And the Golden Carrot goes to …

LOVETT SCHOOL

Reason nominated: Health and wellness program

Who benefits: Faculty and staff

Lesson that can be learned: Commitment, incentives fuel fitness drive.

At an elementary school, a constant barrage of kids, cookies and candy can make losing weight a difficult task. Still, Mary Spencer found a way to focus on her health and take off the pounds thanks to the wellness program at her school.

She joined the Weight Watchers program at Lovett School and lost 37 pounds, which she’s kept off. It’s a dramatically better result than she had three years ago, when she participated in an off-campus program and lost 20 pounds, but gained it all back. The difference this time, she says: the emotional support of co-workers.

“It can be kind of hard going into a new environment and sharing some of the things you have to share in those type meetings,” Spencer said, Lovett’s upper school dean of student life. “Here, you have fellow members talking about situations unique to our work environment.”

Spencer is one of many faculty and staff members at the school who are molding their bodies while molding young minds.

Weight Watchers participants have lost more than 630 pounds this year, and other employees are building better bodies through the school’s health and wellness program. That program includes:

> Weight Watchers: A campus chapter of the “at-work program” refunds 50 percent of fees to participants who meet their goal. The group meets once a week.

> Exercise classes: Yoga and aerobics classes are taught on campus by a certified instructor.

> Cardio/weight rooms: Two weight and cardio rooms are available for employees to use free of charge.

> Natatorium: Indoor pool open to faculty and staff twice a week.

> Hite Wellness Center: Facility includes a wellness room, training room and weight room, plus an indoor track and a pool.

> Boot camp: Each month, faculty and staff can enter drawings to win boot camp membership with sessions conducted four to five times per week. Lovett also subsidizes four memberships for faculty and staff per month. About 15 Lovett faculty, staff and parents attend on-campus boot camp.

> Walking competition: In April, prizes were awarded to employees who logged the most steps.

> Health fair: Annual screenings (including blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose) and nutrition education.

The program has expanded over the past five years to reflect the school’s commitment to meeting the needs of the employees to be well-balanced in all aspects of their lives, said Lisa Goldie, director of human resources. It makes wellness convenient for busy employees, and the support of co-workers and team members helps make it successful, she said.

Spencer agreed that the encouragement of co-workers outweighed the school’s various facilities and services.

“The resources may be there, but the time is not,” said Spencer, whose day begins before 7 a.m. and often extends until late evening following extracurricular activities and programs she attends. With her group’s help, the east Cobb County resident learned to walk more during her workday, prioritize activities and make better food choices. She also made a personal commitment to model the behavior she teaches.

“If I don’t, then I’m not a very good teacher,” said Spencer, who’s set her sights on losing another 15 pounds.

WHO DESERVES A CARROT?

Our Better Health report recognizes those organized efforts, large and small, that might inspire other groups to initiate their own programs. And we want to hear about them. Submit your Golden Carrot nominations to betterhealth@ajc.com.