Sarah Thomas, Assistant Director of Integrated Studies at Purdue University Fort Wayne, used Pivio — The Complete Health Improvement Program to prioritize healthy eating and exercise. (photo courtesy)
After working six years in a sedentary office at Purdue Fort Wayne, Sara Thomas knew she had to prioritize her health. As a busy single mother, she struggled to find time to make healthier food choices and exercise frequently until Thomas received an email about her Pivio, a complete health improvement program. was
Pivio, formerly known as CHIP, is a 12-week program focused on whole-person health by integrating the tools and principles of nutrition, exercise and behavioral psychology. Facilitated in a virtual environment with dynamic group discussions and peer support, the program is designed to help participants transform their lifestyles through education, hands-on experience, and empowerment. Pivio supports all five pillars of the Healthy Boiler program: physical health, behavioral health, social health, financial health and work-life integration.
“I have a lot of bad habits and needed something to help orient myself in the right direction,” says Thomas, PFW’s assistant director of integrated research. “I knew I needed to lose weight and increase my energy levels because I didn’t want to run out of energy and not be able to play with my son.”
A health risk assessment is provided at the beginning and end of the program to measure and track an individual’s A1c levels, lipid profile, and more. This assessment helps reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension.
Pivio participants are also provided with a recipe book, a comprehensive tool kit, and reading materials that provide information on food preparation and exercise. Thomas used these resources to gradually adapt to his changing lifestyle, shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, cooking his favorite recipes, and remembering to get up and move every day.
It didn’t take long for her to realize what the program was doing to her body.
“It takes a while for your taste buds to get used to eating more whole foods like grains and vegetables while eliminating sauces and salt, but I think I started to see the weight come back pretty early on. “By improving my food choices and just doing the moves I was supposed to, I could feel my energy levels increase immediately. By the end of the program, I was down 22 pounds.” .”
There’s very little free time in everyday life, but Thomas says adding a program to his busy schedule wasn’t as difficult as he thought.
“When you’re a single mom and work 50 hours a week and you’re home and doing everything else, taking the time to look after yourself can seem like a lot of work.” I think. This program makes it much easier to focus on these things,” says Thomas.
It’s been over a year since he enrolled in the program and Thomas continues to use the knowledge he’s gained with each session. She says the experience helped her develop a mindset that allowed her to pursue a healthy lifestyle after completing her program.
“When I make a mistake or eat something I know I shouldn’t eat, I always try not to say, ‘Oh, I can’t do this, I failed.’ Give yourself a little grace.” Give and make better choices next time,” says Thomas.
way to participate
Led by Purdue-Fort Wayne Health Coach Lindsey Bloom, the next Pivio program will be held via Zoom from September 27th to December 13th from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. The participant will meet twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for his first six weeks of the program and he will meet once every Tuesday for his next six weeks.
Individuals must enroll in the program by August 24th through the Healthy Boiler Portal. The registration link can be found in the “Healthy Boiler Workshop” section of the portal’s home page. Move the cursor to the “Pivio Health” square and click “Submit” to register.
For more information on Pivio, please visit the Lifestyle Medicine Institute website. Questions about the program can be sent to the Health and Life Center at 765-494-0111.
More Healthy Boiler Opportunities
Healthy Boiler workshops and lifestyle programs are provided free of charge to all eligible faculty members and dependents with Purdue health insurance.
