Soar into Shape kicks off for the 3rd year

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Erin Slaughter
  • 3rd Wing Public Affairs
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Individuals and families all over Elmendorf are moving past the winter slump by showing their dedication to a healthy lifestyle by participating in Soar into Shape, which kicked off Jan. 12 and will continue for 12 weeks. 

Soar into Shape began in 2007 as a way to help base personnel fight the urge to become sedentary over the winter. Approximately 60 percent of active duty Air Force personnel on base had a body mass index of over 25, which is considered overweight. To combat that trend, the Health and Wellness Center, along with the Nutritional Medicine Clinic launched a program unique to Elmendorf to help personnel remain fit to fight. 

Soar into Shape is often thought of as a weight-loss program, and while that is the goal of many participants, the program's emphasis is on making healthy lifestyle practices a habit, which can help some individuals to lose weight. 

Often people simply need motivation to get moving, and this program provides that motivation by offering prizes to the teams and individuals that earn the most points, along with plenty of tips and support along the way. One of the benefits to the program is its flexibility in the many different ways to earn points. People can eat fruits and vegetables and drink healthy drinks or participate in wellness challenges or attend classes aimed to educate on the different facets of a healthy lifestyle. 

Every year, the HAWC and the Nutritional Medicine Clinic seek to improve the program and this year they observed a need for youth to participate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of obesity in adolescents age 12 to 19 more than tripled in the last 20 years. This year, youth are able to participate with their families in order to encourage them to get up and move more. Their weights will not be recorded, but activity levels, consumption of healthy beverages and "screen time" are. According to the Soar into Shape staff, youth are spending more time in front of the TV or computer and less time being active than youth in years' past, so these times will be recorded as their "screen time" and will factor into their final scores. Since the scoring for the youth is different than for adults, the adults participating as a family will also be able to compete as an individual. 

"We are so pleased to have over 400 people participating in the program this year and are especially grateful for the support received from our base leadership and the community," states Capt. Heidi Worley, element chief, Clinical Dietetics, Nutritional Medicine Clinic. 

As an example of his support, Col. Richard Walberg, 3rd Wing vice commander, provided opening remarks at the Soar into Shape orientation. This year, the Arctic Oasis Community Center is providing activities, such as rock climbing, ping pong and golf tournaments, and a scavenger hunt for Soar participants. The Elmendorf Fitness Center is assisting the HAWC and Nutritional Medicine Clinic with the wellness challenges held twice during the program. Participants will compete in a series of fitness and nutrition activities and earn points to add their individual, family, and team scores. 

The main goal for the Soar into Shape program is for people to succeed. Individuals can participate as a family, a team or an individual. They can earn points for maintaining weight or losing it. Waist measurements can be part of the score, or not. People can participate in the wellness challenges, or go to the classroom sessions on healthy lifestyle practices or both. The bottom line is to keep it simple. The HAWC and Nutritional Medicine Clinic want everyone to set attainable goals and seek support from friends or the staff to achieve those goals. 

Even those who have decided not to participate this year can look out for those that are participating and encourage them. And remember, any time is a good time to try a healthier lifestyle.