In an effort to improve health and lives on Hill Air Force Base, the Civilian Health Promotion Services office has been, and will continue, offering courses in its new program “New Year, New You.”

CHPS is committed to the well-being of Air Force civilians. The “New Year, New You” series offers classes including Personal Goal Setting for a Healthy Lifestyle; Fad Diets: The Good, the Fad, and the Ugly; and Overcoming Gym Intimidation and Starting an Exercise Program. 

“Because this is the time of year that so many people are thinking about being healthier and the traps that individuals fall into that lead them to unbroken resolutions — whether it is the fad diets or barriers they face with exercise etc. — we want to help them find and make realistic goals that will lead to lifestyle change in their life so that they can live a healthier life,” said Kaelynn Studebaker, CHPS Health Promotion Coordinator. 

“For those who come to this series of classes, they will have the tools they need to make true changes in their life that will stick with them for the long run.”

This year, the CHPS team rolled out all-new classes — some brand-new and others revamped from previous years. The three presentations include:

• Personal Goal Setting for a Healthy Lifestyle

Does it really take 21 days to form a new habit? This class addresses health-related goals that people commonly make, how good and bad habits can make or break success, and tactics for keeping and reaching goals and resolutions.

• Fad Diets: The Good, the Fad, and the Ugly

The class touches upon the current fads, with information on what is beneficial for you, what diets to avoid because of the risks involved, and tips on eating a balanced diet.

• Overcoming Gym Intimidation and Starting an Exercise Program

The class addresses the components of an exercise program, how often to exercise, ways to overcome gym intimidation, and overcoming barriers to being physically active.

On Jan. 7, participants attended the Personal Goal Setting for a Healthy Lifestyle course taught that day by Madison LeMelle, CHPS Health Promotion Specialist. 

Paul Nakayu, a computer scientist in the 309th Software Maintenance Group (309 SMXG), attended the course and said he enjoys attending classes whenever they fit his schedule: “I really like the classes CHPS offers. They are based on basic, sound information, backed by credible research and invite me to make manageable, positive changes. The instructors, besides being helpful and encouraging, are qualified and willing to research answers to questions and concerns.”

“Given that, I always sign up for new CHPS classes when I can find a session that fits my schedule. One set of the ‘New Year, New You’ series of classes happens to be scheduled in my building, so that makes it particularly convenient. I was intrigued by the topic of personal goal-setting because I have a goal (in my family, we call them Christmas promises rather than New Year’s resolutions) to build my relationship with my 12-year-old son, which is a little different than other goals I’ve worked on in the past, and (I) came looking for some ideas on how to approach it. I’m also looking forward to the class on Overcoming Gym Intimidation because even though I go to the fitness centers on base on a regular basis now, I’m sure there’s a lot I can learn about making better use of the resources available there.”

Instructor LeMelle notes: “Oftentimes, individuals put way too many goals or behavior changes on their plate. This can become extremely overwhelming. I tell people to work on one goal at a time. That way, you can channel your focus and your energy on one thing, and you are a lot more likely to find success. An example of this would be to set one small goal a month, and slowly build on the change you are trying to make throughout the year a little at a time.”

Nakayu enjoyed this information in the class, noting: “In the past I’ve balked at setting goals and especially at writing them down. Now I find the goals I want to work toward are less about accomplishments and more about improvements in my own life and my relationships with others, so in that regard, they’re more challenging to implement without a plan. In the class this week, Madison emphasized breaking a large goal like building a relationship into smaller objectives. It will take some thought to figure out what those smaller objectives might be, but I’m ready and willing to put forth that kind of effort now.”

“I’ve made some significant progress with the physical aspect of wellness since joining Team Hill, and CHPS has been a big contributor to that success,” said Nakayu. “That gives me confidence to consciously work on other areas. Beyond that, the planning and tracking we talked about in class will be the key, thinking through things like habits I will need to establish, change, or break, and how I will gauge the effort I’m putting forth and the improvements that result.”

If you miss these courses, the CHPS team is also willing to bring any of the classes to you. “If people are interested in scheduling something in their building, they can contact us and we can work with them to get something set up… Anyone can also attend our classes. We are happy to have AD, civilian, contractors, dependents and retirees for classes,” said Studebaker. 

Although signing up isn’t required, it is helpful to call 801-586-9586 beforehand so instructors have an idea of how many participants to expect. Courses are free for all attendees.

To learn more about CHPS and its services, visit AFMCwellness.com or call the office at 801-586-9586.