Sparking a revolution

GINA DAUGHERTY | CIN WEEKLY

Employees at Meridian Bioscience in Newtown congratulate one another on a job well done for staying in shape. A group of employees at the company has joined SparkCincinnati and, together, they keep track of how much they exercise. They are competing with another company to exercise the most. (Photo by Leigh Patton/CiN Weekly)

The worst part about exercising isn't the sweat, soreness or grueling exertion. The worst part is finding the motivation to do it. Because if there is an excuse out there, you'll find it. But the employees of Meridian Bioscience in Newtown are finding it harder and harder to make excuses.

About 50 Meridian employees have joined SparkCincinnati and log their minutes onto SparkCincinnati's Web site every morning. The site tracks the company's minutes, and it has pitted them in a friendly rivalry against one another and against Cincinnati healthcare company Kendle International.

What's been amazing about it is that those who were never consistent in working out are now making exercise a priority.

"I would start, and it would be a two-month phase, and then I would get busy and not make it a priority," says Heather Braid, who works in Meridian's human resources department. "But e-mailing back and forth and posting the minutes has kept it in the forefront of my mind."

Lisa Kiminski and Phil Motz have been the e-mail cheerleaders for the Meridian group. Kiminski, who also works in human resources, reminds the group through e-mail how they close they are to their minute goals, Kendle's numbers and one another.

Every e-mail that Kiminski sends to the group is also carbon-copied to Humana, which is Meridian's health-insurance provider. Though proving that Meridian is more health-conscious with each new sign-up to Spark hasn't lessened individual healthcare costs, Humana is taking notice, says Jim Hyer, who designs and consults on Meridian's benefits program for the Hauser Group.

"Anything a company like Meridian does to improve the overall health of its employees on a proactive basis is positive as far as Humana is concerned," Hyer says. "What Humana is really (looking) closely at is the number of people signing up. There are 300-plus employees here, and every month you add a couple more, and that's two or three more people who aren't sitting on the couch not exercising."

And the friendly competition and drive to exercise has spilled out beyond Meridian to friends and family members, as well.

"One friend of mine and I were trying to find ways to do things together, and we were running out of options," says Debbie Meyers, a product manager who had begun to wane on her dedication to work out. "Now we've refocused around health and have included our friends and kids. It's a fun way to be together."

Chris Downie, founder and CEO of SparkPeople, tosses a foam ball back and forth with a co-worker in his office. The goal of Spark Cincinnati is to help Cincinnatians improve their lives through health and fitness. (Photo by Leigh Patton/CiN Weekly)

GET MOTIVATED WITH SPARK CINCINNATI YOURSELF. IT'S FREE!

The goal of SparkCincinnati is to help Cincinnatians improve their lives through health and fitness. Just go to
www.SparkCincinnati.com and start logging your minutes today. Then, follow these tips.

• Not sure where to start? SparkCincinnati.com has video demonstrations of how to do different exercises, ranging from beginner to advanced, in 10-minute increments you can squeeze in anytime.

• Try body-weight-only exercises. They are a great way to start, and you can do them in your home without equipment. Try push-ups, lunges, plank holds, squats and crunches. All you need is some room.

• Snack on fruits and vegetables. Substituting fruits and veggies for chips, candy and pop is a big health booster - it not only saves you calories but adds fiber, vitamins, minerals and protective phytochemicals to your diet. Munching on a one ounce bag of baby carrots instead of a small bag of chips just once a week will save you 6,240 calories over the course of the year.

• Wear a pedometer. Aim for 10,000 steps a day to get the health benefits of moderate physical activity. Studies show wearing a pedometer can help you lead a more active lifestyle.

• Take a 10 minute health break. Research shows that accumulating 30 minutes of activity a day can have significant health benefits. When time is tight, squeeze in a 10 minute walk around your building or through your neighborhood.

• Pack your lunch. Bringing your own lunch not only can save you money but a lot of calories as well. For example, a large burger, large fries and 16 oz. soft drink have about 1,450 calories - almost your whole day's energy needs in one meal. A turkey sandwich, fresh fruit, chips and skim milk has only 750 calories along with a lot of nutrients your body needs.

• Drink more water. Refrigerate a half gallon container of water in the morning and aim to finish it by the day's end. You'll not only help ward off dehydration but new research suggests that drinking plenty of water may help prevent kidney stones and bladder cancer.

• Eat more fish. Several studies have shown that eating more fish can reduce the risk of heart attack. Heart-healthy fish like salmon, tuna and sardines may also offer benefits for people with arthritis, high blood pressure and diabetes.