Tony Maclin’s friends and family are seeing a bit less of him these days.
Last year, a body mass index reading offered by Rockville’s wellness program “caused me to stop and take notice of my physical condition,” said Maclin, a commercial plans examiner in the city’s Inspection Services Division. “Then I noticed all the incentives offered by the city’s LiveWell program.”
LiveWell, the city’s employee health and wellness program, helps target specific health-related concerns and promotes physical activity. It encourages employees and spouses to get health assessments and provides incentives and health challenges, including weight management programs. The program strives to reduce medical-related costs and absenteeism, and produce healthier employees who can better serve Rockville’s residents.
Knowing that the sedentary life of an office worker can lead to poor health – and having a love of food and an aversion to doctors – Maclin began taking steps to manage his weight. He changed his diet and food preparation techniques, began drinking more water, and started an exercise regimen that included walking with a co-worker at lunchtime, and built up to 30-minute swimming and gym workouts, six days a week.
After a year, he had shed 56 pounds.
He’s remained motivated through “encouragement, of all types,” he said. That has included hearing “Rock on!” and encouragement from co-workers – even from Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton.
“Many co-workers have offered valuable suggestions on various aspects of this journey,” Maclin said. “I listened, applied and benefited. The fact is, prevention is better than a cure. So, to all who choose to LiveWell, I say, rock on, Rockville!”