March 2, 2007

Be Fit healthier than ever on its second anniversary

Before he joined the MGH Be Fit program, Dean Donahue, MD, (seen at right), of the Division of Thoracic Surgery, was out of shape. He exercised infrequently and had poor eating habits. "I more or less kept Frito-Lay in business," he jokes. Donahue was encouraged to join the Be Fit program by his unit's nurse coordinator, Joanie Cacciola, RN, whose enthusiasm helped motivate him to lose more than 20 pounds over the 10 weeks of the program.

According to Cacciola, "What's great about the Be Fit program is that it starts off as a team competition, with everyone in it together. By the end of 10 weeks, though, you're in competition with yourself, but it's still the camaraderie that keeps you going."

Since graduating from the Be Fit program, Donahue has maintained the healthy habits the program instilled in him — he follows a nutritious diet and currently is in training for his second Marine Corps Marathon. "The Be Fit program changed my lifestyle significantly," says Donahue, who recommends the Be Fit program to all MGHers who are ready to make the commitment to healthy living.

The month of February marked the second anniversary of the Be Fit program, a joint initiative between MGH Food and Nutrition Services and The Clubs at Charles River Park. Designed to facilitate weight loss and the development of a healthier lifestyle, the program comprises a rigorous 10-week course of exercise, food and nutrition education, weigh-ins and progress reports. Now in its ninth phase, Be Fit has changed the lives of the hundreds of MGHers who have participated. Different teams
from departments throughout the hospital are pitted against one another in friendly competition across such categories as most pounds lost and most workouts.

This year, the MGH is being honored by the Alliance for Work-Life Progress (AWLP) for its Be Fit program. The MGH is one of three employers to receive the AWLP's 2007 Innovative Excellence Award, which honors employers whose programs enrich the lives of employees while achieving organizational and business goals.

For more information about the MGH Be Fit program, visit intranet.massgeneral.org/befit or contact Erin Marley at (617) 726-2900.