Simple Changes Yield Big Results

Jacksonville, FL — Simple changes to diet and exercise can lead to major health benefits. At CSX, a staff of Health and Wellness experts provides tools and resources to help guide employees towards better habits.

Steve Frazier, Manager-Engineering Training at REDI in Atlanta, experienced a familiar scenario when he reached the 50+ mark. He carried 245 pounds on his six-foot frame, and increasingly found himself eating late in the evening and falling into bed soon afterward.

A weight loss tournament at his location put teams of employees in competition with each other over a three-month period. Although Steve's team didn't win, he was surprised to be named as the competitor with the largest individual weight loss – 29 pounds. He's since continued to stay on his program and has dropped more than 35 pounds and several inches around his waist and hips.

"I just took the information from the Health & Wellness staff and along with my team consciously put it into action," Steve says.

Some of the tips provided by the Health & Wellness team are good reminders for us all:

• Consciously look at portions. A serving of protein, for example, should be about the size of a deck of cards. No seconds.
• Drink lots of calorie-free fluids. Steve and his team drank about 64 ounces of water or unsweetened beverages a day.
• In addition to three regular meals with portion control, have a small snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
• Try to have the final meal of the day by 6 or 7 p.m. at the latest.

"I tried to find the calorie consumption and the behavior changes that fit the way I live now, not the way I lived when I was younger and spent regular time at the gym," said Steve. "The calorie intake coupled with a day-to-day regimen that I could stick to became a lifestyle. I got really consistent and stayed there."

Steve was rewarded for his win with a new Schwinn mountain bike, which he can surely use to further his healthy progress!