The Winston County Journal

"I was thrilled with the turnout," said Winston MSU Extension Associate Sara Dykes as 78 Winston Countians signed up for the 12-week healthier lifestyle program of Mississippi in Motion.

Winston County's Mississippi in Motion program kicked off Feb. 15 to help area residents shed a few of those unwanted pounds, get back into shape and learn to live a healthier lifestyle. The 12-week program headed by the Mississippi State Extension Service and funded in part by a Blue Cross/Blue Shield grant focuses on eating right, exercising more, feeling better and improving self esteem.

"I aim to get health and get in motion with Mississippi," said Shawn Butts as she signed up for the program.

Enrollees in the program will participate in 10 one-hour educational sessions each Thursday following the weigh-in at two convenient times. The sessions are set for 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Winston County MSU Extension Office and begin Feb. 22.

Participants must attend seven of these meetings in order to qualify for the programs prizes. Topics covered by the sessions will range from healthy cooking to better meal planning and eating out intelligently to strength training.

The idea is that a little "healthy" challenge will motivate participants to strive for healthier lifestyles. This initiative is designed to promote healthy lifestyles through exercise, proper nutrition, and social support. As part of those goals, Dykes hopes participants in the program will help start a walking program which will give attendees more support in the weight loss challenge.

Of course, the program directors hope the participants gain knowledge to apply to a healthier lifestyle rather than just have a cycle of diet and exercise.

"I challenge the individuals to follow through with the program so we can achieve 100 percent participation and success," said Dykes.

The program will conclude with post weight screenings on May 3 with an award ceremony being held later on to acknowledge the biggest "losers."

Anyone interested in the program may contact the Winston County MSU Extension office at 662-773-3091 or email sdykes@ext.msstate.edu or visit msucares.com/health/health04/ms_in_motion/overview.html

The program important facts:

Mississippi in Motion is designed to be a 12-week program, including one week for registration and weigh-in and one week for weigh-out and celebration. During the remaining 10 weeks, participants attend a weekly session on specific health topics.

Team Approach

Participants are encouraged to form teams of five friends, co-workers, or family members with which they regularly interact. This team approach is a vital component to the success of the program. The team provides social support, encouragement, and accountability to those who may need a little extra boost along the way. Also, if one person is unable to attend an education session, a team member can provide a bridge to that information by picking up an extra set of handouts and sharing the information. Many participants in the pilot projects said this team support was a key component of their success.

Education Sessions

Each education session is designed to involve a 30-minute lesson with a 15-minute question and answer period for a total of 45 minutes each week. This time frame works well for a "lunch and learn" setting, or for a quick information session at the end of a workday. Each community can select ten of the following twelve educational sessions: Personal Goal Setting, Becoming Physically Active, Better Planning for Better Meals, Cooking Healthy, Diabetes, Eating Out Smart, Fad Diets, Healthy Heart, My Pyramid, Stress and Emotional Eating, Flexibility and Strength Training and Physical Activity/Walking.