New Team Pedometer Challenge coming to Hanscom Published March 31, 2011 By Deanne Casey Civilian Health Promotion Services HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- The command-wide program known as the Team Lean Challenge has been around since 2007, but this year it is getting a facelift and will be coming to Hanscom and other bases across the Air Force Materiel Command this month. The official theme of the refreshed program is the Team Pedometer Challenge (TPC). This program focuses on taking the necessary steps for permanent healthy lifestyle changes. The TPC involves three key elements: education, walking and participating in base fun runs or walks. These three elements help to encourage an overall healthy lifestyle approach, with attainable goals. The challenge spans a six week period, beginning April 11 and ending May 20, allowing participants the time to introduce good health habits, build a routine and learn about nutritional education. The intent of TPC is to foster the AFMC Wingman concept by encouraging participants to work together to achieve their goals. Each team will consist of two members. "The TPC is a program that doesn't focus solely on weight loss, but being more active, and this was our goal," said Antoinette Greene, health promotion coordinator for AFMC Surgeon General's office. TPC is designed to help the command's military and civilian workforce create significant reductions in health risks by developing a healthier lifestyle. The first step of the program is for participants to complete the Health Risk Appraisal tool available at the Wellness Support Center website at www.afmcwellness.com. The TPC begins with a simple assessment of each participant's overall health, which many participants may already have completed. The site also serves as the enrollment portal for the challenge, as well as where a person may enter their daily step count in the pedometer log. Once enrolled, participants should visit the Civilian Health Promotion Services office at Health and Wellness Center (HAWC) in Building 1540 to pick up a free pedometer. The pedometers are available on a first come, first served basis while supplies last, so those interested are encouraged to sign up early. The objective of the TPC is for each team member to log their steps at www.afmcwellness.com, attend three educational classes and participate in one of the fun runs or walks held on base. At each AFMC base, classes will be taught by the Civilian Health Promotion Services (CHPS) team, as well as the Health and Wellness Center (HAWC) team. Some of the classes include Fad Diets, Cooking with Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables and Healthy Eating at Work. The top three winning teams will be determined by the numbers of steps taken, whether both participants attended three classes each and if each member participated in a fun run or walk provided by the Hanscom Fitness Center. For more information and to enroll, visit The Wellness Support Center website at www.afmcwellness.com. Once enrolled, participants should access the website often to log steps, chat with team mate and view online support. Daily logging of steps is encouraged, but participants can backdate log entries up to seven days. Once the challenge begins on April 11, enrollees will begin to receive motivational emails to help achieve a healthier lifestyle. The Civilian Health Promotion Service's class calendar is located on the AFMC Wellness website. The next fun run/walk at Hanscom will be the Bunny Hop 5K on April 20. Registration will take place at the Fitness Center at 7 a.m. and the events begins at 7:30 a.m. T-shirts will be awarded to the first 25 finishers. For further information, call 781-377-3639. For further information about Hanscom's TPC, contact Ms. Deanne Casey at 781-377-8467 or via email at deanne.casey.ctr@hanscom.af.mil. Steps to completing online enrollment: Participants must be enrolled online for the Team Pedometer Challenge. Those that don't already have access to the Wellness Support Center at www.afmcwellness.com must take the Health Risk Appraisal (HRA), however, this is not required for active-duty. After completing the HRA, follow these instructions: For first-time visitors to the Wellness Support Center, begin at Step 1. Civilians who have an account, but need to re-take the HRA, log-in and begin at Step 4. Active duty and civilians with current HRAs can log in and begin at Step 5. Step 1: Go to www.afmcwellness.com Step 2: Click on Civilian Wellness or Active Duty Wellness Step 3: Create a new account by selecting a login ID and password Step 4: Click on "Take the Assessment Now" and answer all of the questions Step 5: From the home page, click the link near the "Team Pedometer Challenge" logo Step 6: In the upper right hand corner of the screen, click "Enroll Here" Step 7: Fill in the first and last name, requested teammate and team name From the Team Pedometer Challenge page, visitors will see a link "TPC Enrollment Certificate." Participants should print this certificate and take it to CHPS or HAWC to receive a free pedometer.