AFMC Command News

Program helps information branch improve fitness

  • Published
  • By Crystal Toenjes
  • 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Information Technology Directorate personnel are putting the "IT" in fitness at Tinker Air Force Base. 

In groups and as individuals, they are walking, working out in the gym or participating in structured fitness activities with encouragement from directorate and base leadership to get involved in Fit 4 Life, the program that promotes increased physical activity and healthier lifestyles for civilian employees. 

"We wanted to make sure our folks within IT were getting the full benefit of Fit 4 Life," said Carla Hill, Business and Resources Division chief in the Information Technology Directorate. "Our deputy director, Angie Ceyler, asked division chiefs to come up with a way to encourage our folks to participate." 

Those who are physically able to participate in the pogram have been strongly encouraged to enroll in the Fitlinnx personal training system here to track their workouts and progress.

"The majority of our people are logging in and exercising more, and we have more people being active than ever before," said Kathy Thomas, fitness leader. 

While some people choose to exercise individually, Becky VanPool, Maintenance Systems Branch chief, came up with the idea of a ladies workout group. They get together twice a week to exercise and offer each other encouragement and support. 

"We have people from retirement age all the way down into their twenties and all fitness levels," said group participant Stacie Raper. "Some are doing it for physical reasons; others are involved just to get in better health." 

The group started out with the goal of just doing Pilates and then added walking a mile in 20 minutes. 

"We started out very simple and have been working our way up," Ms. Thomas said. "Before they knew it they loved doing the mile and they wanted to do more." 

Soon individuals were bringing in fitness tapes featuring various types of exercise regimens such as Tae Bo. Ms. Hill said they continue to build their library of workouts to choose from which allows them to not only add variety, but also slowly increase their difficulty levels. 

"We're trying to do it at a level that doesn't leave anyone behind," she said. "It's really neat to see people slowly improving and noticing it. I hear people saying to each other 'We couldn't have done this a month ago.'" 

As fitness leader, Ms. Thomas tries to help everyone involved in the class get the most out of their workouts by showing individuals modified versions of exercises so everyone can participate no matter what their fitness level. 

"Everyone is saying 'I feel so much better when we're done,'" she said.