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PROGRAM DESIGN

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.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Program objectives include the following: a) Participants are encouraged to eat 5 to 9 serving sizes of fruits and vegetables a day and to follow the USDA MyPyramid guidelines; b) Participants are asked to participate in 30 minutes of some type of physical activity on a daily basis, unless their doctor indicates otherwise, and c) Participants are encouraged to attend 7 out of 10 educational sessions to help them meet these objectives. When individuals follow these objectives they have success in bringing about positive behavior changes and improve their overall quality of life.

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.

REGISTRATION AND WEIGH-IN

During the registration and weigh-in session, participants will register and provide simple baseline information. The information includes contact information, team participation, and personal data including weight, height, body mass index, and blood pressure. In addition, participants will be asked to complete a short survey indicating levels of activity and general eating habits. Each person will be given an identification number. This number will be used on all pages containing personal data rather than using a person’s name. This allows for complete confidentiality for all information provided.

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

Physical Activity/Walking

WEIGH OUT AND CELEBRATION

During the final week of the 12-week program, participants return to weigh out and complete a final short survey. Results from each team are tallied and prepared for the celebration. Communities will have some freedom in planning their celebration events. Many of the pilot communities solicited small prizes from local organizations and awarded them during the celebration. Others provided certificates to teams or individuals that met their goals. The idea is to have fun and celebrate success!