JMMB Group Promotes Wellness Among Team
Against the background of the high prevalence of individuals living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart attack, hypertension and cancer, Jamaica has taken several steps including establishment of various organizations, committees, policy and initiatives to address these concerns in a bid to build a healthier nation.
The JMMB Group is one of the corporate entities that continues to undertake this challenge to engender and embrace a culture of healthy lifestyle; as an employer of choice that believes in holistic development and wellness. This healthy lifestyle habit is in keeping with the mandate of the nation’s Jamaica Moves initiative. As such, the company last month launched its 10-week healthy lifestyle challenge dubbed, ‘Countdown to a Healthier Life,’ which has seen over 150 team members participating.
Clover Anderson, culture & internal communication specialist, in giving insight into the initiative notes, “during the period team members are invited to participate in seminars, weekly healthy challenges and exercise sessions as they pursue the ultimate prize of a “new healthier self” in addition to exciting prizes and the grand cash prizes for the winning team and individual.”
She adds, “we decided to have a team approach to this lifestyle challenge to help individuals to have a solid support system along their journey as these individuals provide the motivation to keep you going, especially in the face of setbacks.” She shared JMMB has organized weight loss competitions in the past; however the success for the candidates and the organization was usually unsustainable as individuals did not adopt a holistic lifestyle transformation, which resulted in individuals regaining the weight.
Building a Support System
Peter Thompson, investment manager at JMMB and leader of ‘team Weight Breakers’, can attest to the value of a support system noting, “In addition to building our relationship as a team, we have forged a closer bond as each other’s accountability partner and coach through challenges. I recall a member of the team having a “cheat weekend” consisting of poor food choices, we took the time to discuss the setback and strategize towards getting her back on track and maintaining our momentum.” Thompson’s team, which consists of Bonica Thawe, Shadae Prendergast, Sasha-Kaye Johnson-Atkinson and Camille Steer, is hopeful of copping the top prize; as together they have shed over 58 pounds and 44 inches by making deliberate healthy food choices, working out together and closely monitoring their progress weekly.
Although the team support is critical to the success, Sasha-Kaye Johnson-Atkinson outlines that the strides she has achieved so far, has been complemented by her husband, Ian, who has joined her on her new diet and taken on additional supervision of their 11 month old daughter – Gabrielle, to facilitate her work out routine. She smilingly adds, “the compliments he (Ian) gives are an added bonus.” Bonica also shares that she is motivated by her son, Jabori, who takes great pride in her spending quality time with him at swimming, as part of her exercise routine.
Debunking Diet Myths
In order to assist individuals to transform their lives, Anderson has organized sessions on nutrition with nutritionist, Janet Rankine, Managing Director of Complete Nutrition Care to help to debunk some of the diet myths, as part of the initiative.
Rankine in her nutrition sessions with the JMMB team shared several tips noting:
- The need for a balanced diet which includes the appropriate serving of food from all the food groups – legumes, protein, starch/carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits, fats and oils;
- Increased intake of water to help the body to efficiently function and to replace especially high sugar drinks;
- Portion control is another key element. She noted the need to eat smaller balanced meals more frequently, approximately 2-3 hours a part, in order to minimize hunger and fat storage in the body, while also increasing ones metabolism and likelihood of poor food choices and overeating as a result of starvation;
- Understanding the nutritional facts of the foods consumed on a daily basis is critical as it also helps in determining the portion and the overall calorie intake per serving;
- She dispelled the notion that one’s blood type determined their metabolic rate, by sharing findings from the research she had uncovered so far;
- Encouraged the use of low calorie substitutes and alternative ways to prepare meals such as baking instead of frying foods, to reduce the calorie and fat intake
The Challenge Continues…
With only a few weeks to go in the challenge, Camille Steer who confessed to trying several diet plans previously in a bid to shed the weight, notes the last few weeks have helped her to form new habits and to change negative attitudes and behaviours into positive ones, she states, “I am happy with the results I have achieved so far.” A similar sentiment is echoed by her team mate, Shadae Prendergast, who reveals her secret to success has been her deliberate effort to select low calorie substitutes and closely tracking her food consumption daily with the help of an online app. This ‘new found friend’ is one she intends to adopt and use after the challenge officially ends on June 30, as she continues to strive for her own goal and maintain a healthier lifestyle.
The ripple effects of the challenge seem to know no distance; Shadae shared that she invited a friend in England, Nashara Campbell, who was on a similar mission as herself to join her in making a lifestyle change and share in the workout activities and the health tips provided by JMMB.
As members of Weight Breakers look forward to being the last team standing in the competition, each member of the team admits that the end of the competition will simply mark the next step in his/her journey towards their respective goals and adoption of a healthier lifestyle. The nuggets of wisdom gained and the new circle of support that they have garnered throughout the competition will be their ammunition to success going forward complemented by a clear focus on their goal.