SMU is continually looking for ways to help you improve – or maintain – your health. As a wise person once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Plus, we think it’s the right thing to do.
We’ve all heard that healthy eating, healthy weight management, and physical activity can help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, many cancers, and other unpleasant health problems. But the precursors to these problems – collectively known as “metabolic syndrome” – are a silent epidemic that affects an estimated one in four adult Americans. Through our continued offering of the program Naturally Slim® you have the opportunity to lose weight, feel better, and decrease your risk factors for metabolic syndrome.
What is “Metabolic Syndrome?”
Metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors that dramatically increases your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, depression, stroke, cancer, and a number of other unpleasant medical conditions. According to a national health survey, one out of every three working adults has metabolic syndrome.
These five questions can tell you if you are at risk:
- Blood pressure: Is yours 130/85 or higher?
- HDL (good) cholesterol: Is your level less than 40 mg/dl (milligrams/deciliter) for men; less than 50 mg/dl for women?
- Fasting blood glucose: Is your glucose level 100 mg/dl or higher?
- Triglycerides: Is yours 150 mg/dl or higher?
- Waistline: Does yours measure 40” or more for men; 35” or more for women (when measured across the belly button)?
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If you answered “yes” three or more times, you may have metabolic syndrome. People with metabolic syndrome have a significantly higher chance of developing a medical condition in the next several years.
How the Program Works
Naturally Slim focuses on the issue of metabolic syndrome and offers methods to help you create changes in your behavior.
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- Fights metabolic syndrome by focusing on weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- Enables you to develop a lifestyle of eating your favorite foods while still improving health and losing weight.
- Teaches you to identify personal eating habits, recognize the difference between true hunger and psychological hunger, understand how hydration habits influence hunger, and practice ways to minimize fat storage.
- Addresses how exercise, stress, and your environment affect weight loss.
- Includes 10 self-paced, online video sessions or 10 live, onsite classroom sessions, as well as frequent correspondence and positive guidance from a personal health counselor over a 10-week period.
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This has been very powerful for me. I now feel like I have these tools that really work- that I can use the rest of my life. The huge “diet” machine in the media did NOT give me any of this excellent information."
- SMU Naturally Slim Participant |
Participation Basics
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The program is open to current SMU benefit-eligible staff and faculty only. |
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All applicants must have recent biometric screenings results and enter their results using the online application. Results from onsite screenings in January 2013 or Fall 2012 may be used. Biometric screening results from completing a full physical within the last four months are also acceptable. To obtain the most up-to-date results, schedule your onsite screening now! |
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To participate, you must create an account and complete your online application between January 21 and February 5 at 5:00 p.m., at www.naturallyslim.com/SMU. Be sure to have your biometric screening results on hand, provide complete information, and agree to the program requirements. |
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If you apply, you will be notified via e-mail whether you are accepted into the program by February 14th. If you have previously completed the program, you are not eligible to re-apply. |
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You will have the option to choose if you want to attend the onsite class, hosted by a Naturally Slim counselor each week, or complete the class by watching a weekly video. If a participant in the onsite class misses a session, s/he can watch the online video for that week to make up for the absence. |
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The program is paid in full by SMU, so long as you complete the minimum participation requirements. If you attend fewer than 8 of the 10 sessions (live or online), a $100 penalty will be assessed over the course of two pay periods. |
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Graduates will be awarded a Wellpower challenge credit in the spring reward period for completing the program. |
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Post-program biometric screenings are required and are typically scheduled during the final week of the course. |
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Dates for Spring 2013
| January 21 - February 5 |
Naturally Slim online application available. |
| January 23 - February 1 |
On-campus screenings available on main campus and Plano campus.
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| February 5 |
Deadline to complete the online application at www.naturallyslim.com/SMU. |
| Week of February 11 |
All applicants will be notified whether they are accepted. |
| February 18 |
Online program begins for accepted applicants. |
| February 21 |
Onsite kick-off class begins for all onsite participants. Online participants are welcome to attend!
Lunch will be provided. Location TBD. |
| Week of March 11 |
No onsite class held due to Spring Break. |
| Week of May 1 |
Onsite re-screening for graduates of the program. Date TBD. |
If you are accepted into the class, you will receive more details regarding the kickoff meeting in your acceptance letter. Please be aware that these dates may change slightly. Look for email information about this program in January 2013.
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A Note About Confidentiality…
The information that you provide to any program professional who is representing SMU will be considered confidential and will be available only to you and those professionals. SMU will have no access to the personal health information that you include in the online application. Furthermore, each of our program partners cannot sell or otherwise divulge any participant information to any unauthorized party.
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Questions?
We are excited about offering this program to our faculty and staff and hope that you will consider participating if you are serious about taking steps to improve your health. If you have questions about this program, you may email us at wellpower@smu.edu |