings and Grounds, Human Resources and a team of MGHers who belong to the Clubs. In an e-mail that he sent to his team members, Himawan explained all the reasons he wants to get fit and how this program can help everyone on the team reach their individual goals. "After losing my father to heart disease, I really would like to live beyond the life expectancy age," says Himawan. "I believe I can do this with the help of this program."

The Be Fit program launched the 12-week pilot with a rousing kick-off event Feb. 3 that resembled a pep rally (shown below) in the Lower Amphitheater. The six teams will meet weekly to discuss nutrition and exercise as well as a weigh-in to monitor their weight loss progress. Once the pilot program is complete and has been evaluated, the hospital plans to open up the Be Fit program to every employee at the MGH.